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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. IX - Page 464« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Raymond Franklin Krystinik)

Mr. Krystinik.
that. But any exact comment about General Walker I really don't remember.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did Oswald say anything about this Stevenson affair?
Mr. Krystinik.
I couldn't say. I don't really remember.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did he tell you that he had been at the meeting at which Stevenson had had his difficulty?
Mr. Krystinik.
No, sir; he didn't tell me that. He told me, I think just me he had mentioned, if I remember exactly, he had mentioned to Michael and said, "I was there," in reference to the meeting of the General Walker group.
Mr. Liebeler.
Are the remarks that you have told us about, the only remarks that Oswald made to the entire group that evening?
Mr. Krystinik.
The only ones I can remember and swear that I know was the one in reference to General Walker not only being anti-Semitic but anti-Catholic and in regard to his comment about the Pope.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did Oswald comment on the John Birch Society as well as General Walker?
Mr. Krystinik.
I know there was mention about him in the group. The group commented on the John Birch Society, and I don't remember exactly whether Oswald commented on them, too. I would like to be of help to you, but I don't remember.
Mr. Liebeler.
Just give us the best recollection you have.
Mr. Krystinik.
That is it so far.
Mr. Liebeler.
How did Oswald impress you when he stepped up and addressed the group? Did he impress you as being articulate, intelligent, or was he not that way?
Mr. Krystinik.
At that particular time he just made the one statement. After the meeting, I talked to him for about 15 minutes primarily about economics.
Mr. Liebeler.
Was anyone there besides you and Oswald?
Mr. Krystinik.
Yes, sir; there was a Mr. Byrd Helligas.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did he take part in the conversation with you and Oswald?
Mr. Krystinik.
Yes; a little bit, to the best of my memory. Oswald was the fellow that impressed me, and I was paying attention to what he was saying, and I am afraid that Mr. Helligas didn't make an impression on me. I don't remember what he said, except he did enter into the conversation at different times. I am afraid most of my attention was directed to Oswald. The hair was up on the back of my neck. I was irritated by the man a little. Not real bad, but he bothered me some.
Mr. Liebeler.
Was it what he said that bothered you, or was it his attitude?
Mr. Krystinik.
Attitude more than exactly what he said.
Mr. Liebeler.
What was his attitude?
Mr. Krystinik.
Well, the attitude that I felt was that he was talking down to me. I felt like he was. That he was better than I was, to a certain degree and he acted as if he had complete command of the argument and was on top all the time. I felt that a couple of different spots in the argument I had him practically beaten and he wouldn't accept my argument. He turned his back and would go down a different avenue.
Mr. Liebeler.
He figuratively turned his back?
Mr. Krystinik.
Yes, sir; that is it.
Mr. Liebeler.
Reconstruct for us, as best you can, at this point, the discussion that you and Oswald had. Tell us as best you can recall what he said and what you said and what the argument was about.
Mr. Krystinik.
Well, after the meeting was over we went back to the back where they had coffee. I believe they had doughnuts, I am not sure, but they had a table of refreshments, at least, and I am sure there was coffee. I wasn't interested in the coffee.
Michael, my wife, and Oswald, and I, walked to the back of the room together. I approached Oswald and commented to him that Michael had told me about his political background a little bit, and I understood that he had been to Russia. I asked him what he felt communism had to offer that was better than he could find in the United States. He kind of shrugged his shoulders and didn't make any particular comment then.
I forget exactly the trend of talk at that particular moment, but as we talked
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