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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. III - Page 85« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Ruth Hyde Paine Resumed)

Mr. Jenner.
March 9, 1964?
Mrs. Paine.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
Just a week or so ago?
Mrs. Paine.
That is right. She left, of course, expecting to come back. She took only the immediate needs of the baby's diapers and bottle, and I fully expected her to come back later that same day. I don't really recall. I think there must have been some newsmen out then that morning, later that morning.
Mr. Jenner.
To see you, at your home?
Mrs. Paine.
At my home. I would be certain of that. The Houston Post--well, yes. And Michael was there also, at least in the morning as I recall, and talked with these people.
I believe the local paper, Irving News, was there. Then Michael, as I recall, went to do something related to his work or had to do some shopping.
Mr. Jenner.
He left your home?
Mrs. Paine.
Anyway, in the afternoon I was the only one there and I felt I had better get some grocery shopping done so as to be prepared for a long stay home just answering the doorbell and telling what I could to the people who wanted to know. I was just preparing to go to the grocery store when several officers arrived again from the Dallas Police Office and asked if they could search.
This time I was in the yard, the front yard on the grass, and asked if they could search and held up their warrant and I said, yes, they could search. They said they were looking for something specific and I said, "I want to go to the grocery store, I'll just go and you go ahead and do your searching."
I then went to the grocery store and when I came back they had finished and left, locking my door which necessitated my getting out my key, I don't normally lock my door when I go shopping.
Representative Ford.
Did you take your children shopping?
Mrs. Paine.
Always. Then about 3:30 or 4 I got a telephone call.
Mr. Jenner.
The phone rang?
Mrs. Paine.
The phone rang; I answered it.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you recognize the voice?
Mrs. Paine.
I recognized the voice but I don't recall what he said?
Mr. Jenner.
What did the voice say?
Mrs. Paine.
The voice said: "This is Lee."
Mr. Jenner.
Give your best recollection of everything you said and if you can, please, everything he said, and exactly what you said.
Mrs. Paine.
I said, "Well, Hi." And he said he wanted to ask me to call Mr. John Abt in New York for him after 6 p.m. He gave me a telephone number

of an office in New York and a residence in New York.
Mr. Jenner.
Two telephone numbers he gave you?
Mrs. Paine.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
One office and one residence of Mr. John Abt. Did he say who Mr. John Abt was?
Mrs. Paine.
He said he was an attorney he wanted to have.
Mr. Jenner.
Represent him?
Mrs. Paine.
To represent him. He thanked me for my concern.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he tell you or ask you what you were to do or say to Mr. Abt if you reached him?
Mrs. Paine.
I carried the clear impression I was to ask him if he would serve as attorney for Lee Oswald.
Mr. Jenner.
All right.

Have you given the substance of the conversation in as much detail, of the entire conversation, as you now can recall?
Mrs. Paine.
There is a little more that is.
Senator Cooper.
Why don't you just go ahead and tell it as you remember it, everything that he said and you said?
Mrs. Paine.
I can't give the specific words to this part but I carry a clear impression, too, that he sounded to me almost as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
I would make this telephone call for him, would help him, as I had in other ways previously. He was, he expressed gratitude to me. I felt, but did not
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