indicated, were produced for us during the recess. We don't have the full information.
Perhaps, Mr. McKenzie—you have been quite helpful. You might be further helpful to us—you might have the deposit—evidence of the deposit.
Mr. McKenzie. Mr. Jenner, I wish I did have it. However, I know that the First National Bank of Fort Worth would gladly duplicate that for you. And I contemplate that I will be in the process of obtaining a copy from either Mr. Thorne or Mr. Martin in the very near future, because I have asked both of those gentlemen, on behalf of Marina Oswald and her children, for a full and complete accounting as of February 18, 1964, and I will likewise say that she has informed me up until February 18, 1964, she has had no accounting from either of those gentlemen.
Mr. Jenner. Is there another exhibit?
Mr. McKenzie. Yes, sir.
The next exhibit, Mr. Jenner, is Commission Exhibit No. 279, which is a Xerox copy of a power of attorney granted to the firm of Thorne and Leach, attorneys and counselors at law, bearing the date of December 5, 1963, in which it has three—I presume these are omissions from the exhibit—commencing on line 4, following the words "trust funds", there is an omission, and then the word "bequests", and then there is another omission, and on line 5, at the beginning of that line, there is an omission.
Mr. Dulles. What is the nature of the omissions?
Mr. McKenzie. Mr. Dulles, I have been told that the word "gifts" was omitted. The word "gift" was originally in it. But I have been told the word "gift" was omitted, or struck out.
Mr. Jenner. Mr. Dulles, I had intended to question the witness about that.
Mr. McKenzie. This contract provides that Marina N. Oswald, "bargain, transfer, sell and assign an undivided 10 percent of all such sums when collected or paid to my account," referring to the fund in the preceding paragraph. The agreement is signed by Marina N. Oswald, witnessed by James H. Martin, and accepted by John M. Thorne.
I am familiar with Marina N. Oswald's signature, and this is a copy of her signature, or is her signature. I am not familiar with Mr. Martin's signature or Mr. Thorne's signature.
Mr. Jenner. Directing your attention to that document, Mr. Oswald, are you familiar with any of the signatures it bears?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; I am.
Mr. Jenner. Would you identify each signature and indicate those with which you are familiar?
Mr. Oswald. As they appear in order, the first signature is Mrs. Marina N. Oswald. I am familiar with this signature.
The second signature is Mr. James H. Martin. I am familiar with his signature.
Mr. Jenner. It is his signature?
Mr. Oswald. I would say yes, it is.
Mr. Jenner. All right.
Mr. Dulles. Is that under "Accepted"—is that first word there "John"?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir. And the last signature as appears on this Exhibit 279 is the signature of John M. Thorne.
Mr. Jenner. Do you know the day upon which that document was executed? It bears a date of December 5, which is a Thursday.
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I do not.
Pardon me—the 5th day of December is the date purported—that this document was executed at. I am not familiar that it was executed on that date.
Mr. Jenner. Are you familiar with the date when it was in fact executed?
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I am not. I might further state I was not present when this document was signed, and I was not aware of this document until Thursday, February 13th.
Mr. Jenner. 19——
Mr. Oswald. 1964.
Mr. Jenner. May I inquire of you, Mr. McKenzie, whether you have seen the original of the document of which this purports to be a Xerox copy?
Mr. McKenzie. I have not, sir. But I have seen a duplicate copy, an original copy.
Mr. Jenner. A duplicate executed copy?
Mr. McKenzie. Yes, sir.
Mr. Jenner. That was furnished to you by whom?
Mr. McKenzie. By Marina N. Oswald.
Mr. Jenner. And this is a photostatic copy of what, with respect to an original, carbon copy or otherwise?
Mr. McKenzie. It is a photocopy of a carbon copy.
Mr. Jenner. And have you personally seen the carbon copy of which this is a photo?
Mr. McKenzie. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr. Jenner. And is the document now identified as Commission Exhibit No. 279 in the same condition now as it was when you first saw it?
Mr. McKenzie. Exactly.
Mr. Jenner. And to the best of your recollection, is it a duplicate of the original?
Mr. McKenzie. Yes, sir.
The next exhibit is Commission Exhibit No. 280 entitled "The Oswald Trust," and bearing a heading, "The State of Texas, County of Dallas, Know all men by these presents," and it is a trust agreement dated December 30, 1963, by and between Marina Nikolaevna Oswald "a widow, hereinafter called grantor, and John M. Thorne and James H. Martin of Dallas County, Texas, co-trustees, hereinafter called the trustee" in which it describes certain funds described on Schedule A attached to this exhibit, which consists of some six pages, plus the Schedule A, Schedule A describing the trust funds as cash, $25,000. And I might add, in my opinion, Mr. Jenner, for whatever it may be worth, that this trust grants to John Thorne and James Martin purportedly grants unto those two men as co-trustees absolute discretion as to the distribution of the trust funds.
In fact, on page 2 it says, "as the trustee shall in either case in its uncontrolled discretion deem advisable."
Mr. Dulles. Who is the beneficiary of this trust?
Mr. McKenzie. Marina Oswald and her children, in the discretion of John Thorne and James Martin.
Representative Ford. Is that $25,000 the same $25,000 referred to in a previous exhibit?
Mr. McKenzie. Mr. Ford, I presume so. But that is only a presumption on my part. I do not know.
I might further add, for the benefit of counsel and the Commission, that Marina Oswald has informed me, and I think Robert Oswald can testify as to this, which I leave to your discretion, that at no time have these, up until February 14—have these——
Mr. Jenner. 1964?
Mr. McKenzie. 1964—have these exhibits, numbered consecutively from 276 through 280, been read to her in Russian. And at the time of execution, they were not interpreted, nor did they show of the contents—what the contents were, except as explained to her in English.
Mr. Jenner. Mr. McKenzie, the document is identified as Commission Exhibit No. 280, directing your attention to page
