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(Testimony of Martin Isaacs)
Mr. Isaacs.
her husband and make arrangements to send this money--I don't remember the amount that was involved.
Mr. Liebeler.
Was Oswald present at the time you made this telephone call?
Mr. Isaacs.
No, no. I make that call in my own office. We never make it in their presence.
Now, when I got this information, and she told me---her name was also Oswald, Mrs. Robert Oswald, we will say--she told me that this money would be sent. I went in, and this was the first contact that I had with Mr. Oswald, I---excuse me----
Mr. Liebeler.
You first called the home of Robert Oswald in Texas and spoke to his wife?
Mr. Isaacs.
That's right.
Mr. Liebeler.
And she told you that she would call her husband and find out if they could make the money available? Did she then call you back?
Mr. Isaacs.
I can't remember whether it was just that way. I'm uncertain about that. I'm sorry about that. I think that she said, "I will call him and send the money." I'm not positive, but I think that's the way it happened, because I don't remember her calling me back.
In any event, I gave her all the information, gave her my name. We always, in this kind of thing, because when the money comes in, they don't know to whom to direct the money. So I gave her my name and told her to send the money attention Martin Isaacs. When I went in and told the Oswalds about this--Mrs. Oswald, of course, cannot speak English--at that time.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you try to speak to her?
Mr. Isaacs.
I tried to speak to her, but she couldn't speak a single word. And he told me that she can't speak any English. But when I told him that I contacted his sister-in-law, he was quite angered, he was really very upset, and told us, told me that he did not want to accept this money, that this was a brother who did not have a large income, and that we should meet this cost ourselves. And I told him what our policy was, that in all instances we are required by law to request that relatives or friends, if there are such friends available, meet these expenses, if they can.
Now, in this instance, his sister-in-law said that she would send the money, so we would have to accept this. He did not want to accept our decision on this. He insisted that he see the administrator of our office, because he wanted to protest my having made this phone call and asking for the money.
Mr. Liebeler.
You had done this without telling him----
Mr. Isaacs.
That's right.
Mr. Liebeler.
That you were going to do it?
Mr. Isaacs.
We as a rule do not have to ask these people. What we can do in some instances is to find out what the occupation of the relative is, which I think we got in our intake interview. You see, I'm not positive about this, again, because I think that the worker got his--the brother's name and address, whatever other information they usually get about relatives.
Anyhow, to expedite matters, we always do it just this way. This is not anything unusual with us. We call, and if we are lucky, and somebody--some-one tells us that they can send the money, we use these funds to meet the transportation expenses to the place they are requesting to return to. Let's see you want me--excuse me. Did you want me to continue?
Mr. Liebeler.
Yes; please go right ahead and tell us.
Mr. Isaacs.
Because he protested so vehemently, I went to the administrator, or Mrs. Ruscoll, the administrator, and asked her what we were to do about this matter, and she decided to interview Mr. Oswald herself.
I do know that Mrs. Ruscoll spent considerable time with Mr. Oswald, although I don't know just what had transpired between them.
Mr. Liebeler.
You were not present during that conference?
Mr. Isaacs.
I was not present, yes, sir; during her interview with him.
Later, however, she informed me that she telephoned Miss Elliott of the New York State Department of Social Welfare, who instructed Mrs. Ruscoll to use these funds despite his protestations, which we proceeded to do, and Mrs. Ruscoll then notified him personally that these funds have to be used for the family's return fare.
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