Mr. Martin. It should be approximately $300,000 at a maximum, depending on what American serial rights and British Commonwealth serial rights, Asiatic serial rights would bring.
Mr. Redlich. You say the maximum of $300,000?
Mr. Martin. I think so.
Mr. Leech. Of those contracts?
Mr. Redlich. That is what I am asking about are these.
Mr. Martin. Of these contracts, yes.
Mr. Redlich. Could you tell us about any other contractual arrangements that you have made or are negotiating on behalf of Marina Oswald?
Mr. Martin. There are no others. I will have to refer to things. We had an offer from Australia and also from New Zealand as far as this photograph is concerned. However, it was thrown to the wind by the Detroit Free Press, so they got it from Detroit Free Press, we have been offered—we have not received an offer. The Australian newspaper——
Mr. Dulles. Do you need these details do you think?
Mr. Redlich. I want to get the total figure, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Martin. Associated Newspapers Limited of Australia would like to have Australian rights to a book that Marina would write, and also the London Evening Standard would like to have the British rights, of course, to the picture of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Martin, Mr. Thorne has indicated to this Commission that he estimated that Marina's earnings would approach approximately $500,000. Would you comment on that estimate?
Mr. Martin. I think it might be a little high. Of course, if you take into consideration she has $68,000, close to $70,000 in contributions alone, then the advances on this Exhibit No. 325, that is $200,000 right there. I think $500,000 might be just a little bit high.
Mr. Redlich. The final document I would like to show you is a photostat of a letter which you presented to the Commission today, purporting to be a letter written in Russian together with an English translation. It starts, the English translation starts with the words "As the widow of Lee Oswald." I show you Commission Exhibit No. 333 and ask you if this is a photostat of the letter which you submitted to the Commission this morning.
Mr. Martin. Yes, apparently so.
Mr. Dulles. Who is that letter to?
Mr. Redlich. We don't know yet.
Mr. Dulles. You don't know yet?
Mr. Redlich. I will develop that in the questioning. I mark this Commission Exhibit No. 333, being a Russian letter and what purports to be its English translation and ask that it be admitted in evidence.
Mr. Dulles. Can you identify that any further than just a Russian letter?
Mr. Redlich. On the top appears a date, and the day of the month is the 20th. I am unable to tell what month it is.
Mr. Martin. But the year is 1964, and the words "Dallas, Texas" then appear under the date.
Mr. Dulles. That helps identify it.
Mr. Redlich. I ask that it be admitted in evidence.
Mr. Dulles. Any objection?
Mr. Leech. No objection.
Mr. Dulles. It is admitted.
(The photostats of a Russian letter with an English translation were marked Commission Exhibit No. 333 for identification and received in evidence.)
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Martin, with your permission I would just summarize the contents of this letter, and if I have summarized it inaccurately, just say so. This letter requests that the death penalty not be applied to Jack Ruby, the person who has been charged with the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald. Is that inaccurate?
Mr. Martin. No; that is correct.
Mr. Redlich. That is a correct summary of the contents of the letter?
Mr. Martin. Yes.
Mr. Redlich. Do you recall to whom that letter was written?
Mr. Martin. She originally wrote the letter to Melvin Belli.
Mr. Redlich. By "she" you mean Marina Oswald?
Mr. Martin. Marina. I advised her against——
Mr. Redlich. Melvin Belli?
Mr. Martin. Is the attorney for Jack Ruby. I advised her against such an action, because of the possibility of the letter itself in translating from Russian to English being misinterpreted and used in a manner that might be derogatory to Marina Oswald. I suggested that she send this letter to Henry Wade who would be the prosecutor in the case. Now whether she changed the salutation on the letter I don't know. I can't read Russian. And the salutation was not translated in the translation. The translation was made by Katya Ford.
Mr. Redlich. To the best of your knowledge has this letter ever been sent to anyone?
Mr. Martin. No sir, it hasn't.
Mr. Dulles. You say it has not been?
Mr. Martin. It has not been.
Mr. Dulles. That is your belief or you have knowledge that it has not been?
Mr. Martin. I have the original. Now if a letter has been sent, it would be a different letter.
Mr. Redlich. On the basis of your knowledge of Marina Oswald's handwriting, would you tell the Commission whether you believe that this letter is in her handwriting?
Mr. Martin. Yes, it is. I also observed her writing the letter.
Mr. Redlich. Are you aware of the fact that Marina Oswald discussed this letter when she appeared before this Commission?
Mr. Martin. I believe you mentioned it sometime today.
Mr. Redlich. Were you aware of it prior to your coming here?
Mr. Martin. No.
Mr. Redlich. Do you know why it has not been sent?
Mr. Martin. She decided that it was best not to be sent unless she actually thought that Ruby was going to get the death penalty. Actually a letter like that should go to the Governor of the State.
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Martin, do you have any additional information concerning the assassination of President Kennedy, Marina Oswald, or the assassination of her husband Lee Harvey Oswald which you would like to present before this Commission at this time?
Mr. Martin. No, I don't think so. Nothing.
Mr. Redlich. If it would be helpful for the work of this Commission for you to return to Washington and appear again before this Commission, would you be willing to do so?
Mr. Martin. Yes, sir.
Mr. Redlich. Mr. Chairman, I have no further questions of this witness, unless Mr. Rankin does or you do.
Mr. Dulles. I would just like to ask a question about this letter I am just glancing over. Where did this letter paper come from? Is that some personal paper with a tree on it?
Mr. Martin. Yes. I bought that.
Mr. Dulles. You bought it for her?
Mr. Martin. At a drug store, yes, sir, at a drug store in Arlington.
Mr. Dulles. Is this another draft or is this just a copy?
Mr. Martin. This is the original of the copy.
Mr. Redlich. We have photographed what is now Commission Exhibit No. 333 and we are keeping the photostat. Mr. Martin, you will recall that at the start of today's proceedings Chief Justice Warren read into the record a copy of the letter which you received requesting certain notes, records, documents in connection with today's hearing. Have you made available to the Commission all of the material which was requested in that letter?
Mr. Martin. Yes, sir; I went through