Mrs. Ford.

Mr. Bouhe and I believe and Mr. Meller would be--I believe Ted Meller was born in Poland.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did it appear to you at the time of that luncheon that Lee Harvey Oswald lived like other Russian people lived or did it appear that he might have received preferential treatment in some way.
Did you gather an impression about that during the course of your conversation?

Mrs. Ford.

Yes; I believe he was still in something of a hardship in living in Russia, that was the reason for his leaving Russia. That it was rather difficult to make his ends meet as we say, because he was comparing it with his living standards of Marina's uncle who was a colonel or a major, I don't know, I wouldn't say because I don't know. He was saying that they had a very lovely apartment consisting of maybe four or five rooms and he was comparing it with his apartment, and such.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did he compare his apartment with the apartment of other workers who worked in Minsk?

Mrs. Ford.

No; I don't think so. He was just comparing, I believe with her uncle.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did he tell you how much money he was paid at his job?

Mrs. Ford.

I don't remember, he was saying or Marina was saying something, 80 rubles, I don't know which one gave me that.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did he indicate whether that was about the same that other people were paid or more?

Mrs. Ford.

Yes; about the same as the workers were paid.

Mr. Liebeler.

Now, is there anything else you can remember about that luncheon, the conversation at that luncheon which you would like to tell the Commission about other than what we have already touched on?

Mrs. Ford.

Well, I don't know what was important. I know he was saying--my husband made a sort of a joking statement that he had a child born in Russia, and he said, well, if it wasn't for the Americans she wouldn't be born over there because he had to wait so long to get a visa, I don't know what else he said.

Mr. Liebeler.

That was a visa for him to return?

Mrs. Ford.

Yes; and the little girl, June, was born there because of that.

Mr. Liebeler.

And Lee Oswald blamed the Americans for causing the delay?

Mrs. Ford.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did he indicate what attitude the Russian authorities took when he told them he wanted to come back to the United States?

Mrs. Ford.

No; I don't know. He didn't say anything. I don't remember discussing it.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did he say anything about the attitude they took toward letting Marina leave Russia and coming to the United States?

Mrs. Ford.

I don't believe anything was said about that.

Mr. Liebeler.

Is there anything else you can remember about that luncheon now you think we ought to know about?

Mrs. Ford.

Well, I am thinking, I really don't think I remember anything else.

Mr. Liebeler.

What was the next contact then that you had with the Oswalds?

Mrs. Ford.

I think it must have been at--in late October or the first part of November when Mr. Bouhe called me and said that Marina made a call to Anna Meller and told her she is leaving her husband because of she can't stand the beating and treatment any longer from Lee Oswald, but none of us knew at the moment that he had mistreated her that way, but at the time at the party I remember seeing Marina with bruises on her face and she made excuses of running into a door or something at the night when attending the baby.

Mr. Liebeler.

This was the first time you saw her?

Mrs. Ford.

That is right, the first time I saw her I did see bruises on her face. And George Bouhe was saying that Anna Meller, I don't know who picked her up, I believe George Bouhe because Anna Meller don't have a car, they went to Marina's apartment and picked up the baby things, playpen, and other things that she could take with her at the time, and she stayed there, I couldn't say how many days.