Oswald. Yes.
Mr. Rankin. I offer in evidence Exhibit 25.
The Chairman. It may be admitted.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 25, and received in evidence.)
Mr. Rankin. Do you recall how much money you and your husband had in savings when you left Moscow for the United States?
Mrs. Oswald. I don't know, because Lee did not tell me how much money he had, because he knew that if he would tell me I would spend everything. But I think that we might have had somewhere about 300 rubles, or somewhat more, 350 perhaps.
Mr. Rankin. How did you travel from Moscow to the United States?
Mrs. Oswald. I told you—from Moscow by train, through Poland, Germany, and Holland, and from Holland by boat to New York. From New York to Dallas by air.
Mr. Rankin. I think you told us by another ship from Holland. I wonder if it wasn't the SS Maasdam. Does that refresh your memory?
Mrs. Oswald. Perhaps. I probably am mixed up in the names because it is a strange name.
Mr. Rankin. Do you recall that you exchanged United States money for Polish money during this trip?
Mrs. Oswald. Yes, in Warsaw, on the black market.
Mr. Rankin. Did you buy food there?
Mrs. Oswald. Yes. Some good Polish beer and a lot of candy.
By the way, we got an awful lot for one dollar, they were so happy to get it. More than the official rate.
Mr. Rankin. Did your husband drink then?
Mrs. Oswald. No. He doesn't drink beer, he doesn't drink anything, he doesn't like beer. I drank the beer. I don't like wine, by the way.
Mr. Rankin. Do you recall that you or your husband were contacted at any time in the Soviet Union by Soviet Intelligence people?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. During the time your husband was in the Soviet Union, did you observe any indication of mental disorder?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. How did he appear to get along with people that he knew in the Soviet Union?
Mrs. Oswald. Very well. At least, he had friends there. He didn't have any here.
Mr. Rankin. How much time did you spend in Amsterdam on the way to the United States?
Mrs. Oswald. Two or three days, it seems to me.
Mr. Rankin. What did you do there?
Mrs. Oswald. Walked around the city, did some sightseeing.
Mr. Rankin. Did anybody visit you there?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. Did you visit anyone?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. What hotel did you stay in?
Mrs. Oswald. We didn't stop at a hotel. We stopped at a place where they rent apartments. The address was given to us in the American Embassy.
Mr. Rankin. Do you recall what you paid in the way of rent?
Mrs. Oswald. No, Lee paid it. I don't know.
Mr. Rankin. How did your husband spend his time when he was aboard the ship?
Mrs. Oswald. I was somewhat upset because he was a little ashamed to walk around with me, because I wasn't dressed as well as the other girls. Basically, I stayed in my cabin while Lee went to the movies and they have different games there. I don't know what he did there.
Mr. Rankin. In Exhibit 25, the notations on the Holland American Line stationery, your husband apparently made some political observations. Did he discuss these with you while he was on the trip?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. Mr. Chairman, it is time for a recess.
The Chairman. Yes. We will take a recess now.
(Brief recess.)
The Chairman. The Commission will be in order.
We will continue.
Mr. Rankin. Mrs. Oswald, can you tell us what your husband was reading in the Soviet Union after you were married, that you recall?
Mrs. Oswald. He read the Daily Worker newspaper in the English language.
Mr. Rankin. Anything else?
Mrs. Oswald. It seems to me something like Marxism, Leninism, also in the English language. He did not have any choice of English books for reading purposes.
Mr. Rankin. Was he reading anything in Russian at that time?
Mrs. Oswald. Yes, newspapers, and nothing else.
Mr. Rankin. No library books?
Mrs. Oswald. No. It was very hard for him.
Mr. Rankin. Did he go to any schools while he was in the Soviet Union that you know of?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. I hand you Exhibit 26 and ask you if you can tell us what that is.
Mrs. Oswald. The title of this document is shown here, "Information for those who are departing for abroad. Personal data—name, last name, date of birth, place of birth, height, color of eyes and hair, married or not, and purpose of the trip."
Mr. Rankin. What does it say about the purpose of the trip—do you recall?
Mrs. Oswald. Private exit.
Mr. Rankin. Do you recall what members of your family are referred to there under that question?
Mrs. Oswald. It shows here "none." I think before this was filled out—this was before June's birth.
Mr. Rankin. That doesn't refer then to members of your family, like your uncles or aunts, or anything like that?
Mrs. Oswald. No.
Mr. Rankin. Mr. Chairman, I offer in evidence Exhibit 26.
The Chairman. It may be admitted.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 26, and received in evidence.)
Mr. Rankin. Now, I hand you Exhibit 27 and ask you if you can recall what that is.
Mrs. Oswald. This is a questionnaire which has to be filled out prior to departure for abroad.
Mr. Rankin. I offer in evidence Exhibit 27.
The
