And I said, "Crozier Evening Technical School, which is a Dallas Board
of Education deal, has 50 subjects for grown-ups to improve their
skill, whether it is academic things, languages, or whether you want to
make lampshades."
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you know whether Oswald ever went to Crozier Tech?
Mr. BOUHE. I do not. He did not tell me anything, but a Secret Service
agent from Los Angeles called me and asked what school could he have
gone to, and I said we have only one.
Mr. LIEBELER. That was Crozier Tech?
Mr. BOUHE. That is called Dallas Evening Public School.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever see any periodicals or similar literature or
magazines that Oswald subscribed to in his apartment?
Mr. BOUHE. American or Russian?
Mr. LIEBELER. Of any nature.
Mr. BOUHE. Certainly I saw a lot of Russian magazines, but whether or
not he subscribed or bought occasionally or somebody sent them, I do
not know.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember the names of any of them? Let me ask you
was "Agitator" one of them?
Mr. BOUHE. Never saw.
Mr. LIEBELER. How about "Crocodile"?
Mr. BOUHE. Unfortunately; yes, sir.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember the name of any others?
Mr. BOUHE. Yes; I think it is called "O-g-o-n-e-k." Means, "little
fire."
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember any other Russian periodicals that you
saw in Oswald's possession?
Mr. BOUHE. Something about the sports, because you always could see a
Russian magazine open there with pictures on life in the Soviet Union.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you know whether he subscribed or regularly read a
periodical called "The Worker"?
Mr. BOUHE. Never saw a copy in the house.
Mr. LIEBELER. How about "The Militant"?
Mr. BOUHE. Never saw any such article, magazine.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever have occasion to notice any books on
political subjects in Oswald's home?
Mr. BOUHE. Oh, yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Tell us about that.
Mr. BOUHE. Oswald had a little table in his apartment on Mercedes
Street in Fort Worth. I cannot remember the exact names, but certainly
Karl Marx, Lenin and his works, and similar things which I do not
remember. And I positively, being aghast at such an assortment, flipped
over the first two-three pages, and I think in two out of three I saw
the stamp of the Fort Worth Public Library.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever discuss with Oswald the fact that these
books were in his apartment?
Mr. BOUHE. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did he ever say anything to you about them?
Mr. BOUHE. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever discuss politics with Oswald?
Mr. BOUHE. American politics?
Mr. LIEBELER. Yes; politics of any kind, or economics? That is, his
attitude toward the U.S. Government and toward the Russian government?
Mr. BOUHE. After the first or second visit I saw he was a mixed-up man.
I did not touch any of these subjects.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you discuss them with him during the first two or
three times that you saw him?
Mr. BOUHE. The only thing I discussed the first two or three times I
saw him was pure consumer economics for a person living in the Soviet
Union, meaning how much are the shoes and how much is Kleenex and
things like that.
Mr. LIEBELER. You didn't discuss subjects like the social system or the
economic system of the U.S.S.R.?
Mr. BOUHE. I knew he was stuck on it and knew I wasn't.
Mr. LIEBELER. And how did you know he was stuck on it?
Mr. BOUHE. He was always smirking and occasionally dropping remarks,
"Well, with us in the Soviet Union," meaning some preference, whether
it is free rent or free medical care.
For instance, he said, "Marina had a bad tooth, so we went to some
place in Moscow waiting for the visa, and they took the tooth out
but they didn't put another one in." He said, "We didn't have time."
Whether that is right or wrong, I don't know.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did Oswald ever indicate that he wanted to return to
Russia?
Mr. BOUHE. Not during the time I knew him; positively not.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever ask him in words or substance if he thought
Russia was so good, why didn't he go back?
Mr. BOUHE. No; I didn't, because I think he began to hate me very early.
Mr. LIEBELER. Why do you say that, Mr. Bouhe?
Mr. BOUHE. I had made well in the United States by sheer work. I have
enough to live nicely and help others if I wish.
The sense of charity is very deep in me. Marina and the child, the
latter sleeping on the floor, attracted me very much. As I repeated to
the FBI and Secret Service many times, while they were not relatives of
mine, I still felt that if I enjoy a good automobile and a good meal
and if I know around the corner somebody's kid is sleeping on the
floor, I will not digest that dinner so very good.
So being endowed with what I thought was boundless energy, when I saw
the situation, I thought I would make an effort the first time to put
them on their feet. I always thought that communism breeds among the
down and out and the dissatisfied people. I certainly felt badly that
there were no groceries in their icebox and the kid was sleeping on the
floor and all that.
I thought that by, so to speak, putting a little meat on his bones,
lift the kid into bed, buy a little clothes for the kid, meanwhile
assembling from all of the ladies some clothes for Marina, who was in
rags, I thought I will make him less bitter which he was, and he will
see, as I told him, that it can be done here if you apply yourself. And
I added to him, "Lee, I am exceedingly uneasy from being a foreigner
by birth, telling you, a native-born American, that you can lift
yourself by your own boot strap here and live a decent life because the
opportunities are here if you just only take advantage of them."
Well, his handicap was, he never had any skill. That is true. Marines,
no skill. Sheet-metal work, I don't know if that was true in Russia.
He didn't know anything. I understood from other people that when he
went to the Texas Employment Commission in Fort Worth to ask for a job
and they said what can you do--nothing. Where did you work last--Minsk.
Let's call it off. He couldn't progress. He couldn't get any place. So
this is maybe facetious on my part and I admit it, but my policy in
this thing was substantially the policy of the U.S. Government as I see
it.
When we see that the Cambodians are leaning towards communism because
they are barefooted, we'll rush in with all kinds of food, groceries,
and rehabilitation equipment to see if they can get on their feet. I
did exactly that, as I saw it.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did Oswald seem to appreciate your efforts?
Mr. BOUHE. No; he passed a remark shortly after the second or third
visit to their house when the ladies and I brought the clothes to
Marina and such--I even brought two shirts for him--not new, used,
and that is where I saw him for the first time trying to show his
displeasure over me.
He measured and he remeasured the shirts so many times, and those were
not new shirts. Finally I said, "Lee, this is to go-to-work. Wear them
3 or 4 days, get them dirty, then throw them away." So finally he
folded it up and gave it back to me. "I don't need any."
Then I understand he objected that myself and a couple of others
brought groceries to the kid and something for them when the icebox
was empty. I took him and Marina once to a supermarket, partly for the
groceries and partly for an educational purpose to explain that this
is Ajax and this is Kleenex and this is the economy size, and this is
junior size, and how much per ounce, just to open her eyes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you buy groceries for the Oswalds at any time?
Mr. BOUHE. Once.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember how much?
Mr. BOUHE. Ten dollars.
Mr. LIEBELER. Could you tell us approximately how much you spent on the
Oswalds?
Mr. BOUHE. $75. You can make a list, if you wish, because I want to
tell you.
Mr. LIEBELER. Go ahead.
Mr. BOUHE. Probably groceries, $10. I gave him a $5 bill for the bus
fare from Fort Worth to Dallas on some subsequent Sunday.
I did not know the exact amount of the fare. And when he arrived here
and I met him I said, "Was that enough?" He said, "Oh, yes." But he
didn't give me any change. I remember that.
Then I bought at Montgomery Ward a playpen for about $11 for the kid.
I bought a pair of moccasins for Marina, in the presence of another
lady, at Montgomery Wards for $5, and since she was without stockings,
we had to run and get a pair of stockings because they wouldn't let her
measure moccasins without stockings.
I also gave De Mohrenschildt $20 and I got back $3 or $4 for them to
take Marina to the Baylor School of Dentistry right here in Dallas
where students of the senior class practice on people who cannot afford
to go to the regular dentist.
And since De Mohrenschildt had a lot of time and his wife had a lot of
time, they were taking Marina there probably two or three times. And I
think De Mohrenschildt gave me a couple of dollars back.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember if De Mohrenschildt spent any money on
Oswald?
Mr. BOUHE. I have no idea.
Mr. LIEBELER. What about any others, as far as you know?
Mr. BOUHE. In cash, I do not recall anybody, but in groceries, in
clothes, used, not new, yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. Who else gave such things to the Oswalds?
Mr. BOUHE. Through me, I collected--Mrs. Meller gave, I am sure Mrs.
Ford gave, I can't remember now; possibly Mrs. Hall. Those were used
clothes.
Mr. LIEBELER. This all took place prior to the time Oswald moved to
Dallas, did it?
Mr. BOUHE. The clothing and grocery contributions, yes, and the
dentist, no.
Mr. LIEBELER. You say the dental work was done after Oswald moved to
Dallas?
Mr. BOUHE. After, because she was living then with Mrs. Hall in Fort
Worth 3 weeks. That means the period somewhere between October 8th.
Mr. LIEBELER. Until November 2d?
Mr. BOUHE. That sounds right to me. And during that period she came,
I'd say, once or twice or maybe three times. She had a lot of teeth
rotted to the roots, and feeding the baby, we thought it was very bad,
and here those student guys just love to pull.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did these groceries that you speak of other people giving
the Oswalds, was that in addition to the groceries you purchased for
them?
Mr. BOUHE. Probably if we go there, somebody will bring something, I
don't remember. No regular contributions of groceries, no.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you pay Oswald's rent at the YMCA when he stayed
there in October?
Mr. BOUHE. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. Can you think of any other financial contribution that
might have been made to the Oswalds during this period?
Mr. BOUHE. Well, let's say $20. I would say that is all, $75, more or
less.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever discuss with Oswald his service in the
Marine Corps?
Mr. BOUHE. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. What did he tell you about that?
Mr. BOUHE. When he was applying for a job, we picked up some kind of
application blanks some place and you have to say about your military
service. And where it says, "Discharged." I'd ask, "How?" And he would
say: "Put down honorable."
Mr. LIEBELER. That was the entire extent of your discussion?
Mr. BOUHE. Right. He would freeze up like a clam.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did Oswald ever discuss anything about Cuba with you?
Mr. BOUHE. Never heard.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you ever see any literature concerning Cuba in his
possession?
Mr. BOUHE. Do not recall having seen anything.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did either Oswald or Marina ever tell you whether or not
Oswald was personally liked while he was in the Soviet Union? Did he
get along with the Russian people?
Mr. BOUHE. This is talking about the lady, so I want to be careful.
Marina said: "When I saw him, I was so sorry for him. Nobody liked him.
I was so sorry for him I must make him comfortable here, or something
like that."
Mr. LIEBELER. That is what Marina said?
Mr. BOUHE. Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. That was her reaction to him when she met him in Russia?
Mr. BOUHE. I remember that.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you remember anything else about that?
Mr. BOUHE. He said he went duck shooting with the boys. But whether
they spoke during shooting, or just were shooting, I don't know. He was
not a very talkative person.
Mr. LIEBELER. You have the impression that as a general manner he was
not a popular person when he was in Russia?
Mr. BOUHE. It was my impression for more than one reason. He had a mind
of his own, and I think it was a diseased one. I could not imagine with
whom he would be friendly. I could not.
Mr. LIEBELER. Why do you say you thought he had a diseased mind?
Mr. BOUHE. He changed so much, from an American, to Russia, and back.
Mr. LIEBELER. He never seemed to be satisfied with anything?
Mr. BOUHE. Precisely. Besides, not satisfied with any place. That is
the point.
Mr. LIEBELER. Now did Oswald ever express any resentment of the U.S.
Government for delaying his return to the United States?
Mr. BOUHE. In a casual remark, yes.
Mr. LIEBELER. What did he say?
Mr. BOUHE. Well, "Damn it, I don't know why it took them so long to get
on the horse."
Mr. LIEBELER. The United States?