(Testimony of Michael R. Paine)
Mr. Paine.
Pay more attention to this thing, yes. But she didn't want me to see it again. "If You didn't see anything in it never mind looking at it."
Mr. Liebeler.
Did she tell you about any discussions she had with Marina Oswald about Oswald's having been in Mexico?
Mr. Paine.
I was under the impression that Ruth didn't know he had been in Mexico until after the assassination and, therefore, and I think Ruth later said, was dismayed also that Marina had been apparently, had apparently known and deceived her in this matter.
Mr. Liebeler.
Well, did Ruth mention the fact that Marina had a little charm made out of Mexican peso.
Mr. Paine.
Yes; but we didn't put that two and two together there until the FBI came and we looked on our drill press to see if they had used the tools in the shop to mount the sights on the gun and we found these little metal filings and then Ruth remembered that he had drilled out a coin to give to Marina and she never--I can't remember whether she realized then that it was a peso or Ruth hadn't thought that much about it until afterward.
Mr. Liebeler.
And you didn't discuss that subject prior to the assassination, with your wife?
Mr. Paine.
I didn't know about this whole thing, this medallion.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did your wife mention the fact that Marina Oswald had a record of Mexican music?
Mr. Paine.
No; I didn't know that until now. I don't recall it.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did your wife tell you anything about the nature of her relationship with Marina Oswald during this period from the first of October up to the assassination?
Mr. Paine.
It all seemed perfectly reasonable to me. When Ruth had met Marina back in the spring, I had seen that Marina Oswald--when I met them in their apartment, Oswald had spoken very loudly and harshly to Marina, and I thought to myself, isn't it amazing to see a little fellow who insists on wearing the pants, strongly. And then later on in discussions which followed the discussion which followed, that evening at the house, our house, he would not let her have a contrary opinion, and I also saw she was allergic to gibes, and he would gibe frequently.
Mr. Liebeler.
She was allergic to them?
Mr. Paine.
It seemed to me so.
Mr. Liebeler.
They affected her greatly?
Mr. Paine.
Yes. This all went on in Russian, and I don't know what he was saying. But I could see the object about which the statement was made, and later Ruth also told me some of the things that he had said.
But I felt that he was keeping her a vassal, and since I was more eager to hear her opinions of Russia than his opinions of Russia, I was eager that she should learn English, and when--Ruth told me that Marina thought she must have to go back to the Soviet Union, and I thought out of largesse of this country it should be possible for her to stay here if she wanted to stay here and she quite apparently did, she struck me as a somewhat apolitical person and yet true, just, and conscientious, so it was agreeable to me to look forward to financing her stay until she could make her own way here.
It added--Ruth also wanted to learn Russian, this was a cheap way for her to learn Russian, than to pay tutoring. And, as it happened, it was costing me less. She didn't go out shopping so much.
Mr. Liebeler.
When she was home learning Russian from Marina?
Mr. Paine.
When Marina was there to keep her company. She would go mad with boredom, I would think. So that it--we were somewhat saddened, or I think Ruth was, I think we shared--Ruth, of course, didn't want to stand in the way of Marina and Lee if they were happy together, but would have been glad to see Marina break away and make her own way. And she was a nice companion for Ruth.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did you have any impression of how Marina and Ruth got along together, what they did with their time during the day, that sort of thing? (Discussion off the record.)
Mr. Liebeler.
Mr. Paine, you mentioned before these curtain rods that were in your garage. Can you tell us approximately how many curtain rods there
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