Even then, Mr. Dulles, they didn't know. The notice they got from Mexico only stated that he had been at the Soviet Embassy and not that he had been over to the Cuban Embassy.

Mr. Dulles.

Is that correct?

Mr. Coleman.

Yes.
Senator COOPER. The point I am trying to develop at some point in 1963 prior to the assassination he went to the office in New Orleans.
Miss KNIGHT. That is right, the New Orleans Passport Agency.
Senator COOPER. And he secured a passport there.
Miss KNIGHT. He applied for a passport.
Senator COOPER. To travel, applied for a passport, to travel in a number of countries.
Miss KNIGHT. That is right.
Senator COOPER. And that was issued to him.
Miss KNIGHT. That is right.
Senator COOPER. On the following day?
Miss KNIGHT. That is right.
Senator COOPER. At that time, of course, the issuing officer was under the restrictions of the regulations here that we have been talking about. What would the officer--would the officer in New Orleans have any information available to him?
Miss KNIGHT. No, sir.
Senator COOPER. About Oswald?
Miss. KNIGHT. No, sir; the operation works like this: New Orleans is one of eight passport agencies in the United States. They are connected with the main office by teletype. Oswald made an application for a passport at the New Orleans agency, and they TWX'd to us, his name and identification--that is, date and place of birth, and so on. His name was one on a list of names. There may have been 15 or 20 of them.

Mr. Coleman.

The record shows there were 25.
Miss KNIGHT. 25.
These names were then checked over the lookout file which I have explained here.
Senator COOPER. Here in Washington?
Miss KNIGHT. Yes; and if there is no card in the lookout file, it is presumed that he is clear, because if we had information that he was an active Communist, or that we had reason to believe that there should be further check on him, this would have been reflected in the lookout file. There was no such card in the file.
Senator COOPER. All right, At that time, then, when he had made his application and the information was sent to your office, there was no lookout card?
Miss KNIGHT. No, sir.
Senator COOPER. Which would indicate that he was a Communist or a member of a Communist organization, registered, and so forth. And did you have such a system then?
Miss KNIGHT. Yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Of lookout cards?
Miss KNIGHT. Yes, sir; we have had that system for a long time.
Senator COOPER. Was your reason for not having a lookout card for Oswald, that there wasn't anything in his file to indicate that he was a member of a Communist organization?
Miss KNIGHT. That is correct.
Senator COOPER. Is that the reason?
Miss KNIGHT. That is correct. Because the FBI reports which had come to the Passport Office during his sojourn in the Soviet Union and after, did not indicate that he was a Communist. As a matter of fact, they were concerned

« Previous | Next »

Found a Typo?

Click here

Last Update: Wed, 3 Aug 2016 21:56:34 CET