Mr. Ballen.

If that was my answer that day, that would have been my best memory and best recollection at that time.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did you know anything about the relationship between Oswald and De Mohrenschildt?

Mr. Ballen.

I knew that George had met this fellow. In the events after November 22d, the question came up in my own mind how did George meet this fellow. Prior to November, I didn't know how George met this fellow. George meets all kinds of individuals. He is a magnet for individuals who are not run- of-the-mill. I knew that George and his wife were making an effort to help out the Oswalds, and I think that this effort continued pretty near up until the time when they were leaving for Haiti.
George and his wife were visiting my home two or three or four times a week, and we played tennis two or three or four times a week. Sometimes more than that. And I know that quite frequently they came to our house at 9:00 or so in the evening and they would have just come from the Oswalds, trying to cheer them up, "And those poor souls are looking at the wall and fighting each other."

Mr. Liebeler.

Do you remember that on or about April of 1963, there was an attempt made on the life of General Walker?

Mr. Ballen.

Yes.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did you ever discuss that with George De Mohrenschildt?

Mr. Ballen.

Not in any detail. We may have. George and I would discuss either in a joking way or serious way pretty near everything that occurred. I'm sure we would have discussed that also and made some pleasantry about it, but I don't recall and doubt if I ever discussed it with him in any great----

Mr. Liebeler.

Did De Mohrenschildt ever mention Oswald's name to you in connection with the attempt on Walker's life?

Mr. Ballen.

, None whatsoever. I don't think he ever mentioned it to me.

Mr. Liebeler.

You have no recollection that he did?

Mr. Ballen.

I do not.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did De Mohrenschildt ever mention to you that Oswald owned a rifle?

Mr. Ballen.

No.

Mr. Liebeler.

Did Oswald mention in his conversation with you the fact that he was a member of a hunting club while he was in the Soviet Union?

Mr. Ballen.

No.

Mr. Liebeler.

Was there any mention of any kind of firearms of any kind in that conversation?

Mr. Ballen.

No.

Mr. Liebeler.

Was the time that Oswald came to your office the first time that you met him, or had you met him previous to that?

Mr. Ballen.

If I had met him previously, it would have been on a Sunday morning in the De Mohrenschildt's household for a period of time of about 40 minutes, but I am about satisfied, in talking to other people, that the individual I met on that Sunday morning was not Oswald, but some other stray dog.

Mr. Liebeler.

Do you remember who this other stray dog was?

Mr. Ballen.

I don't know his name. This was someone who had worked his way here either from Hungary or Bulgaria.

Mr. Liebeler.

And subsequently disappeared from the scene?

Mr. Ballen.

I don't know his name. This was one of the individuals De Mohrenschildt had latched on to for a period of 4 or 5 or 6 weeks.

Mr. Liebeler.

Were you surprised when you learned that Oswald had been arrested in connection with the assassination of President Kennedy?

Mr. Ballen.

When I first heard of Oswald's arrest, I didn't realize that this was the chap I had met. It only dawned upon me about 2 or 3 hours later that this was the chap I met.
I told my wife that evening that there must have been some mistake, that I didn't believe that chap was capable of this kind of thing, and she said, what do you mean? She said they picked him up and got the gun. I said Oswald wasn't that sort of guy. I told my wife that if you lined up 50 individuals, the one