Mr. Whaley.

Friday, March 13, 1964

Testimony of Mrs. Katherine Ford, Declan P. , Ford

Testimony of Mrs. Katherine Ford

Mr. Whaley.

The President's Commission met at 9:10 a.m. on Friday, March 13, 1964, at 200 Maryland Avenue NE., Washington, D.C.
Present were Chief Justice Earl Warren, Chairman; Representative Gerald R. Ford, member.
Also present were Wesley J. Liebeler, assistant counsel; Norman Redlich, assistant counsel; and Charles Murray, observer.
Mrs. Katherine Ford
TESTIMONY OF MRS. KATHERINE FORD

The Chairman.

The Commission will be in order.
Mrs. Ford, I would just like to read to you a short statement concerning the purpose of the meeting.
I think you have had a copy of it but I will just read it for the record.

Mrs. Ford.

Yes, sir.

The Chairman.

The purpose of this hearing is to take the testimony of Mr. and Mrs. Declan P. Ford and Mr. Peter Paul Gregory. The Commission. has been advised that Mr. and Mrs. Ford made the acquaintance of the Oswalds shortly after their arrival in the United States in June of 1962, and that Mrs. Marina Oswald lived in the Ford home on two different occasions in November 1962, and for a period following February 12, 1964.
The Commission has also been advised that Mr. Gregory was contacted by Mr. Lee Harvey Oswald shortly after Mr. Oswald's return from Russia as a result of which Mr. and Mrs. Oswald made the acquaintance of a large number of Russian-speaking people in the Dallas and Fort Worth area.
Since the Commission is inquiring fully into the background and possible motive of Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin, it intends to ask the above witnesses questions concerning Mr. Oswald, his associations and relations with others and any and all other matters relating to the assassination.
Would you please rise and be sworn, Mrs. Ford.
Do you solemnly swear the testimony you give before the Commission will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mrs. Ford.

I do.

The Chairman.

You may be seated, Mr. Liebeler will conduct the examination.

Mr. Liebeler.

Would you state your full name for the record, please?

Mrs. Ford.

My maiden name?

Mr. Liebeler.

Yes.

Mrs. Ford.

Katrina Evstratova.

Mr. Liebeler.

Where were you born, Mrs. Ford?

Mrs. Ford.

Nova Tchkarsk.

Mr. Liebeler.

Could you tell us just briefly how you came to come to the United States, Mrs. Ford?

Mrs. Ford.

How I came to the United States; I was in Germany during the war. I was taken there by Germans, not in concentration camps, but in labor camp, and after we were liberated by Americans I got acquainted with an American soldier and was married to him, and that is how I came straight to Dallas.

Mr. Liebeler.

What was this soldier's name that you married?

Mrs. Ford.

Skotnicki.

Mr. Liebeler.

And you were married to him in about 1946?

Mrs. Ford.

That is correct.

Mr. Liebeler.

And you subsequently divorced him?

Mrs. Ford.

Approximately 4 years ago, a little over 4 years.

Mr. Liebeler.

I want to ask you a few questions about Mr. Skotnicki and some of the people that he knew.
Do you still have any friends that were your friends when you were married to Mr. Skotnicki?

Mrs. Ford.

Yes; I would think, some neighbors, I would say that we would