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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. I - Page 227« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Mrs. Marguerite Oswald Resumed)

Mrs. Oswald.
So when she attacked the child, he had the knife in hand. So she made the statement to my son that we had to leave, that Lee tried to use a knife on her.
Now, I say that is not true, gentlemen. You can be provoked into something. And because of the fact that he was whittling, and had the knife in his hand, they struggled.
He did not use the knife he had an opportunity to use the knife.
But it wasn't a kitchen knife or a big knife. It was a little knife.
So I will explain it that way, sir.
So immediately then I started to look for a place.
I did find a place, I think, off the Concourse. I do not remember the street.
Mr. Rankin.
Was that in the Bronx?
Mrs. Oswald.
Off the Concourse, in the Bronx. And it was a basement apartment.
I had shipped some of my furniture. It was in a storehouse at this time. So I got it out and put it in this basement.
Lee had his own single bed. It was a one one great big, big room. But we had the kitchen--regular New York type style the kitchen and the bedroom and everything together, but large enough--a big one-room apartment. And there was a single bed that Lee slept on, and I slept on the studio couch.
Then Lee went to school.
Mr. Rankin.
Was that Public School 117?
Mrs. Oswald.
I have that information here.
Went to school in the neighborhood, Public School 117, which is a junior high school in the Bronx. It states here he attended 15 of 47 days. This is the place we were living that Lee was picked up by the truant officer in the Bronx Zoo.
I was informed of this at work, and I had to appear before a board, which I did.
Lee went back to school.
Then he was picked up again in the Bronx Zoo. And I had to appear before a board committee again.
Then the third time that Lee was picked up, we were--I never did get a subpena, but we were told that he had to appear at Children's Court. But I never--how I got the notice to appear at Children's Court--I am at a loss, sir.
But I did not contact at this time a lawyer or anything. I did not know. I did not think it was anything serious, because the Texas laws are not like the New York laws. In New York, if you are out of school one day you go to Children's Court. In Texas the children stay out of school for months at a time.
Lee had never done this. So I appeared with my son in court. There was a Judge asked me if I want to be represented by court counsel. And I believe I said, yes, I believe I was represented by the court counsel at this particular time. And within a few minutes time because there were hundreds of people sitting, waiting with their truant children, and it was just like this--you didn't take the time we are taking here, a half hour, to discuss the case. It was done immediately.
My child was taken from me in the courtroom.
Mr. Rankin.
Had he been out of school quite a bit?
Mrs. Oswald.
No, sir. At this time, he had not been out of school quite a bit.
So then I was given a slip of paper--no, I am sorry. I was told where to go, where Lee was, which was another office.
They took Lee from me in the courtroom, two men, officers, presumably. Then I went into another office and here was Lee. Lee was wearing his brother's Marine ring, just an ornament ring. They gave me Lee's ring and the things he had in his pocket, and told me that Lee was going to be at this home, which I think the name was the Warwick Home for Boys. And gave me a slip of paper and told me when I could visit Lee.
And that was all I knew at this particular time.
The child was immediately taken, and I was told to visit the child.
Now, I believe it was--this home was in Brooklyn. I may have the name wrong. It was an old, old home in Brooklyn.
So I went to visit my son.
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