Mr. Cole.

Well, it would certainly take some practice. It is not the writing of a novice in forming these particular letters.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Can you expand a little on what you mean by "some practice"? A week's practice, or a month's practice, or a year's practice?

Mr. Cole.

Of course, this depends on how intensive the practice is, but I would certainly say more than a week's practice. Mr. McCLOY. Mr. Cole, have you examined the Russian script, have you attempted to make anything out of such Russian script as we have of Marina Oswald, have you seen standard forms?

Mr. Cole.

No, sir; I have not.

Mr. Mccloy.

Might it not be helpful to look at some of that to see whether there is anything you can make out of that that would help you in the----

Mr. Cole.

I am inclined to doubt it, but I would be quite willing to take a look at it.

Mr. Mccloy.

I can understand your reasons for doubting it but there may be something that we have here we have here, have we not?

Mr. Eisenberg.

Yes, we do.

Mr. Mccloy.

very substantial number, quantities of Marina's writing in Russian, and it may be that there is something you can glean from that if you would look at it perhaps before you go.

Mr. Eisenberg.

I will make arrangements for Mr. Cole to see that writing, Mr. Chairman.
Any further question on this Fair Play for Cuba Committee card?

Mr. Mccloy.

No, I don't think so.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Finally then, Mr. Cole, I show you an item consisting of a letter on a yellow piece of stationery, apparently torn from a legal-size pad addressed, to Leslie Welding Co. from "Lee H. Oswald"--signed "Lee H. Oswald"---and with an address handprinted, and reading "Dear Sir, this is to explain that I have moved permanently to Dallas, Texas, where I have found other employment," and so forth, and I ask you whether you have examined that item?

Mr. Cole.

I have.

Mr. Eisenberg.

May that be admitted as 826, Mr. Chairman?

Mr. Mccloy.

It may be admitted.
(The item referred to was marked 826, and received into evidence.)

Mr. Eisenberg.

Did you attempt to compare this item with the standards to determine whether it had been produced by the author of the standards?

Mr. Cole.

I did.

Mr. Eisenberg.

What was your conclusion?

Mr. Cole.

It is my conclusion that the author of the standard writing is the author of the writing shown by Exhibit 826.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Can you briefly give us some of the reasons for that conclusion?

Mr. Cole.

Yes; there is an agreement in a great many details between this letter, 826, some of which I think are more significant than others.
One of the really highly significant points is the formation of the letter "x" in the word "Texas," which has already been mentioned in connection with other exhibits. Now, this word appears on 826, on the second----

Mr. Eisenberg.

Excuse me. That exhibit should be, have been, 820A. Let's refer to it from now on as 820A.
(The item referred to was renumbered.)

Mr. Cole.

The exhibit just mentioned is understood to be 820A, and the word "Texas" appears on the second line of the body of the letter. method of forming this "x" is first to construct a U-like form, that is, a form having two cusps with a shallow curve connecting the two, and then to make the crossbar in such a manner that it comes very close to the second cusp. This is a very unusual variation of the letter "x," and it appears in the standard writing---also in the word "Texas"--in several places, chart B, items 4, 12, and 13.
The writing shows the tendency to exaggerate certain approach strokes or initial strokes of letters. In the body of Exhibit 821 this is evident in the letter "i" of "is," which is the second word of the first line, and moving along