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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. I - Page 281« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Robert Edward Oswald Lee)

Mr. Oswald.
Benbrook; yes, sir.
Mr. Jenner.
Did Lee enter elementary school at that time?
Mr. Oswald.
Yes, sir; he did.
I don't know if the school name was Benbrook School.
Mr. Jenner.
It was an elementary school?
Mr. Oswald.
Yes, sir; I know where it is located there and everything. I believe it is closed down now.
Mr. Jenner.
You learned of this during the summer vacation, or from letters from your mother?
Mr. Oswald.
Yes, sir--perhaps both---one way or the other during that period we were aware that Lee was attending school in Benbrook.
Mr. Jenner.
Up to this point what were the relationships between yourself and your brother John? Cordial and normal brother relationships?
Mr. Oswald.
I might say then as now they were cordial. We always got along. He was a little bit older than I was, of course. He had his group of friends, I had mine. We got along just fine.
Mr. Jenner.
And the relationship of your brother John and yourself on the one hand, and Lee on the other--let us take the 6- to 7- to 8-year-old period.
Mr. Oswald.
John and I both, I feel, especially from my side, that we were his big brothers, and when we were around Lee we took care of him. We played together, to some extent, anyway. Perhaps our interests were a little bit different than Lee's at that early age of his life---a spread of 5 years between Lee and I and 7 years between Lee and John.
Mr. Jenner.
Yes. That is quite a gap.
A boy 6 years old who has a brother 11 years old--that would be you--and a brother 13 years old, that would be John--at that age, that is quite a gap.
Did you spend much time with him, for example, when you were home during the summer vacations?
Mr. Oswald.
Yes, sir; I would say we did spend quite a bit of time both John and I--with Lee.
I recall going fishing, things like that. But mostly I recall staying at the house at Benbrook, the native stone home, out there, and staying within the confines out there, and playing, and staying out there most of the time.
I do recall on a number of occasions that Mr. Ekdahl, my mother, and all three of us would drive into Fort Worth and go to the movie theater, which at that time was the closest one coming in from Benbrook into Fort Worth. I recall going there quite a few times.
Mr. Jenner.
Would you relate for us as you recall now the relationships between you and John--between you boys and your mother? Was that a pleasant one? Were there any difficulties that you now recall? Personality-wise, for example.
Mr. Oswald.
None that I recall. At that time, I do recall one instance out there at the house, stone house there in Benbrook--my mother was a little upset with Mr. Ekdahl over the fact that--this was, I am sure, the second Christmas we were there from military school.
Mr. Jenner.
That would be 1947?
Mr. Oswald.
That would be 1947, Christmas 1946. He was showering us with candies, cokes, and so forth. And mother thought that he was overdoing it. And we argued the other way. We was on Mr. Ekdahl's side.
Mr. Jenner.
But your relations with your mother, as you recall them now, during this period were pleasant, normal, and you were having no difficulties with her?
Mr. Oswald.
No, sir; pleasant memories to me.
Mr. Jenner.
Anything other than the difficulties two lively boys have when they are naughty?
Mr. Oswald.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Dulles.
Were you conscious at that time of the growing difficulty between your mother and Mr. Ekdahl? Was that apparent at that time? Or did that only come later?
Mr. Oswald.
No, sir. At that time, it was not apparent to me.
Mr. Dulles.
At no time was that a factor in your life, particularly?
Mr. Oswald.
No, sir. I would say at no time it was. In moving up perhaps
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