(Testimony of Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald Resumed)
Mrs. Oswald.
That is all I can remember.
Representative Ford.
Can you tell us why you didn't mention this incident to the Commission when you appeared before?
Mrs. Oswald.
There were an awful lot of questions at that time, and I was very tired and felt that I had told everything and I don't remember, I can't understand why I didn't mention this. It would have been better for me to mention it the first time than to make you all do more work on it.
Mr. Dulles.
At the time of this incident did you threaten to go to the authorities in case your husband did not desist in his intention?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes; I said that.
Senator COOPER. I may have to go---could I ask a few questions? Mrs. Oswald, will you repeat at what your husband said that morning when he dressed and got the pistol?
Mrs. Oswald.
I asked him where he was going and why he was getting dressed. He answered, "Today Nixon is coming and I want to go out and have a look at him."
I answered, "I know how you look," and I had in mind the fact that he was taking a pistol with him.
Senator COOPER. Did he say anything about what he intended to do with the pistol?
Mrs. Oswald.
No.
Senator COOPER. Did you ask him if he intended to use the pistol against Mr. Nixon?
Mrs. Oswald.
I told him that, "You have already promised me not to play any more with that thing." Not really play, but, you know--I didn't mean, of course, just playing but using the pistol. Then he said, "I am going to go out and find out if there will be an appropriate opportunity and if there is I will use the pistol." I just remembered this and maybe I didn't say this in my first testimony and now it just has occurred to me that he said this.
Senator COOPER. Did your husband say why he wanted to use the pistol against Mr. Nixon?
Mrs. Oswald.
No.
Senator COOPER. Did he say where he intended to see Mr. Nixon?
Mrs. Oswald.
He didn't say. He just said in Dallas, and since Nixon was coming to Dallas.
Senator COOPER. When he was talking to you about seeing Mr. Nixon and using the pistol, what was his attitude? Was he angry or----
Mrs. Oswald.
He wasn't angry. He looked more preoccupied and had sort of a concentrated look.
Senator COOPER. Now, from the beginning, from the time that he first told you that he was going to use the pistol, until the time that you say he became quieted, did he again make any statement about using the pistol against Mr. Nixon?
Mrs. Oswald.
I told him that I didn't want him to use his gun any more. He said, "I will go out and have a look and perhaps I won't use my gun, but if there is a convenient opportunity perhaps I will." Strike "perhaps" please from that last sentence. I didn't have a lot of time to think of what we were actually saying. All I was trying to do was to prevent him from going out.
Senator COOPER. How much time elapsed, if you can remember, from the time he first told you that he was going out and when he finally became pacified?
Mrs. Oswald.
This was maybe 30 minutes. The whole incident took maybe 20 minutes. It was about 10 minutes I took- -15 minutes maybe. 15 minutes, it took maybe 10 minutes for him to be prepared to go out and then the incident in the bathroom took maybe 5 minutes until he quieted down. It doesn't mean I held him in the bathroom for 5 minutes because I couldn't do that but the general discussion in the bathroom.
Senator COOPER. You said he stayed at the house the remainder of the day During the remainder of the day did you discuss again with him the incident?
Mrs. Oswald.
No; no.
Senator COOPER. Did he say anything more that day?
Mrs. Oswald.
No. He read a book.
Mr. Dulles.
Do you know what book it was, by chance?
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