Mr. Jenner.

this--any attempt on his part to defect from the United States and become a Russian citizen?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Any illnesses on his part?
Mr. OFSTEIN, No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Any difficulties he may or did or might have encountered in connection with his return to the United States?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Or of his getting his wife out of Russia?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Was the subject of his getting out of Russia discussed at all?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Was the problem with the Cuban nation or with Mr. Castro or any of Castro's activities ever discussed?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir; at one time when they were having a little difficulty down there, I don't recall just what the difficulty was at the time, but I made a rather derogatory remark about Fidel Castro's ancestry, and he never seemed to get upset about it.

Mr. Jenner.

You just got no response out of him at all on that?

Mr. Ofstein.

Just a sort of a shrug of the shoulders.

Mr. Jenner.

I noticed there was a discussion between you or he with you, at least, about keeping to yourself the fact that he had been in Russia?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Was there such an incident?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER, Will you tell us about it--how it arose, what the circumstances were, and what he said and what you-said?

Mr. Ofstein.

I believe it was the same time that he informed me that he had been in the Soviet Union--he mentioned that he didn't want it to get around, at this time this was the time I got the impression that possibly he had been an agent--what was a fleeting impression --and I remarked later that apparently he had told someone else down there because someone mentioned it to me about his having a Russian wife .

Mr. Jenner.

Was this before he told you he had one?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir; this was after in fact, I believe it was after he had been released from employment, but at the time, that he did ask me to keep the fact that he had been in Russia to myself, I presumed that I was the only one that knew anything about his Russian activities, that he had even been in the Soviet Union or had a Russian wife.

Mr. Jenner.

I wonder if this would sort, of refresh your recollection--Victor Kamkin Bookstore, Inc., 2906 14th Street NW, Washington 9, D.C.?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir; that seems like it, that seems like it.

Mr. Jenner.

That sparks your-recollection--with Washington, D.C., as distinguished from any other city?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you ever write Kamkin?

Mr. Ofstein.

Yes; I got several catalogues from him.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you ever order any Russian literature from him?

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

Is there anything that occurs to you that you think might be pertinent to the subject matter of the Commission's investigation, which I haven't prompted up to the moment?

Mr. Ofstein.

As directly related to the assassination?

Mr. Jenner.

Well---either way you feel free to say.

Mr. Ofstein.

No, sir to the best of my knowledge no.

Mr. Jenner.

Is there anything On 'the subject matter along the lines that I have questioned you that is in your contacts with Lee Oswald which have not been brought out, that you would like to tell us about, which you think might be helpful?

Mr. Ofstein.

Nothing that I can recall. As I say, most of the things that he did tell me I thought were mainly in the lines of conversation and nothing more, and that he never made any political advances one way or the other or