Mr. Ford.

Mr. Frank Ray called me and said he heard on the radio that the FBI had requested anybody who knew Lee Oswald to please contact them, and he asked me what I was going to do, I said, Well, 1 don't know, I will call an attorney and see what he suggests." I called Max Clark at Fort Worth and he was out, so I called my sister out in Los Angeles. She is an attorney and married to one, and I said, "Who are you supposed to contact if you know information about Lee Oswald," and she said she assumed it would be the FBI, so I then called the FBI office and made an appointment to talk to an agent and we made the appointment to talk in the FBI office in downtown Dallas. While we were driving downtown I stopped to get some gas and the attendant told me that somebody had just shot Lee Oswald and it was right about that time that I went down to talk with the FBI.

Mr. Liebeler.

In this interval between your first reaction and your going to the interview with the FBI, did you and your wife discuss any further the Oswald implications?

Mr. Ford.

I am sure we discussed it, but I can't remember exactly what we said to each other about it.
I think she was worried at first that her children would suffer some prejudice from other people.
Mr: LIEBELER. Marina's children?

Mr. Ford.

No; our children. And, of course, also that Marina was and her two children, my wife felt, would be sort of considered persona non grata in this country from then on, but I didn't consider this would happen as long as she was not implicated in a plot to kill the President.
I know we discussed it but I just can't remember specifically what we said.

Mr. Liebeler.

Mr. Ford, did you at any time learn of any desire on Oswald's part to return to Russia?

Mr. Ford.

Yes; after the assassination I did.

Mr. Liebeler.

How did you learn that?

Mr. Ford.

Well, partly from discussing it, I heard it through friends and then later when Marina talked to my wife, I don't remember if this was during the time she visited us during January or after she moved in, but she did tell the story to my wife of his desire, as expressing a desire, to return to Russia, and I am a little confused as to what the story was.
As nearly as I could make out he had told her he wanted to go back to Russia first and then later said, no, he was going--couldn't get a visa to Russia and he was going to try to get a visa and go through Cuba and then go to Russia, and then I think he changed his mind again and said he was going to ask for a visa to Cuba, using it as an excuse with the idea of going to Russia and then stay in Cuba, and somewhere in there I got the idea that Marina was not willing to go. He wanted Marina to return to Russia and I had the impression this was just a--but I couldn't even give you the details of her various statements which led me to the conclusions--as nearly as I could figure out, this was the story she had told my wife and she told me.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did you learn at any time through your wife or otherwise that Marina Oswald at one point had contemplated committing suicide?

Mr. Ford.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

Tell us about that?

Mr. Ford.

Well, the first time I heard it was yesterday.

Mr. Liebeler.

During our conversations?

Mr. Ford.

During our conversations, yesterday.

Mr. Liebeler.

And your wife explained to us in our conversations yesterday that she, Marina Oswald, had told her at onetime contemplated committing suicide?

Mr. Ford.

That is right.

Mr. Liebeler.

That was the extent of our conversations yesterday?

Mr. Ford.

Yes, sir. That is right. I think my wife said Marina felt so desolate and downhearted that she felt that was the only way out at the time.

Mr. Liebeler.

Are you finished?

Mr. Ford.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

Do you have any other information or knowledge that you think