Mr. Liebeler.

likely to commit an act such as this, or whether he would be likely to take the life of any human being?

Mr. Paine.

It was a question we had to consider when we considered having Marina at our house. So Ruth and I discussed that, whether he was a dangerous person, and he didn't seem to be dangerous. Of course, I also felt that I wasn't a particular opponent or foe of his. Helping his family we were quite free and would let him, roughly, think of our arguments. I talked about getting angry, but, for the most part, it was a cordial relationship, so I didn't sense--he didn't display hostility to me or to Ruth, and he was nice with the children, and while they were living with us, he was nice to Marina also. He was during this time when he returned from Mexico, he was quite a reasonable person. He was only unreasonable the first time I had met him.

Mr. Liebeler.

When did you have this discussion with your wife concerning whether or not you should let Marina live with you? Was that before they came back from New Orleans?

Mr. Paine.

Yes, it was.

Mr. Liebeler.

And you concluded at that time there was no reason why Marina should not come there; is that right?

Mr. Paine.

That is right. Of course, Ruth went in and sounded them out rather cautiously and reported to me also his facial expressions and what-not when she was suggesting this, and he seemed to be glad of that rather than worried.

Mr. Liebeler.

Now, after Marina came and lived at your house, Oswald was there during parts of the months October and November. Did you change your opinion in this respect or was it reinforced. on the basis of his activities and your observation of him during that period?

Mr. Paine.

It was reinforced.

Mr. Liebeler.

You did not think him to be a violent person or one who would be likely to commit an act such as assassinating the President?

Mr. Paine.

I didn't--I saw he was a bitter person, he was bitter and quite a lot of very negative views of people in the world around him, very little charity in his view toward anybody, but I thought he was harmless.
` Representative FORD. Was this a different reaction from the one you had had at your first meeting or your first acquaintance?

Mr. Paine.

When we first became acquainted I was somewhat shocked, especially that he would speak so harshly to his wife in front of a complete stranger, and it was at that point, or at that time, that I was persuaded I would like to free Marina from her bondage and servitude to this man. He seemed to me he was keeping her, not helping her to learn the language, keeping her vassal to him, and this offended me, so at that point I became interested in helping her escape from him. Of course, I was not going to try to force that. I didn't want to be separating a family that could get along.

Mr. Liebeler.

This bitterness that you detected following his return from Mexico, was that a new reaction?

Mr. Paine.

No. That bitterness had existed all along. He also had been disagreeable to his wife, cruel to her.

Mr. Liebeler.

I see.

Mr. Paine.

Not allowing her any personality, a mind of her own, and making sharp jibes at her.

Mr. Dulles.

And that continued awhile?

Mr. Paine.

That only existed that first night in March or April.

Mr. Dulles.

It did not continue when Marina was at your house in Irving?

Mr. Paine.

When Marina came to our house she gained in health and weight. She started to look better and it looked to me as if the strain was off the family relationship. They were not quarreling. They billed and cooed. She sat on his lap and he said sweet nothings in her ear.

Mr. Dulles.

Did you get any information from any source with regard to the situation while they were living in New Orleans that she wanted to get away from him?

Mr. Paine.

Oh, yes; well, Ruth had told me when she came back from delivering Marina to New Orleans, she had gone down there expecting to spend a week, seeing New Orleans, and it was a pretty long trip, and found the household,