Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

by United States. Warren Commission

MEXICO CITY

Marina Oswald testified that sometime in August her husband first told her of his plan to go to Mexico and from there to Cuba, where he planned to stay; he had given up a plan to hijack an airplane and fly directly to Cuba, which plan Marina consistently opposed.[A13-1099] On September 17, he obtained from the Mexican consulate general in New Orleans a “Tourist Card,” FM-8 No. 24085, good for one journey into Mexico for no longer than 15 days. Typed in the blank, “Appelidos y nombre,” was “Lee, Harvey Oswald,” “Fotogrofo”; the intended destination was shown as Mexico City.[A13-1100] (The comma between “Lee” and “Harvey” seems to have been an error.)[A13-1101] On the application Oswald stated that he was employed at “640 Rampart”; he was in fact unemployed.[A13-1102] (See Commission Exhibits Nos. 2478, 2481, [p. 300].)

Marina and June departed with Mrs. Ruth Paine for Irving on the morning of September 23.[A13-1103] Before she left, Oswald told Marina that she should not tell anyone about his impending trip to Mexico.[A13-1104] Marina kept this secret until after the assassination.[A13-1105] On the previous day, Oswald’s landlord had seen Mrs. Paine’s car being packed and had asked Oswald, whose rent was about 15 days overdue, whether he was leaving. Oswald told him that Marina was leaving temporarily but that he would remain.[A13-1106] A neighbor testified that on the evening of September 24, he saw Oswald, carrying two pieces of luggage, hurriedly leave the Magazine Street apartment and board a bus.[A13-1107] Though uncertain of the exact date, a city busdriver recalls that at the same time of day and at the same location he picked up a man who was carrying two suitcases of different sizes and helped him place them so that they would not disturb the other passengers. The driver remembers that the man asked directions to the Greyhound bus station. He discharged the passenger at an intersection where he could board a Canal Street car and transfer to another bus which would go past the Greyhound and Continental Trailways stations.[A13-1108] The landlord found Oswald’s apartment vacant on September 25.[A13-1109]

Oswald appears to have taken with him a Spanish-English dictionary;[A13-1110] his address book;[A13-1111] his 1963 passport and old passport;[A13-1112] his correspondence with the Communist Party and with the Soviet Embassy in Washington, some of which was in Russian;[A13-1113] proof of his marriage;[A13-1114] newspaper clippings concerning his arrest and his interest in the activities of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee[A13-1115] (activities which, Marina testified, he had undertaken because he thought that they would help him when he got to Cuba);[A13-1116] evidence that he was the “Director” of the New Orleans chapter of the Committee;[A13-1117] and various other cards, such as a work card, which he had obtained in Russia.[A13-1118] He took also several sheets of notepaper on which he had written a summary of important events in his life which he presumably intended to call to the attention of Cuban and Soviet officials in Mexico City to convince them to let him enter Cuba. On these sheets he had recorded facts about his Marine service, including the dates of his enlistment and discharge, the places where he had served, and the diplomas that he had received from military school. Recorded also were notes on his stay in the Soviet Union, his early interest in Communist literature, his ability to speak Russian, his organization of the New Orleans chapter of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, his contact with police authorities in connection with his work for the Committee, and his experience in “street agitation,” as a “radio speaker and lecturer,” and as a photographer.[A13-1119] The two pieces of luggage which Oswald took with him were a small, blue, zipper bag[A13-1120] and a large, olive-colored bag,[A13-1121] both made of cloth. He carried the smaller bag with him throughout the trip, but, at least from Nuevo Laredo to Mexico City, checked the larger one through to his destination.[A13-1122]

Oswald remained in New Orleans until September 25. His precise whereabouts on the night of September 24 are uncertain, but in view of his limited finances, he probably returned to the apartment to sleep after checking his luggage at a bus station or spent the night at an inexpensive hotel or roominghouse. Some time after 5 a.m. on September 25, he collected a Texas unemployment compensation check for $33 at his New Orleans post office box. He cashed the check between 8 a.m. and noon at a store about six blocks from his apartment on Magazine Street.[A13-1123] This gave him about $200 for the trip to Mexico.[A13-1124]

He left New Orleans by bus,[A13-1125] probably on Continental Trailways Bus No. 5121, departing New Orleans at 12:20 p.m. on September 25, and scheduled to arrive in Houston at 10:50 p.m.; that bus is the only one on which Oswald could have left New Orleans after noon on September 25[A13-1126] and arrived in Houston before midnight.[A13-1127] Sometime in the evening he called the home of Horace Elroy Twiford, a member of the Socialist Labor Party who had received Oswald’s name from the party’s headquarters in New York and sent him a copy of its official publication, the “Weekly People.”[A13-1128] Mrs. Twiford, who answered the telephone,[A13-1129] believes that the call was made locally, before 10 p.m. It may have been made from Beaumont or some other stop on the route; however, in view of the bus schedule, it probably was made in Houston later than Mrs. Twiford remembered.[A13-1130] Oswald told Mrs. Twiford that he was a member of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee and that he hoped to see her husband for a few hours that evening before he flew to Mexico. He wanted also to find out how Twiford had obtained his name and address. Mrs. Twiford told Oswald that her husband, a merchant seaman, was at sea but would be happy to see him at some other time; she offered to take a message. Oswald said that he could not await her husband’s return because he was flying to Mexico.[A13-1131] The Twifords have stated that they had no other contact with Oswald.[A13-1132]

An employee of the U.S. Selective Service System has stated that an individual calling himself “Harvey Oswald” appeared at her office in Austin, Tex., immediately after lunch on September 25, and discussed with her the possibility of rectifying his undesirable discharge from the Marine Corps.[A13-1133] Despite the employee’s reputability and apparent sincerity, all of the information which she furnished with respect to Oswald’s appearance and conversation could have been derived from news media, consciously or unconsciously, by the time she told the FBI her story. Other persons in Austin who, according to the employee’s testimony, should also have observed Oswald failed to corroborate her testimony.[A13-1134] No other evidence tending to show that Oswald was in Austin at this time has been discovered.

The telephone call which Oswald made to the Twifords on the evening of September 25, indicates that he was either in Houston or on his way there when he made it, since the purpose of the call was to make an appointment to see Twiford in Houston that evening. Oswald could not have left New Orleans on September 25, been in Austin 521 miles away by early afternoon, and returned 162 miles to Houston by night unless he traveled by air; airline records contain no indication that Oswald was on such flights.[A13-1135] It is very unlikely that he had with him enough money beyond what he needed for the trip to Mexico City to take such flights, and the poor state of his finances at this time plus his well-established frugality make it extremely unlikely that he would have considered it worthwhile to do so even if he could. There is no evidence that Oswald was in such a hurry to reach Mexico that he would have felt it necessary to travel by airplane rather than a less expensive means of travel. He took a bus from Houston to Mexico City, lived very inexpensively there, and took a bus back to Dallas; there is no apparent reason why he would have interrupted such an inexpensive trip to fly to Austin and then to Houston. He told a passenger whom he met on the next leg of his trip that he had come from New Orleans, and made no reference to Austin.[A13-1136]

On September 26, Oswald boarded Continental Trailways bus No. 5133 in Houston and departed at 2:35 a.m. for Laredo, Tex., via Corpus Christi and Alice.[A13-1137] Two British tourists, Dr. and Mrs. John B. McFarland, who boarded No. 5133 in Houston, noticed Oswald when they awoke at about 6 a.m. Oswald told them that he was going to Cuba via Mexico City, and they inferred from conversation with him that he had left New Orleans early in the afternoon of September 25 and that he was going to Cuba via Mexico City. He said also that he was secretary of the New Orleans branch of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee and that he hoped to see Fidel Castro in Cuba. The bus was scheduled to arrive in Laredo at approximately 1:20 p.m.[A13-1138]

Oswald crossed the border from Laredo to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, between 1:30 and 2 p.m.[A13-1139] From Nuevo Laredo, he traveled to Mexico City aboard bus No. 516 of the Flecha Roja Bus Line, which departed at 2:15 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Mexico City at 9:45 a.m. on the following day; he held baggage claim check No. 320435.[A13-1140] He was seen on the bus by the McFarlands and by two Australian girls who boarded the bus on the evening of September 26 at Monterrey.[A13-1141] He occupied the seat next to an elderly Englishman, who told the girls that the young man sitting next to him apparently had been to Mexico before.[A13-1142] The man next to Oswald was probably Albert Osborne, a native of the British Isles who has worked as an itinerant preacher in the Southern United States and Mexico for many years. Osborne denied that he sat beside Oswald; but in view of his inconsistent and untrue responses to Federal investigators concerning matters not directly related to Oswald, the Commission believes that his denial cannot be credited. It appeared to the other passengers on the bus that Osborne and Oswald had not previously met; extensive investigation has revealed no other contact between them.[A13-1143]

In the course of the 20-hour bus trip, Oswald initiated two conversations with the Australian girls, during which he mentioned his visit to Russia and recommended the Hotel Cuba in Mexico City as a “clean and cheap” hotel; he told them, apparently falsely, that he had stayed there on previous occasions. He said that when he had seen them board the bus with their heavy suitcases, he had been under the impression that they were Mexican and had therefore asked the man next to him how to say “How can I help you?” in Spanish. From this they inferred that Oswald did not speak Spanish, an impression which is shared by every witness who met Oswald on his trip and is supported by notations which he made on documents that he carried.[A13-1144] He got off the bus at every stop and ate large meals, always eating by himself; the girls thought he ate so much because he could not make himself understood in Spanish and had to order by pointing at the menu.[A13-1145] The bus arrived in Mexico City 15 minutes late, at 10 a.m.[A13-1146] Oswald left the bus station by himself and had no known further contact with any of the people with whom he had spoken on the bus.[A13-1147]

Oswald registered at the Hotel del Comercio within an hour of his arrival in Mexico City. He stayed there throughout his visit.[A13-1148] The hotel, located not far from the commercial heart of the city and within four blocks of the bus station, is one of a group of hotels located near the intercity bus terminals and has perhaps the best appearance of the group.[A13-1149] It is known by personnel in other hotels that the owner of the Hotel del Comercio can understand and speak a little English.[A13-1150] Oswald registered as “Lee, Harvey Oswald,” and gave his occupation as “photo.”[A13-1151] He had room 18 which cost $1.28 per day.[A13-1152]

After he had registered, Oswald turned promptly to the task of obtaining permission to enter Cuba. Mexican officials would not permit a U.S. citizen without a Cuban visa to board a plane for Cuba even if he had an American passport, but would permit passage if he had a visa even though the passport proscribed travel to Cuba.[A13-1153] Oswald had a 1963 American passport (stamped invalid for travel to Cuba)[A13-1154] but had neither a regular Cuban visa nor an intransit visa which would permit a short stay in Cuba on his way to Russia or some other country. His address book contained the telephone number and address of a Cuban airline, but there is evidence that he never visited its office.[A13-1155]

He visited the Cuban Embassy on Friday, September 27 and spoke with Senora Silvia Tirado de Duran, a Mexican citizen employed there. Senora Duran later made a signed statement to the Mexican police that Oswald:

* * * applied for a visa to Cuba in transit to Russia and based his application on his presentation of his passport in which it was recorded that he had been living in the latter country for a period of three years, his work permit from that same country written in the Russian language and letters in the same language, as well as proof of his being married to a woman of Russian nationality and being the apparent Director in the city of New Orleans of the organization called “Fair Play for Cuba” with the desire that he should be accepted as a “friend” of the Cuban Revolution * * * [A13-1156]

He apparently also stated that he was a member of the Communist Party and displayed documents which he claimed to be evidence of his membership.[A13-1157] He said that he intended to go to Cuba on September 30 and to remain there for 2 weeks, or longer if possible, and then go on to Russia.[A13-1158] Senora Duran took down the relevant date and filled out the appropriate application. Oswald left the Embassy but was to return in the afternoon.[A13-1159]

Then, or possibly even before his initial visit to the Cuban Embassy Oswald went to the Soviet Embassy where he spoke with either Pavel Antonovich Yatskov or Valeriy Vladimirovich Kostikov.[A13-1160] They are both consular officials serving also as agents of the KGB.[A13-1161] Oswald later said that he had dealt with “Kostin,”[A13-1162] undoubtedly a reference to Kostikov. He was unable to obtain a Soviet visa then. Marina said that the officials at the Soviet Embassy “refused to have anything to do with him.”[A13-1163]

Oswald returned to the Cuban Embassy later that afternoon, this time bringing with him passport photographs which he may have obtained in the United States.[A13-1164] Senora Duran telephoned the Soviet Embassy to inquire about the status of Oswald’s Russian visa and was told that there would be a delay of about 4 months.[A13-1165] Oswald became “highly agitated and angry,” particularly when he learned that he could not obtain an intransit visa to Cuba before he acquired a Russian visa. Senora Duran called the Cuban consul, then Eusibio Azque, to speak to him. The discussion between Oswald and Azque developed into a heated argument, which ended when Azque told Oswald that in his opinion people like Oswald were harming the Cuban Revolution and that so far as Azque was concerned, he would not give Oswald a visa.[A13-1166] Senora Duran wrote her name and the phone number of the Embassy on a piece of paper which she gave to Oswald in case he wished to contact her again. He copied this information into his address book.[A13-1167] Senora Duran forwarded the Cuban visa application to Havana;[A13-1168] the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied on October 15 that the visa could be issued only after Oswald had obtained a Russian visa.[A13-1169] (See Commission Exhibit No. 2564, [p. 303].)

Oswald contacted the Russian and Cuban Embassies again during his stay in Mexico.[A13-1170] He had no greater success than he had before. Marina testified that when he returned to Texas, he was convinced that his trip had been a failure and disappointed at having been unable to go to Cuba.[A13-1171] A month later, in a painstakingly composed[A13-1172] letter to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, Oswald ascribed his failure to “a gross breach of regulations” on the part of the Cuban Embassy. “Of corse,” he wrote, “the Soviet Embassy was not at fault, they were, as I say unprepared.”[A13-1173]

The hotel maid said that Oswald generally was gone by the time she arrived at 9 a.m. The night watchman said he usually returned at about midnight,[A13-1174] which is not unusual, in view of the late hour at which Mexico City’s evening activities begin. He ate several lunches at a small restaurant immediately adjacent to the hotel, coming to the restaurant shortly after 2 p.m., and ordering food by pointing to the menu, apparently with some consideration of cost; he spent between 40 and 48 cents for each meal. He ate the soup of the day, rice, and either meat or eggs, but refused dessert and coffee; the waitress concluded that Oswald did not realize that the items which he refused were included in the price of the lunch.[A13-1175] He was seen with no other person either at his hotel or at the restaurant.[A13-1176] A hotel guest stated that on one occasion he sat down at a table with Oswald because there was no empty table in the restaurant, but that neither spoke to the other because of the language barrier.[A13-1177]

Although the Soviet and Cuban Embassies are within two blocks of each other, they are some distance from Oswald’s hotel.[A13-1178] He must, therefore, have traversed a substantial portion of the city on more than one occasion. Marina testified that he told her that he had seen a bullfight,[A13-1179] which would normally have been on Sunday afternoon, and that he had visited museums[A13-1180] and done some sightseeing.[A13-1181] He apparently also saw one or more motion pictures, either American with Spanish subtitles or Mexican with English subtitles.[A13-1182] From notations in his Spanish-English dictionary and on his guide map of Mexico City, it appears that Oswald intended to attend a jai alai game[A13-1183] but he almost certainly did not do so.[A13-1184]

He purchased several postcards depicting bullfights and tourist attractions, which he brought back to Marina.[A13-1185] She had told him before he left that she would like Mexican silver bracelets as a souvenir, and he brought her a silver bracelet inscribed with her name.[A13-1186] Marina suspected, almost certainly correctly, that the bracelet, of Japanese origin, did not come from Mexico.[A13-1187] No such jewelry is known to be sold in or around Mexico City, because of a high duty[A13-1188] but the bracelet is of a type commonly sold in 5-and-10-cent stores in Dallas.[A13-1189] Oswald did not buy the Mexican phonograph records which Marina had requested, despite the notation, “records,” which he had placed in his dictionary.[A13-1190]

On Monday, September 30, Oswald began to prepare for his return to the United States. He appeared at the Agencia de Viages, Transportes Chihuahuenses,[A13-1191] and purchased international exchange orders costing $20.30 for travel on a Transportes del Norte bus from Mexico City to Laredo and by Greyhound bus directly from Laredo to Dallas. The travel agency made a reservation for him on Transportes del Norte bus No. 332, departing Mexico City at 8:30 a.m. on October 2. The seat, No. 12, was reserved in the name of the travel agency, which recorded the reservation in the name of “H. O. Lee.”[A13-1192] The employee who made the reservation testified that he probably wrote the name that way because he was copying from Oswald’s tourist card, which read “Lee, Harvey Oswald.”[A13-1193] (The manifest for Transportes Frontera bus No. 340, leaving Mexico City for Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2, 1963, contains the name “Oswld” [sic], which apparently was added to the manifest after the trip;[A13-1194] in any event, Oswald did not take bus 340.)[A13-1195]

On October 1, Oswald paid his hotel bill through that night.[A13-1196] The hotel night watchman remembers helping Oswald obtain a taxicab at about 6:30 or 7 on the following morning.[A13-1197] Transportes del Norte bus No. 332 left as scheduled at about 8:30 a.m.; at Monterrey the passengers were shifted to a relief bus, No. 373, scheduled to depart for Laredo at 10 p.m. that evening.[A13-1198] Fellow passengers recall that Oswald was pulled off the bus by Mexican officials at the border, because of some alleged irregularity in his Mexican tourist papers; one passenger overheard him mumbling complaints about the Mexican immigration officials when he returned to the bus.[A13-1199] They remember also that Oswald was hurriedly “gulping” down a banana after the bus reached customs, perhaps because he believed that he could not take fruit into the United States.[A13-1200] (Marina has testified that her husband liked bananas and frequently ate them.)[A13-1201] One of the passengers testified that Oswald annoyed him by keeping his overhead light on to read after 10 p.m.[A13-1202] He may have conversed with an elderly woman on the bus, but he was not traveling with her.[A13-1203]

At about 1:35 a.m. on October 3, Oswald crossed the International Bridge from Nuevo Laredo into Texas.[A13-1204] He traveled from Laredo to Dallas via San Antonio, on Greyhound bus No. 1265, substantially following Interstate Route 35 for the entire trip[A13-1205] leaving Laredo at 3 a.m. and arriving in Dallas at about 2:20 p.m. on the same day.[A13-1206]