Mr. RANKIN. When did you learn that the rifle was not in the blanket?
Mrs. OSWALD. When the police arrived and asked whether my husband had a
rifle, and I said "Yes."
Mr. RANKIN. Then what happened?
Mrs. OSWALD. They began to search the apartment. When they came to the
garage and took the blanket, I thought, "Well, now, they will find it."
They opened the blanket but there was no rifle there.
Then, of course, I already knew that it was Lee. Because, before that,
while I thought that the rifle was at home, I did not think that Lee
had done that. I thought the police had simply come because he was
always under suspicion.
Mr. RANKIN. What do you mean by that--he was always under suspicion?
Mrs. OSWALD. Well, the FBI would visit us.
Mr. RANKIN. Did they indicate what they suspected him of?
Mrs. OSWALD. They didn't tell me anything.
Mr. RANKIN. What did you say to the police when they came?
Mrs. OSWALD. I don't remember now. I was so upset that I don't remember
what I said.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you tell them about your husband leaving his wedding
ring that morning?
Mrs. OSWALD. No, because I didn't know it.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you tell them that you had looked for the gun you
thought was in the blanket?
Mrs. OSWALD. No, it seems to me I didn't say that. They didn't ask me.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you watch the police open the blanket to see if the
rifle was there?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes.
Mr. RANKIN. Did Mrs. Paine also watch them?
Mrs. OSWALD. It seems to me, as far as I remember.
Mr. RANKIN. When the police came, did Mrs. Paine act as an interpreter
for you?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes. She told me about what they had said. But I was not
being questioned so that she would interpret. She told me herself. She
very much loved to talk and she welcomed the occasion.
Mr. RANKIN. You mean by that that she answered questions of the police
and then told you what she had said?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes.
Mr. RANKIN. And what did she tell you that she had said to the police?
Mrs. OSWALD. She talked to them in the usual manner, in English, when
they were addressing her.
But when they addressed me, she was interpreting.
Mr. RANKIN. Do you recall the exact time of the day that you discovered
the wedding ring there at the house?
Mrs. OSWALD. About 2 o'clock, I think. I don't remember. Then
everything got mixed up, all time.
Mr. RANKIN. Did the police spend considerable time there?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes.
Mr. RANKIN. Do you remember the names of any of the officers?
Mrs. OSWALD. No, I don't.
Mr. RANKIN. How did they treat you?
Mrs. OSWALD. Rather gruff, not very polite. They kept on following me.
I wanted to change clothes because I was dressed in a manner fitting to
the house. And they would not even let me go into the dressing room to
change.
Mr. RANKIN. What did you say about that?
Mrs. OSWALD. Well, what could I tell them?
I asked them, but they didn't want to. They were rather rough. They
kept on saying, hurry up.
Mr. RANKIN. Did they want you to go with them?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you leave the house with them right soon after they
came?
Mrs. OSWALD. About an hour, I think.
Mr. RANKIN. And what were they doing during that hour?
Mrs. OSWALD. They searched the entire house.
Mr. RANKIN. Did they take anything with them?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes--everything, even some tapes--Ruth's tapes from a tape
recorder, her things. I don't know what.
Mr. RANKIN. Did they take many of your belongings?
Mrs. OSWALD. I didn't watch at that time. After all, it is not my
business. If they need it, let them take it.
Mr. RANKIN. Did they give you an inventory of what they took?
Mrs. OSWALD. No.
Mr. RANKIN. You have never received an inventory?
Mrs. OSWALD. No.
Mr. RANKIN. Do you now know what they took?
Mrs. OSWALD. No. I know that I am missing my documents, that I am
missing Lee's documents, Lee's wedding ring.
Mr. RANKIN. What about clothing?
Mrs. OSWALD. Robert had some of Lee's clothing. I don't know what was
left of Lee's things, but I hope they will return it. No one needs it.
Mr. RANKIN. What documents do you refer to that you are missing?
Mrs. OSWALD. My foreign passport, my immigration card, my birth
certificate, my wedding certificate--marriage certificate, June's and
Rachel's birth certificates. Then various letters, my letters from
friends. Perhaps something that has some bearing--photographs, whatever
has some reference--whatever refers to the business at hand, let it
remain.
Then my diploma. I don't remember everything now.
Mr. RANKIN. What documents of your husband's do you recall that they
took?
Mrs. OSWALD. I didn't see what they took. At least at the present time
I have none of Lee's documents.
Mr. RANKIN. The documents of his that you refer to that you don't have
are similar to your own that you described?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes. He also had a passport, several work books, labor
cards. I don't know what men here--what sort of documents men here
carry.
Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Chairman, it is now 12:30.
The CHAIRMAN. I think we will recess now for lunch.
(Whereupon, at 12:30 p.m., the Commission recessed.)