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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VIII - Page 340« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Pauline Virginia Bates)

Mrs. Bates.
Every kind of paper imaginable.
Mr. Jenner.
Well, do you recognize some of them as being on paper of that character?
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh; uh-huh.
Mr. Jenner.
Now, some of his notes were in longhand, were they not?
Mrs. Bates.
Yes; in pencil and pen.
Mr. Jenner.
In pencil and in pen?
Mrs. Bates.
His pen would run out and he would start in on pencil.
Mr. Jenner.
Now, is that handwriting familiar to you as compared with the handwriting of Lee Oswald, or what he said was his handwriting, when you transcribed his notes for 3 days?
Mrs. Bates.
It looks very much--as I remember it--it looks very much like it.
[The witness points to a particular page.]
Mr. Jenner.
The witness is referring to page 149 which seems particularly to attract her attention. The head of that is "Resident of U.S.S.R." Does that page awaken your recollection?
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh--very definitely.
Mr. Jenner.
What about it awakens your recollection?
Mrs. Bates.
Well, as I remember, that's the way his notes started out.
Mr. Jenner.
That [reading from notes] "I lived in Moscow from October 16, 1959, to January 4, 1960, during which time I stayed at the Berlin and Metropole Hotel"?
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh. That is as I remember--as I can remember--and that's all I can do, my recollection is that that's the way they started out--just like a story.
Mr. Jenner.
Yes.
Mrs. Bates.
A diary.
Mr. Jenner.
Did he take his notes with him, too, when he----
Mrs. Bates.
Took everything. He wouldn't allow me to keep anything.
Mr. Jenner.
Would you go through those pages and see if you recognize any other of the story type of thing?
Mrs. Bates.
[Complying.] Uh-huh. It was strictly Russian--on Russia--his trip to Russia.
Mr. Jenner.
And, at that time, he had just returned from Russia and it would appear from the notes that you have examined that the later notes deal with his subsequent residence in the United States?
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh.
Mr. Jenner.
And in New Orleans?
Mr. Bates.
Yeah; which I knew nothing about.
Mr. Jenner.
Well, it occurred afterward, in any event.
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh. I mean, I had never heard of the man before and I didn't hear of him afterwards.
Mr. Jenner.
Now, the story in The Fort Worth Press--front page story in The Fort Worth Press of Friday, November 29, 1963, volume 48, No. 50, final home edition, which you have kindly brought with you today, and which is marked Bates Exhibit No. 1 and is offered in evidence.
Mrs. Bates.
You may have it.
Mr. Jenner.
Thank you. And that is the story----
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh.
Mr. Jenner.
That was written by Miss Caroline Hamilton, Press staff writer, as you have described?
Mrs. Bates.
Uh-huh.
Mr. Jenner.
Is that story accurate as you related it to her?
Mrs. Bates.
That's right.
Mr. Jenner.
Is there anything in the story that you would like to amend or correct?
Mrs. Bates.
No, sir. It was read to me before it was ever printed twice.
Mr. Jenner.
It is Bates Exhibit No. 1 and is offered in evidence.
Mrs. Bates.
And we did it very carefully to make it all---so we wouldn't get the past and the present mixed up. We kept it to the 3 days.
Mr. Jenner.
Do you recall being interviewed by the FBI on December 2, 1963?
Mrs. Bates.
Yes; let's see, that was a Saturday, wasn't it--December 2?
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