Mrs. Murret.

same place, the same house or not, but that was one house that she spoke about.

Mr. Jenner.

Is the name Mrs. Beverly Richardson familiar to you?

Mrs. Murret.

I never heard of her.

Mr. Jenner.

Mrs. Llewellyn Merritt?

Mrs. Murret.

I never heard of her

Mr. Jenner.

Patricia Aarons?

Mrs. Murret.

I never heard of her.

Mr. Jenner.

Herman Conway?

Mrs. Murret.

No.

Mr. Jenner.

Thomas W. Turner?

Mrs. Murret.

I never heard of him.

Mr. Jenner.

While Mr. Ekdahl was living with her, of course, he was supporting the family, but after he left, then that was left up to her; is that right?

Mrs. Murret.

What?

Mr. Jenner.

She had to support the family when Mr. Ekdahl left; is that right?

Mrs. Murret.

That's right.

Mr. Jenner.

She got some assistance from her sons, did she?

Mrs. Murret.

Well, I think Robert was working at a supermarket, and she had to make him give her his salary, and I don't know whether John was in the Coast Guard at the time or not. I don't think he contributed anything--John, but I don't know.

Mr. Jenner.

Was it your impression that about that time she was becoming increasingly despondent with life?

Mrs. Murret.

I wouldn't say that. She seemed to be a person, or rather, she was a person who adjusted very easily to situations.

Mr. Jenner.

She adjusted easily?

Mrs. Murret.

She knew she had to do something about these things; that she had to get out and work, and so forth, to buy these boys things that they needed and to keep them going. Of course, I guess it was hard, naturally. It's hard for any woman, you know, to try to support three boys, and I don't think they ever appreciate what you do for them.

Mr. Jenner.

What makes you say that?

Mrs. Murret.

Well, she told me that the boys weren't helping out, I mean, John. Now, I don't know if John was married right about then or not, but I don't think he was helping out at home at all. If it had been my son, I know he would have stayed with me. He wouldn't have run out. Of course, maybe John had a family and maybe he couldn't help, I don't know.

Mr. Jenner.

Did she talk to you about that, or seem despondent because her children didn't help her?

Mrs. Murret.

Yes; she told me about it. Now, after Robert got married, she stayed with Robert for a while, but I think there was a little friction between her and his wife, or something. I don't know about that, except what she told me. Of course, there are always two sides to every story. I don't know. You can only repeat what one party tells you. In a way, I don't think those children showed the proper respect for their mother, and I don't think that's right regardless of the hard time she was having raising them, because I guess she was a little demanding on them at times, and I think children should have the proper respect for their parents. I know no matter what my children did, I would still love them. Mr. Murret is a good family man too, and there's nothing he wouldn't do for his children, and I have heard him tell them that no matter what happens don't you ever talk about anybody's mother, and things like that.

Mr. Jenner.

Was it during this period before she moved to New York that she told you she had, as you put it, trained Lee to stay in the house?

Mrs. Murret.

Well, I don't know exactly when you would say that was, but I think that's one reason why I know that Lee was so quiet; he was so much by himself, without playing with other children. She did tell me that she told Robert to come right home from school and things like that, because she thought it would be safer than being outside playing, but I don't know exactly when it was she was telling me that. I think that was while they were living

Mrs. Murret.

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