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  » Volume XV
Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XV - Page 278« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Eileen Kaminsky)

Mr. Griffin.
When your father was ill, how long did he remain in the home?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
I don't know. This is all vague to me. I really don't remember.
Mr. Griffin.
Welt, during this period from the early 1920's until your father returned to the home, how often did you see him?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, I don't think I saw a great deal of him.
Mr. Griffin.
What would that be? Would you see him once a month or once every 3 months or--
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Perhaps, more like once every 3 months. I mean I can't pin it down definitely, but it would be--
Mr. Griffin.
What sort of interest did he show in the children?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, I don't know how to answer that. He had a struggle taking care of himself. I am afraid--as a matter of fact, when the children were old enough, they tried to take care of him.
Mr. Griffin.
How do you explain the willingness of the children to
Mr. Griffin.
How do you explain the willingness of the children to take care of your father even though he apparently didn't do much taking care of you?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, he was our father. I guess it might all boil down to that, and we did have a---quite an affection for him.
Mr. Griffin.
Yes.
Mrs. Kaminsky.
We often thought if my mother hadn't been so emotional and--perhaps, things might have been different.
Mr. Griffin.
Well, did your father show kindnesses towards you even though--when he wasn't living in the home?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
I think he did towards the children; yes.
Mr. Griffin.
What sort of things do you remember him doing?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, buying meat, clothes or shoes or things. In those days, it was difficult to obtain; depression days.
Mr. Griffin.
Where was he living when he wasn't living with your people?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
When he wasn't?
Mr. Griffin.
Yes.
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, I remember vaguely him living with a--you would call it now the east side, around Halsted Street or something like that.
Mr. Griffin.
Was he living with someone else?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
No, he usually had his own little just probably a room and a bathroom and a kitchen.
Mr. Griffin.
Yes?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
There might have been times that he'd have you know, a man friend, well, a man, or a man his age.
Mr. Griffin.
Can you give us some sort of a date as to when he returned to the home on a permanent basis?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, I think it's perhaps, after my mother passed away. She passed away in April of 1944, so it was some time after that.
Mr. Griffin.
I see. Do you have any information about his relationship with your brother, Jack, before he moved back into the home?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, Jack always felt kind of sorry for him, you know, being--his being alone. Jack is a very compassionate person. He always feels sorry for the underdogs, so to speak.
Mr. Griffin.
What was Jack's attitude towards your mother?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
He was very fond of her. As a matter of fact, I often feel he was her favorite child.
Mr. Griffin.
What makes you feel that way?
Mrs. Kaminsky.
Well, I remember once she was very ill and she had given him some money to hold for her. She thought she was dying, and I think it was around $15, just--I don't exactly know.
Mr. Griffin.
Yes.
Mrs. Kaminsky.
He wanted to make her feel good so he says, "Ma," he says, "gee, you have got $85 here.
"Well, she recovered and she wanted her $85 back, and I said, "Jack, what are you going to do?"
He says, "I am going to give it to her." He says, "It made her feel good, didn't it," and that was one of his expressions. It made her feel good or made him feel good, just so it makes you feel good.
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