(Testimony of Mrs. Marguerite Oswald Resumed)
Mr. Rankin.
I now offer in evidence Exhibit 169 and ask please to substitute a copy.
The Chairman.
It may be admitted.
(The document heretofore marked Commission Exhibit No. 169 for identification was received in evidence.)
Mr. Rankin.
Do you recall the date?
Mrs. Oswald.
I left there on the 28th, so it would have to be the 27th. It would have to be the 27th.
Mr. Rankin.
Now----
Mrs. Oswald.
Now, there were other people that offered her homes.
Mr. Rankin.
But you seemed to think there was something improper or bad about your son Robert wanting to get your daughter Marina taken care of in this manner. I don't understand that. Can you explain it?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes. Well--no--as I have explained before, Robert and I are not close, we are not close as a family. But Robert is a very easy-going person. He is not opinionated, particularly like I am. My older son and Lee are my disposition. But because you are a Secret Service man or somebody, if you tell him something, he will go along and yes you. So he was part of this arrangement. They probably had to have his consent. But he knew of the arrangement with Mr. Gregory and Marina. They all knew it but me. I was not consulted about this at all.
Mr. Rankin.
Do you think Robert was trying to do something bad by it, or just trying to look out for----
Mrs. Oswald.
He thought it was a good idea, that Marina should go and live in this home. But I took a different attitude. I am not interested in material things, gentlemen. I then went into my speech, that I thought, as a family, Marina and I should stick together and face our future together. I could see no reason--and I made this at the Six Flags. and have made it public in the newspapers, I could see no reason, no advantage of Marina living with strangers. I said that before. I thought it would be better, original idea, Marina and I had made, to live in my apartment and do the best we can. And I even said--we have $863 to start with, and then if we don't make it "What about you helping us?"
"But give us a chance as a family. Don't put the girl in a strange home, a Russian girl. a foreign girl, taken away from her Mama."
Marina has no mother and father--she has a stepfather. But I was her Mama up until this time. And I could not see Marina in a strange home.
Well, I am going to prove this story to you. It is a fantastic story. But as I go along--I have witnesses--and that is why I asked you, sir, I would like these people called to back up these fantastic stories I am telling you. It can be proven, sir.
So I had no further contact with my daughter-in-law--once they came out and said what they had planned. I had no inkling of it. That was the--they wanted to keep her and the children away from me.
That night, the night of November 27th--now, we were in a bedroom with twin beds that we shared. They opened the- studio couch in the living room, and rolled June's bed, the baby bed in the living room, sir.
Mr. Rankin.
What do you mean by "they"?
Mrs. Oswald.
The Secret Service had the maid come in with sheets and everything and they got--opened the sofa into a bed. The Secret Service rolled the baby bed from the bedroom into the living room. And I knew that I was not wanted or involved. And I have a very dignified way about me. I didn't say a word. What I did--I sat up in a chair all night long in the living room, rather than to be so indignant as to sleep in the bedroom where they had taken my daughter-in-law from me. I sat up in a chair in the living room rather than be pushed aside like I was being pushed aside.
Mr. Rankin.
Well, now, what Secret Service men were these. Mr. Howard?
Mrs. Oswald.
Mr. Howard was involved, and this other man.
Mr. Rankin.
The same man?
Mrs. Oswald.
This same man. And my son is in this, too. Robert was part
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