Now, my son would not tell me they had abused him. That was a boy's
way to his mother--if he was abused, and it was shown in the paper his
black eyes--he wouldn't tell how he got that. He said that was done in
the scuffle. So I talked and said, "Is there anything I can do to help
you?"
He said, "No, Mother, everything is fine. I know my rights, and I
will have an attorney. I have already requested to get in touch with
Attorney Abt, I think is the name. Don't worry about a thing."
Mr. RANKIN. Did you say anything to him about another suspect?
Mrs. OSWALD. No, sir, I did not. That was my entire conversation to him.
Gentlemen, you must realize this. I had heard over the television my
son say, "I did not do it. I did not do it."
And a million of the other people had heard him. I say this. As a
mother--I heard my son say this. But also as a citizen, if I had heard
another man say, I didn't do it, I will have to believe that man,
because he hasn't been--hasn't had the opportunity to present his side
of the case. So here is my son. When I saw him people had said, "Did
you ask him if he did it?"
No, sir. I think by now you know my temperament, gentlemen. I would not
insult my son and ask him if he shot at President Kennedy. Why? Because
I myself heard him say, "I didn't do it, I didn't do it."
So, that was enough for me, I would not ask that question.
Mr. RANKIN. Who told you that there was--they had found another suspect?
Mrs. OSWALD. One of the officers. That, sir, I don't know. He just
walked in real fast while we were sitting down and said they had picked
up another suspect, and it was in the paper that they had picked
up another suspect at that particular time, which would have been
approximately 1 o'clock that day.
Mr. RANKIN. But you don't remember the officer's name?
Mrs. OSWALD. No, sir, that is all he said and he left. He was just
relaying why we would be delayed. But it was also published. I do not
have the paper or the information. But I do know from the reporters,
when I told my story, that part to them--they said that substantiates
the newspaper story that they did pick up a suspect at that time.
Mr. RANKIN. About how long did you and Marina spend there with your son?
Mrs. OSWALD. I would say I spent about 3 or 4 minutes on the telephone,
and then Marina came back to the telephone and talked with Lee. So we
left. So Marina started crying. Marina says, "Mamma, I tell Lee I love
Lee and Lee says he love me very much. And Lee tell me to make sure I
buy shoes for June."
Now, here is a man that is accused of the murder of a President.
This is the next day, or let's say about 24 hours that he has been
questioned. His composure is good. And he is thinking about his young
daughter needing shoes.
Now, June was wearing shoes belonging to Mrs. Paine's little girl,
Marina told me--they were little red tennis shoes, and the top was
worn. They were clean, and the canvas was showing by the toe part, like
children wear out their toes.
I ask you this, gentlemen. If Marina had a hundred and some odd dollars
in the house, why is it necessary that my son has to tell her at the
jailhouse, remind her to buy shoes for his baby, for their child? Just
a few dollars out of that hundred and some odd dollars would have
bought shoes for this particular child.
Another way to look at this, as I stated previously--that the boy
is concerned about shoes for his baby, and he is in this awful
predicament. So he must feel innocent, or sure that everything is going
to be all right, as he told me.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, in this telephone conversation, when you talked to
your son, can you explain a little bit to the Commission how that is?
Was your son on the other side of a wall or something?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, sir. My son was on the other side of the wall, and
then back of the wall was a door with a peephole, where an officer was.
Now, we are going to come from the door, with the peephole and the
officer, to my son. Then a glass partition and then glass partitions
like telephone booths. But not really inclosed--just a little
separation.
Mr. RANKIN. So you could not reach in there and take your son's hand?
Mrs. OSWALD. No, sir. We talked by telephone.