Mr. MARTIN. She did at a later date, sometime in January before she
went to the Commission.
Mr. REDLICH. When did you first learn of Lee Oswald's trip to Mexico?
Mr. MARTIN. I guess it was from newspaper accounts.
Mr. REDLICH. When you read it in the newspapers did you ask Marina
about it?
Mr. MARTIN. No.
Mr. REDLICH. What prompted you to discuss with Marina in January the
question of her knowledge about it?
Mr. MARTIN. Let's see--she told me when the FBI was questioning her
one day, she told me that they had information that he had attempted
suicide, and that particular day she didn't want to see the FBI at all,
and she was a little bit unhappy with them and I just asked her what
else did she learn.
Mr. REDLICH. Who else was present at this conversation?
Mr. MARTIN. I don't think anybody.
Mr. REDLICH. Just you and Mrs. Oswald?
Mr. DULLES. Who was this who had attempted suicide, I didn't catch that?
Mr. MARTIN. Lee Harvey Oswald.
Mr. DULLES. At what time?
Mr. MARTIN. That was in Russia sometime before, I think before he met
her.
Mr. DULLES. And she said she had heard this from the FBI or the FBI had
asked her about it?
Mr. MARTIN. The FBI had read, I think, in his manuscript that he had
attempted suicide.
Mr. DULLES. And they asked her about it?
Mr. MARTIN. She didn't know that. Yes. And at that time I asked her if
she learned anything else, and she said no, but that they still didn't
know that she knew that he had gone to Mexico, and at that time we
were talking about the Commission, that general area of time, and I
mentioned to be sure to tell the truth to the Commission.
Mr. REDLICH. Did you ask her why she had not revealed knowledge of her
trip--of her knowledge of Lee Oswald's trip to Mexico?
Mr. MARTIN. I can't recall exactly whether I did or not.
Mr. REDLICH. Did you ask her?
Mr. MARTIN. I have a recollection but I have no idea what was said.
Mr. REDLICH. Did you and she discuss the purpose of Lee Oswald's trip
to Mexico?
Mr. MARTIN. No.
Mr. REDLICH. Do you say you advised her to tell this Commission about
that trip to Mexico?
Mr. MARTIN. Yes.
Mr. REDLICH. When you were here and she testified did you inquire of
her as to whether in fact she did tell this Commission about the trip
to Mexico?
Mr. MARTIN. I inquired of John Thorne and he said that she had.
Mr. REDLICH. But in connection with the Nixon incident, you indicated
earlier in your testimony that you had not inquired of her as to
whether she had told this Commission about the Nixon incident.
Mr. MARTIN. Right.
Mr. REDLICH. Did you think that the Nixon incident was of less
importance than the Mexican trip?
Mr. MARTIN. No, I didn't quite believe the Nixon incident.
Mr. REDLICH. Do you believe it now?
Mr. MARTIN. I don't know. I don't know if there is any corroboration
other than her say so.
Mr. REDLICH. It was because you had doubts about the actual existence
of the incident that you didn't pursue with her the question as to
whether she should tell this Commission about it?
Mr. MARTIN. Yes. I didn't tell her not to say anything about it. I
didn't mention it specifically at all. The only thing I told her to do
was to tell the Commission the truth in all cases.
Mr. REDLICH. At the conclusion of each day's testimony while she was
here before this Commission did you discuss the nature of her testimony
with her?
Mr. MARTIN. No. I asked her how the day went. And she would tell me,
"fine," and that was the end of it.
Mr. REDLICH. But you did inquire specifically about the Mexico trip?
Mr. MARTIN. Yes. Because I knew she lied about that to the FBI.
Mr. REDLICH. Are there any other incidents you knew she had lied about
to the FBI?
Mr. MARTIN. No.
Mr. REDLICH. That is the only one?
Mr. MARTIN. Yes.
Mr. REDLICH. Did you and Marina Oswald ever discuss the question of her
husband's rifle practice?
Mr. MARTIN. No. The only time I recall that ever being asked of her was
at the press conference here in Washington, and I never specifically
asked her at all, whether he practiced.
Mr. REDLICH. Did you ever discuss with her the question of Lee Oswald's
ownership of a rifle?
Mr. MARTIN. No.
Mr. REDLICH. When you discussed the General Walker incident with her,
did you discuss his ownership of a rifle?
Mr. MARTIN. No. The only thing, I think about the only thing I asked
her about that was how he got there and how he got back.
Mr. REDLICH. What did she say?
Mr. MARTIN. She said he walked and took the bus.
Mr. REDLICH. And you didn't ask her what weapon he had shot at General
Walker with?
Mr. MARTIN. No. That was in the newspaper, it was a rifle. And there
were many things I didn't ask about because I was previously informed
through the news or I thought I was anyway.
Mr. REDLICH. You specifically, with regard to the rifle, you are
telling this Commission that you had no conversations with Marina
Oswald concerning her husband's practice with the rifle either in
Dallas or in New Orleans.
Mr. MARTIN. Let's see--I think I did discuss with her one time at the
rifle range out in Grand Prairie was it, wherever it was, that the
owner had seen Lee Harvey Oswald out there with a rifle, and he drove
up in a car.
Mr. REDLICH. Who is "they"?
Mr. MARTIN. The owner of the rifle range.
Mr. REDLICH. You say they drove up in a car?
Mr. MARTIN. He drove up in a car.
Mr. REDLICH. The owner of the rifle range?
Mr. MARTIN. No; Lee Harvey Oswald.
Mr. REDLICH. Drove to the rifle range in a car?