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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. I - Page 161« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Mrs. Marguerite Oswald)

Mrs. Oswald.
back issues, some 2 weeks later, was the first time that I saw exactly the tragic way my son was shot.
Mr. Rankin.
Was there any discussion between you and Marina about this?
Mrs. Oswald.
About the shooting?
Mr. Rankin.
Yes.
Mrs. Oswald.
No. We didn't know. I was with Marina at the Executive Inn from the 22d until the shooting, the 24th--as I told you.
Then we left. And from the 24th to the 28th, at the Inn of the Six Flags, the agents and my son kept this from us. We did not know. We knew Lee was shot and dead. But we didn't know how. We didn't get to read a paper or watch television. We just had snatches of the television.
Mr. Rankin.
Well, when you both learned that he was shot on that Sunday afternoon, did you and Marina say anything to each other?
Mrs. Oswald.
Oh, yes. That is another story. Immediately I said, "I want to see Lee." And Marina said, "I want see Lee, too."
And the chief of police and Mr. Gregory said, "Well, it would be better to wait until he was at the funeral home and fixed up."
I said, "No, I want to see Lee now."
Marina said, "Me, too, me want to see Lee."
They led us to believe that now they have taught her to do like this. But Marina has always spoken like that. I have acted as an interpreter for her, as I stated before, for an FBI agent. And she understood me. And he was satisfied that he didn't need an interpreter.
So she said, "I want to see Lee, too."
They didn't want us to see Lee, from the ugliness of it evidently. But I insisted, and so did Marina. So they could not do anything about it with the two women. So they decided to pacify us.
We got in the car. On the way in the car they are trying to get us to change our minds. And he said, Mr. Mike Howard--he was driving the car--"Mrs. Oswald for security reasons it would be much better if you would wait until later on to see Lee because this is a big thing."
I said, "For security reasons I want you to know that I am an American citizen, and even though I am poor I have as much right as any other human being, and Mrs. Kennedy was escorted to the hospital to see her husband. And I insist upon being escorted, and enough security to take me to the hospital to see my son."
Gentlemen, I require the same privilege.
So Mr. Mike Howard said, "All right, we will take you to the hospital.
"I want you to know when we get there we will not be able to protect you. Our security measures end right there. The police will then have you under protection. We cannot protect you."
I said, "That is fine. If I am to die, I will die that way. But I am going to see my son."
Mr. Gregory says--and in the most awful tone of voice, I will always remember this--remember, gentlemen, my son has been accused, I have just lost a son.
He said, "Mrs. Oswald, you are being so selfish. You are endangering this girl's life, and the life of these two children."
I want to elaborate on this. He is not thinking about me. He is thinking about the Russian girl. I am going to bring this over and over--that these Russian people are always considering this Russian girl. He snapped at me.
I said, "Mr. Gregory, I am not talking for my daughter-in-law. She can do what she wants. I am saying I want to see my son."
And so they brought us to the hospital. And Marina said, "I too want to see Lee."
After Mr. Gregory said that--"I, too, want to see Lee."
So then they did leave us at the entrance of the hospital, the Secret Service men, and then the police took over. We were escorted by the police in the hospital.
Mr. Rankin.
About what time was that?
Mrs. Oswald.
Well, I would not think it would be more than between 2 and 3 o'clock.
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