Mr. LIEBELER. And you have no idea where they came from?
Mr. PAINE. Let's see, no, those came down from--I think those were in
the house, I guess they weren't bought. I think Ruth took them down
because the children were allergic to something, and she was taking
them down, took down the curtains, and left only shades. Bought shades,
I guess, she bought curtain shades to go up, new shades. That is a
question, well, of course, paper could have been--I don't remember any
particular, I didn't have any rolls of this kind of paper or a supply
of it, wrapping paper.
Mr. LIEBELER. Let's go back to the curtain rods for just a minute. You
say they were in the house at the time in Irving when you purchased the
house.
Mr. PAINE. Yes, curtain rods came to my mind recently because they are
junk that I try to keep propped up on the shelves or above the work
bench, and I think they were in our house and there were curtains on
them and she took the curtains down to get rid of the fabric that might
be holding dust and put up instead some new curtains, new window shades
in the bedrooms.
Mr. LIEBELER. Approximately when did she do that, do you remember?
Mr. PAINE. You will have to ask Ruth herself. She put down a new
floor, also, getting rid of the old rugs for the same purpose, and I
thought it was in the fall, but I can't place when it was.
Mr. LIEBELER. In the fall of 1963?
Mr. PAINE. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you say the curtain rods are still in the garage?
Mr. PAINE. Yes, I think so.
Mr. LIEBELER. Approximately how long are they?
Mr. PAINE. Well, I think this is, when they expand, I guess the curtain
rods themselves are 32-1/2 inches to 3 feet, but the two of them slide
together to make a pair, this expanding type just of rod metal.
Mr. LIEBELER. Approximately how long are they, would you say, when they
are fitted together and in their collapsed state or their----
Mr. PAINE. As I say, those came out of the house or she would not have,
I was trying to think of some of the paper she might have had that
resembles this, but the thing she bought new would be the shades, the
window shades to go in place of those curtain rods.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember seeing any paper in the garage that might
have been a package in which those shades came?
Mr. PAINE. No, I don't recall any.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever have a conversation with your wife about
these curtain rods in connection with the assassination?
Mr. PAINE. No. I think we did both read that he had said he was, to
Frazier, that he was carrying, maybe it was curtain rods or something
to do with windows in my mind.
Mr. LIEBELER. But your wife didn't mention to you that Oswald ever
mentioned to her anything about the curtains rods?
Mr. PAINE. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now, place yourself in the garage on or about November
21, 22, 1963, or shortly before that time, and tell me everything that
you can remember as being in that garage.
Mr. PAINE. Well, there is a bench along, in front of, a fiberglass
window panel. That bench is generally covered with boxes, there are
boxes underneath that bench. On the end of the bench is a drill press.
My recollection is confused by the fact I am much more familiar with it
now that I have moved back and I have moved my stuff into that garage,
so it is fuzzy in my memory.
Mr. LIEBELER. Were you present on November 22 when the police or the
FBI or any other authorities searched the garage?
Mr. PAINE. No, I wasn't.
Mr. LIEBELER. What time did you get to the Irving house on the 22d?
Mr. PAINE. I think just about 3 o'clock.
Mr. LIEBELER. 3 o'clock on Friday afternoon?
Mr. PAINE. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. What were the circumstances under which you first heard
of the assassination on that day?
Mr. PAINE. I was eating lunch in the bowling alley, and the waitress
came and told me. I thought she was joking, and we went and listened to
somebody's transistor, and then I went back to the lab.
Mr. LIEBELER. At that time you had heard only that the President had
been shot, is that correct?
Mr. PAINE. Yes, that is correct.
Mr. LIEBELER. There was no connection with Oswald?
Mr. PAINE. That is correct.
Mr. LIEBELER. And the assassination at that time?