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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. IX - Page 57« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Samuel B. Ballen)

Mr. Ballen.
The FBI had already interviewed me, I told Rags, and that distressed him a little bit that the FBI was probably intercepting his mail and probably had a tail on him.
He thought I was kidding, and I said, no; that this was a pretty serious item and that probably he was under surveillance, and so he then took the initiative to call the FBI and said if they wanted to see him, he was out there, and he would be leaving for parts unknown, and so they came out to my house and interviewed him.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you know whether Rags told the FBI about the remarks that De Mohrenschildt was alleged to have made?
Mr. Ballen.
I do not. I was out of the house when the FBI agent was there, but I kept myself elsewhere in that building, not in the room where they were.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you know the name of the agent who came out?
Mr. Ballen.
He was one of the agents who interviewed me from California. Had a very nice tan, but I don't know his name.
Mr. Liebeler.
One of the two agents that interviewed you when?
Mr. Ballen.
About March 6th or 7th.
Mr. Liebeler.
The interview that you have just referred to concerns your acquaintanceship with De Mohrenschildt?
Mr. Ballen.
That's correct.
Mr. Liebeler.
Would it refresh your recollection if I advised you that the names of the agent that interviewed you were W. James Wood and Raymond P. Yelchek?
Mr. Ballen.
The gentleman who came out to my house was Mr. Wood.
Mr. Liebeler.
It was Mr. Wood that interviewed Rags, is that correct?
Mr. Ballen.
That's correct.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did Rags discuss with you the interview after the agent had left?
Mr. Ballen.
No.
Mr. Liebeler.
Did Rags tell you anything about his conversations with De Mohrenschildt after De Mohrenschildt had allegedly made this remark that the FBI was responsible for the assassination of the President?
Mr. Ballen.
Just to the extent that he or Chris had protested vigorously on politics generally with George, and as I had already known before Rags came to my house, the visit in Haiti had deteriorated into quite a personality clash.
I had gotten a letter from George which showed that he was very critical on personal grounds of Rags.
Mr. Liebeler.
Why was De Mohrenschildt critical of Rags, do you remember?
Mr. Ballen.
These are personal matters, and I am just asking a question now. Is it within the realm of your interest? These are really personal matters between one individual and a somewhat removed son-in-law, a son-in-law of his wife, and, so, I wrote back to George and said that his anger was only natural, that the Navajos had a taboo against sons seeing their mother-in-law in pains of having their eyes removed, and maybe the Navajos know what they are talking about.
But to answer your question, the discussion in that matter was on a personal matter, and I really do not think it has anything--any bearing here. If you want me to discuss it, I will.
Mr. Liebeler.
No; if you represent to me that the differences were of a purely personal matter, that is sufficient for me.
Mr. Ballen.
With only one exception, and that is that George, by his overall nature, is leaning to left center, and Rags, by his overall nature, leans to the right of center, and just among other things this was one of the sources of some conflict.
Mr. Liebeler.
They had political differences, in other words, also?
Mr. Ballen.
In their overall perspective; yes.
Mr. Liebeler.
Have you told us everything that you can remember about your conversations with Rags concerning these statements by De Mohrenschildt that the FBI was responsible for the assassination? Tell us everything about that that you can remember, either about your conversation with Rags, or what Rags told you about his conversation with De Mohrenschildt, and the reactions of other people to De Mohrenschildt's statements.
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