The testimony of Mary E. Bledsoe was taken at 9:30 a.m., on April 2,
1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Messrs. Joseph A. Ball,
David W. Belin, and Albert E. Jenner, Jr., assistant counsel of the
President's Commission. Mrs. Mary E. Bledsoe was accompanied by her
attorney, Miss Melody June Douthit.
Mr. BALL. Will you stand up, Mrs. Bledsoe, please. Will you raise
your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that the testimony which you
are about to give before this Commission will be the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. I do.
Mr. BALL. State your name, please.
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Mary E. Bledsoe.
Mr. BALL. And your residence?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. 621 North Marsalis.
Mr. BALL. Mrs. Bledsoe, you received a letter from the counsel for the
Commission asking you to be here today, didn't you?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. And you received that what date? March 26, or was it March 27?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. When? This first time?
Miss DOUTHIT. No, back.
Mr. BALL. I mean the letter your attorney just showed me. Seventeenth
of March?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Uh-huh.
Mr. BALL. And you have come down here in response to that letter,
haven't you?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes.
Mr. BALL. And you are here appearing with your attorney, who is present
at this time?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes.
Mr. BALL. You've been asked to give testimony in this matter which
concerns an investigation into the assassination of President Kennedy,
and certain facts which you have, which I believe that you knew of, and
we are going to ask you questions about it. That is the general subject
of the investigation.
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Uh-huh.
Mr. BALL. And you are willing to testify, are you not?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes.
Mr. BALL. And give us as much help as you can?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes.
Mr. BALL. What is your--you have given us your address, haven't you?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes.
Mr. BALL. Can you tell me something, briefly, about your past life?
Where you were born and what your education was and what your
occupation has been?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. I was born in the country. Town of about 12 miles from
Corsicanna, Tex. My father was a doctor down there, and I was a second
child; I have a brother older than I am. And then I moved to Ennis,
and then come to Dallas and lived here until I was a little girl, 4 or
5 years old, then I went back down to Ennis and my father practiced
medicine in Ennis, Tex., and then about--I married then when I was 17,
and then I moved around quite a little while I was married, but--and
then my husband and I, we had trouble, and I divorced him in--oh, about
in 1925, and I raised my two children by myself, and I have been in the
place where I live 24 years, and over on the back, I was--I have been
here 43 years in the neighborhood, and I raised both of my boys, and
they are grown.
Mr. BALL. Your occupation has been that of a housewife?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes. Well, I had rented rooms, but I had some money my
father had given me. I had some money from him.
Mr. BALL. Your present address, you rent rooms, do you?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes; I do, now. I have just started in September again.
My son left home, you see, and I started----
Mr. BALL. That was September of 1963?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Yes.
Mr. BALL. How large a house is that?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Well, it is all on one floor. And I have four bedrooms,
but I rent three.
Mr. BALL. In September of 1963, you were living there alone, were you?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. No; my son was living there.
Mr. BALL. And he left?
Mrs. BLEDSOE. Uh-huh.
Mr. BALL. Did you rent rooms before your son left your home?