Mr. HAMBLEN. I thought he was the assassinator.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember talking to Mr. Fenley about this?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I don't remember telling anyone that, of anyone filing
a telegram with us. I remember talking with Fenley, but I wouldn't
disclose any information.
Mr. LIEBELER. What did you say to Fenley?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Just in general conversation like I would with Wes Wise or
any of the other reporters that I come in contact with.
Mr. LIEBELER. Didn't you tell Fenley that you thought you had seen
somebody that reminded you of Oswald in your office?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Yes; I did tell him that I had saw Oswald. I may have
told him that. I don't recall what all was said--as many of those
correspondents that I talked to during that period of time. Then
the employees under me, we never discuss any telegrams unless it is
necessary for them to ask me to pass upon a telegram so it could be
transmitted.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember telling Fenley that when you saw the
picture of the alleged assassin on television, that he looked very much
like a man that had caused you a hard time on several instances in your
office?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I don't remember telling Fenley anything like that.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember signing a statement to that effect for
Mr. Wilcox on December 2, 1963, and I show you a copy.
Mr. HAMBLEN. That I told Fenley that I saw that man in there?
Mr. LIEBELER. Yes.
Mr. HAMBLEN. I told Wilcox that I thought I saw him, but I don't think
I told Fenley.
Mr. LIEBELER. Read the first paragraph of that statement.
Mr. HAMBLEN (reading). I don't think I told Fenley that. I remember
telling Mr. Wilcox that I thought a party had been in there that
resembled Oswald, on several different occasions.
Mr. LIEBELER. Well, now the statement that I have shown you here, which
is Wilcox Exhibit No. 3005, is a copy of a statement that you signed on
December 2, 1963, isn't it? That is your signature?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Yes; that is my signature.
Mr. LIEBELER. Could I have it back, please? Now, that statement says,
and I quote:
"I was in conversation with a reporter at the counter and remarked to
him that I was watching my TV, enjoying the Ernie Ford show, when word
was flashed that the President had been shot and that I thought to
myself what a coincidence it was that I recognized the picture of the
accused gunman when I recognized it when he was slain in jail. He asked
me how I could remember so vividly the photo and my answer to him that
the picture was or was the spit image of a party that had caused me a
hard time on several instances in his transactions of business within
the past several months. (Mr. Bob Fenley was the reporter.)"
Mr. HAMBLEN. Well, now, if I gave Bob any information like that,
I don't recall it now. I might have at the time that I wrote the
statement.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now you had several conversations with Mr. Wilcox about
this whole matter over a period of time?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Mr. Wilcox and the company conducted a thorough
investigation of the files?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I am sure they did.
Mr. LIEBELER. And tried to find the telegrams that you thought this man
that was in there may have sent; isn't that right?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Were you able to find them?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I wasn't able to detect any one.
Mr. LIEBELER. After this investigation was made, Mr. Wilcox showed you
these telegrams that you have associated or thought might be associated
with Oswald?
Mr. HAMBLEN. They were brought to me in the presence of Mr. Wilcox and
the vice president of the company in charge of this investigation.
Mr. LIEBELER. You weren't able to identify any of those telegrams as
having been sent by this man you thought looked like Oswald; isn't that
right?
Mr. HAMBLEN. That's right. And I think I am pretty good on recognizing
handwriting after handling as many as I have over those years of time.
Mr. LIEBELER. To the best of your recollection at this time, do you
think that Lee Oswald was ever in your office?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I wouldn't say that it was Lee Oswald. I would say it was
someone that resembled him from the picture that I had seen in the
paper and on TV.
Mr. LIEBELER. But you aren't able to state positively that it was Lee
Oswald?
Mr. HAMBLEN. No, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, I show you a photograph that has been marked Pizzo
Exhibit No. 453-A, and ask you if you can see anybody in that picture
that you think might have been the man that was in your office that we
have been talking about.
Mr. HAMBLEN. No, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. I show you a picture that has been marked Bringuier
Exhibit No. 1, and ask you if you recognize anybody in that picture.
Mr. HAMBLEN. No, sir; I do not.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you recall specifically that Mr. Aubrey Lee Lewis at
one time in the fall of 1963 had some trouble paying somebody a money
order because this fellow expected to get the money order without
proper identification; that you became involved in this and helped Mr.
Lewis handle it?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember what the fellow looked like?
Mr. HAMBLEN. No; I can't tell you what he looked like.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you know if it was Lee Harvey Oswald?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I wouldn't say that it was.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you think he resembled Oswald in any way?
Mr. HAMBLEN. No; I don't. Different ways people dress and everything,
they come in one time and we pay them money orders and the next time
they come in we hardly recognize them. I remember it was a very small
money order, too small to quibble over. I can't remember where it was
from. I know it was under $10, I know that.
Usually I pay people without identification when it is a small money
order, which the clerks are not allowed to do. They have to get my
permission before they can make payment on a money order where a person
is unable to furnish proper identification. But on small amounts, I
take it upon myself to assume the responsibility, hoping that I will
pay the right man.
Mr. LIEBELER. After looking at this picture that we have looked at, and
after reviewing your recollection, you are not able to identify any of
the people who you saw in your office during that period as being Lee
Harvey Oswald, isn't that a fact?
Mr. HAMBLEN. No, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Am I correct in assuming that you are quite certain that
Oswald was not a regular customer, in any event? He was never coming
into your office at regular intervals, is that correct?
Mr. HAMBLEN. Well, I wouldn't say Lee Oswald came in there at regular
intervals. We have patrons that visit us sometimes once a week,
sometimes half a dozen times a week. If it was him, he was very
infrequent. I will say if it was him, he wasn't there over three times,
that I recall.
Mr. LIEBELER. There was a fellow that you thought resembled Oswald to
some extent that did come in on occasion, or at least two or three
times, but you are not able to positively state that it was Oswald?
Mr. HAMBLEN. No, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Am I correct in understanding that in your discussions
with Mr. Wilcox and with the other officials of the company, you
did the best that you could to straighten this whole matter out and
determine whether it was Oswald or not?
Mr. HAMBLEN. I certainly did.
Mr. LIEBELER. You were unable, after working with Mr. Wilcox, to pin
down any of these telegrams or money orders that would indicate that it
was Oswald?
Mr. HAMBLEN. That is correct.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, specifically, I show you a picture marked "Pizzo
Exhibit No. 453-C," and ask you if that looks like that man who was in
your office.
Mr. HAMBLEN. No; I wouldn't say that that was the man that was in
there. No resemblance.
Mr. LIEBELER. I want to cut your testimony as short as I possibly can,
because you are not feeling well. We appreciate your cooperation in
coming in when you don't feel well like you have.
Mr. HAMBLEN. I appreciate it. I was in the X-ray all morning and
yesterday morning for 2 hours.
Mr. LIEBELER. Thank you very much, Mr. Hamblen, for coming in. I
appreciate it very much.
Mr. HAMBLEN. If I can help you any further, well, you have my address.
Mr. LIEBELER. We will get in touch with you.