Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. How did you know that?
Mr. JENNER. You were unsuccessful in that, were you?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Very unsuccessful.
Mr. JENNER. As a matter of fact, you didn't sell a single policy?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Not a single policy.
Mr. JENNER. Over what period of a time did you pursue that activity?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I even didn't pass my broker's examination.
I tried to get an insurance broker's license. I studied to be an
insurance broker in the State of New York. And I failed dismally that
examination. So that was the end of my insurance business.
Mr. JENNER. Now, we have you up to the advent of World War II, which
was--this is about 1941.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. But before that I was in Texas and worked for
Humble Oil Co.
Mr. JENNER. Before 1941 you had gone to Texas?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; in 1939.
Mr. JENNER. You went to Texas in 1939?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.
Mr. JENNER. And how did that come about?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Well, I was interested in the oil industry and
wanted to see in which way I could fit into the oil industry.
Mr. JENNER. Whom did you contact? How did you get there?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Well, I went by bus--to Texas by bus. But what
actually helped me was that my sister-in-law, my wife's sister, had a
very, very close friend in Louisiana, Mrs. Margaret Clark--Margaret
Clark Williams, who had large oil properties, large estates in
Louisiana. That is about the year 1939.
I got to Louisiana, as the guest, I remember--with my sister-in-law's
aunt, Mrs. Edwards. And then I looked the situation around in New
Orleans and decided to apply for a job with Humble Oil Co.
Mr. JENNER. In New Orleans?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. No. They had a branch office in New Orleans,
but I had to apply for a job in Houston. So I went to Houston, and I
applied for a job with Mr. Suman, who is vice president of Humble Oil
Co. Also I met the chairman of the board of the Humble Oil Co. through
mutual acquaintances.
Mr. JENNER. Did you return to Louisiana and do some work there?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; I worked in Terebonne Parish, on a rig.
Mr. JENNER. You worked on a rig. This is physical work?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Physical work, yes; lifting pipes, cleaning
machinery.
Mr. JENNER. In other words, starting from the ground floor?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.
Mr. JENNER. If there is such a thing in the oil business.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Absolutely.
Mr. JENNER. Whatever the bottom was, you were doing it?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes, sir. Very well paid, by the way--a very well
paid job, but very tough--at the time, you see, what good pay was at
the time.
Mr. JENNER. I think we might at this time see if I can describe you for
the record.
You are 6'1", are you not?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.
Mr. JENNER. And now you weigh, I would say, about 195?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. That is right.
Mr. JENNER. Back in those days you weighed around 180.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. That is right.
Mr. JENNER. You are athletically inclined?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. That is right.
Mr. JENNER. And you have dark hair.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. No gray hairs yet.
Mr. JENNER. And you have a tanned--you are quite tanned, are you not?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And you are an outdoorsman?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes. I have to tell you--I never expected you to
ask me such questions. I also tried to get various jobs otherwise. I
went to Arizona.
Mr. JENNER. Mr. De Mohrenschildt, one of the things I am trying to do
is get your personality into the record, because many people have
described your personality.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Very different, probably.
Mr. JENNER. I wouldn't say very different. But you would be surprised
the kind of things that are said about you. I don't know that you would
be surprised.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I know that I have friends, I have enemies.
Mr. JENNER. Well, everybody has.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I also went to Arizona, I remember, and tried to
get a job as--I don't know if it is after this experience with Humble
Oil Co.--probably--over--to get a job as a polo instructor at the
Arizona Desert School. Since we played polo in the military academy, I
know how to play polo. I am not an expert player, but I do know how to
play polo, and I am a good rider, and was a good rider. So I tried to
get the job in the Arizona Desert School for Boys. And for some reason
I could not get this job. There was a job available. I don't remember
what the circumstances were. I never got this job. But I think it is
after my experience with Humble Oil Co.
Mr. JENNER. You worked in the Louisiana oil fields as--what did you
call it?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. A roughneck, or roustabout, it is called.
Mr. JENNER. And you pursued that how long?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I think 3 or 4 months.
Mr. JENNER. We are still in 1939?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.
Mr. JENNER. All right.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Probably in 1939. And I got amoebic dysentery
in Louisiana, and got very sick. I had an accident on the rig, was
badly cut up--something fell on my arm, and then I got dysentery. And,
frankly, I do not recall whether they fired me or I resigned myself.
I do not remember. Maybe both--resigned and mutual agreement. But
I remained very good friends with the chairman of the board of the
company, Mr. Blaffer. And he gave me the idea already then to go in the
oil business on my own. He says, "George, a man of your background and
education, you should be working for yourself," and he explained to me
the fundamentals of the oil promotion, if you know what I mean--drill
wells, get a lease--drill a well, find some money to drill that well.
Well, I said, "Mr. Blaffer, frankly it is a little above me to go in so
early in my experience in the United States--to go into that type of
business. I don't think I am capable enough to do that."
Mr. JENNER. Well, you didn't have the capital at that time, did you?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I didn't have the capital. But he said you could
do it without capital.
Mr. JENNER. All right. When you left the Louisiana oil fields, what did
you do?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Went back to New York, recovered from my amoebic
dysentery. And I don't remember whether it is then that I tried
insurance or not. It is possible then that I was trying to work at this
insurance broker's deal. And then this friend of my sister-in-law's,
Margaret Clark Williams, died, and left all of us a certain amount of
money. My sister-in-law, Mrs. Edwards, myself--I don't remember what it
was, $10,000 I guess, each. And what happened then--yes, then comes the
draft time in the U.S. Army.
Mr. JENNER. That is right; 1941.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.
Mr. JENNER. And you are in New York City.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I am in New York City. I am called to the draft,
and they found I have high blood pressure.