Mr. Rankin.

Do you recall the date of the first letter that you just referred to?

Mrs. Oswald.

No. But that is easily determined.

Mr. Rankin.

Were you asking for a visa to return to Russia?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you discuss with your husband his returning with you before you wrote the second letter that you have described?

Mrs. Oswald.

I didn't ask him. He asked me to do so one day when he was extremely upset. He appeared to be very unhappy and he said that nothing keeps him here, and that he would not lose anything if he returned to the Soviet Union, and that he wants to be with me. And that it would be better to have less but not to be concerned about tomorrow, not to be worried about tomorrow.

Mr. Rankin.

Was this a change in his attitude?

Mrs. Oswald.

Towards me or towards Russia?

Mr. Rankin.

Towards going to Russia.

Mrs. Oswald.

I don't think that he was too fond of Russia, but simply that he knew that he would have work assured him there, because he had---after all, he had to think about his family.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you know that he did get a passport?

Mrs. Oswald.

It seems to me he always had a passport.

Mr. Rankin.

While he was in New Orleans, that he got a passport?

Mrs. Oswald.

Well, it seems to me that after we came here, he immediately received a passport. I don't know. I always saw his green passport. He even had two--one that had expired, and a new one.

Mr. Rankin.

Do you know when the new one was issued?

Mrs. Oswald.

No. It seems to me in the Embassy when we arrived. I don't know.
But please understand me correctly, I am not hiding this. I simply don't know.

Mr. Rankin.

Do you know about a letter from your husband to the Embassy asking that his request for a visa be considered separately from yours?

Mrs. Oswald.

No, I don't.

Mr. Rankin.

When you were at New Orleans, did your husband go to school, that you knew of?

Mrs. Oswald.

No.

Mr. Rankin.

Did he spend his earnings with you and your child?

Mrs. Oswald.

Most of the time, yes. But I know that he became active with some kind of activity in a pro-Cuban committee. I hope that is what you are looking for.

Mr. Rankin.

When did you first notice the rifle at New Orleans?

Mrs. Oswald.

As soon as I arrived in New Orleans.

Mr. Rankin.

Where was it kept there?

Mrs. Oswald.

He again had a closet-like room with his things in it. He had his clothes hanging there, all his other belongings.

Mr. Rankin.

Was the rifle in a cover there?

Mrs. Oswald.

No.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you notice him take it away from your home there in New Orleans at any time?

Mrs. Oswald.

No. I know for sure that he didn't. But I know that we had a kind of a porch with a---screened-in porch, and I know that sometimes evenings after dark he would sit there with his rifle. I don't know what he did with it. I came there by chance once and saw him just sitting there with his rifle. I thought he is merely sitting there and resting. Of course I didn't like these kind of little jokes.

Mr. Rankin.

Can you give us an idea of how often this happened that you recall?

Mrs. Oswald.

It began to happen quite frequently after he was arrested there in connection with some demonstration and handing out of leaflets.

Mr. Rankin.

Was that the Fair Play for Cuba demonstration?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes.

Mr. Rankin.

From what you observed about his having the rifle on the back porch, in the dark, could you tell whether or not he was trying to practice with the telescopic lens?