Are there any questions, Mr. Rankin, that I haven't gotten?
Mr. RANKIN. I think that is very helpful.
I would like to ask you about those pictures that you offered and then
decided you didn't want to give us. If you would get those out, I would
like to identify them so that there cannot be any misunderstanding
about just what they are about.
Could you do that?
Mrs. OSWALD. By the way, one of the reporters when I came downstairs
said "What is all the commotion about those pictures, you have, Mrs.
Oswald?" Where do those leaks come from? That is the example. They
wanted to know about the pictures.
Mr. Chief Justice, this is Lee at 6 months.
The CHAIRMAN. He was a good looking baby.
Mrs. OSWALD. This is Lee there at 2 years. Would--if you would like a
copy of the Marina pictures, sir, I would be more than happy to do that.
I think they are in an envelope. This is important, Mr. Rankin. This
has something to do with Time Magazine is what I think he did. This is
where he got that from. These were copied for this session. These are
from my other boys to mother, and John Edward and which I wanted to
show we were a family but as soon as the boys married--here is another
thing, which is true to human nature.
I am a widow woman with no money and I happened not to have the type
daughter-in-laws who wanted a widow woman in case they have to support
me. My children make very low salaries and so I am not alone, we
have thousands and thousands of women like me. It is hard to say the
children don't want you. But there are many, many mothers whose sons
have married because it is different with a girl.
Now a girl will take care of the mother but the boy's mother is usually
nothing and I am not going to be helped or supported.
I am going to take care of myself because that is the attitude and that
was the attitude when I was sick.
Lee Harvey Oswald was the only one who has helped his mother at any
time but I wanted to show mothers today cared and everything until they
married. That was the type family we were, sir.
And this was the picture, Mr. Rankin, of the three children which is a
happy life and he wanted to be in New Orleans.
Mr. RANKIN. Mrs. Oswald, I am going to call your attention to Exhibit
258 which you just referred to and said maybe that is what you meant.
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, because I gave him this when he entered the home.
Mr. RANKIN. This Exhibit 258 refers to the letter you received from
me as general counsel for the Commission, and then a letter to the
President, and your appeal to the President, is that right?
Mrs. OSWALD. That is correct.
Mr. RANKIN. And this is a copy you released for the press conference in
Dallas. That is Exhibit 258. I offer Exhibit 258.
The CHAIRMAN. It may be admitted.
Mr. RANKIN. If you will permit me, I will ask the court reporter to
identify these pictures and I don't intend to offer them but then I
will ask you each one by number so we can make it clear, and then
return them to you, so you can tell us what they are about, is that all
right with you?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, that is just fine, thank you.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, Mrs. Oswald, I will hand you Exhibits 259 through 269,
both inclusive, and ask you to take them starting with Exhibit 259 and
referring to the exhibit in each case, tell the Commission what the
picture is about.
Mrs. OSWALD. 259 is of the three children, John Edward, Robert, and
Lee and the three are smiling. In fact this picture was in a magazine
because of the three good poses. It is hard to get three pictures alike.
Mr. RANKIN. About how old are the children in that picture?
Mrs. OSWALD. I know Lee was approximately going on 6 years old. There
is 5 years difference in Robert so Robert would be 11, that is correct
and John Edward would be 13. That is when they went to military school.
This is a picture of Lee at age 6 months.
Mr. RANKIN. You are talking about Exhibit 260?
Mrs. OSWALD. 260, yes, sir.
This is a picture of Lee at the Bronx Zoo, Exhibit 261 at age 13.
Mr. RANKIN. That is the Bronx Zoo in New York?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. That is the Bronx Zoo in New York that you told us about.
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, sir.