the Soviet Union. Why he wanted to come back?
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I never questioned him about that because we covered it, I believe quite fully in our letters. I was, of course, thoroughly convinced and quite happy that he did want to return to the United States and I felt there was no need to go into the reason why he changed his mind because I believe we had covered that in the letters.
Representative Ford. At the time he indicated a desire to come back to the United States, did he ever contact you about funds for that purpose?
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I volunteered to help him any way I could on that. He turned down the offer. He turned it down one time I believe in letters offering him to come stay at our house when he returned with his wife and the baby.
Representative Ford. When he did return, after having borrowed money from the Federal Government, did he ever ask you for any help and assistance in repaying the loan?
Mr. Oswald. On his arrival in New York City, I believe the date to be June 13, back in 1962, my wife received a telephone call from Special Services Welfare Center located at New York City stating that Lee and his family were present and that they needed funds to reach their destination, Fort Worth, Tex., and the lady that talked to my wife put it to the extent they were unable to help them and if some member of the family was going to help them, they had better do so then. My wife didn't know anything else to say but of course that we would, and this is what I wanted her to say. She called me at my office that day. The banks had closed but I do have a friend in Fort Worth who was employed at a bank, cashier, I believe his title, and I called him and asked him if it would be possible to withdraw $200. This was not at my bank, I would give him a check on my checking account, and at which time I wired the money to the welfare bureau in New York, care of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Representative Ford. And that was the money that they, Marina and Lee, used to get to Fort Worth.
Mr. Oswald. That is correct, sir.
Representative Ford. Did Lee ever repay you for that?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; he did. He had actually spent a little over $100 for the plane tickets and, of course, we met him at Dallas, Love Field, on their arrival there. The next day even though I insisted that he keep it, he returned what he had left from the $200 and he said he would pay me back as soon as he was able to and I told him not to worry about that, but just to take his time.
Representative Ford. How long did it take him to repay the remainder?
Mr. Oswald. I say approximately $110 to $115 during the period he first started to work there in Fort Worth and prior to their departure to Dallas he repaid this $10-$20 a week from his pay check.
Representative Ford. Did you have any knowledge that Lee had become fluent in Russian, in the Russian language, at the time he came out of the Marine Corps?
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I had not. There is also one of his first letters from the hotel in Russia that he pointed out to me that I didn't even know that he could write or speak Russian. He was being rather sarcastic in his first letters, and he pointed this out. I would answer it that I was not aware that he could speak or could write any foreign language when he was in the Marine Corps and after he got out of it.
Representative Ford. You had no prior knowledge that he was studying Russian or had become articulate in Russian?
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I did not.
Representative Ford. In your experiences with Lee during your lifetime, did he ever show a skill at language, for languages?
Mr. Oswald. No, sir; I know of no time nor can I recall of any time that he studied any foreign language or in my presence that he even read a book in a foreign language or attempted to teach himself any type of foreign language.
Mr. Jenner. Representative Ford, if you have reached a break, I would like to identify the exhibit the witness provided and also identify the letter to which you now have reference.
Would you obtain that telegram and also identify the date of the letter to which you have lastly made reference so that I may identify our copies?
Mr. McKenzie. November 8, 1959, is the letter, Mr. Jenner, and the telegram is June 14, 1962.
Mr. Jenner. Mr. Chairman, we have marked photostatic copies of the telegram to which the witness referred as having been received from the Special Welfare Services as Commission Exhibit No. 293, and the letter of November 18, 1959, as Commission Exhibit 294.
(The telegram and letter referred to were marked Commission Exhibit Nos. 293 and 294, respectively, for identification.)
Mr. Jenner. Would you obtain the original of those or hand the witness the originals?
Mr. McKenzie. I have just handed them to him.
Mr. Jenner. Would you hand him the original of the letter, please?
Directing your attention to the telegram first, Mr. Oswald, which is now marked Commission Exhibit 293, is that the original of the telegram to which you made reference as having been received first by telephone call through your wife on June 14, 19——
Mr. Oswald. Pardon me, June 13.
Mr. Jenner. 13?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir. This reply that we are referring to here now is June 14.
Mr. Jenner. I see.
Mr. Oswald. We were first contacted on the evening of June 13.
Mr. Jenner. I take it then, sir, that you received a telephone call on June 13, is that correct?
Mr. Oswald. That is correct.
Mr. Jenner. Or your wife did. And Exhibit 293 which is dated the 14th, is what?
Mr. Oswald. I am sorry, sir.
Mr. Jenner. Following the receipt of the telephone call on June 13, did you receive or did you send any communication from or to the New York Welfare Center?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir. I sent a telegram on the afternoon of June 13, 1962, wiring a total of $200 to the Special Service Welfare Center at New York, and also enclosing a message to Lee to contact me or to the extent that someone there perhaps would notify me when to expect them in Fort Worth.
Mr. Jenner. Did you receive word from New York as to when Lee and Marina might expect to be in Dallas?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr. Jenner. And was that by telegram or telephone?
Mr. Oswald. This was by telephone I first received the word.
Mr. Jenner. Did you receive something in writing that confirmed that?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr. Jenner. Is that document before you?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; it is.
Mr. Jenner. It is marked Commission Exhibit 293, and you actually received that document which is now before you?
Mr. Oswald. Yes, sir; that is correct.
Mr. Jenner. June 14.
