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  » Volume XV
Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XV - Page 19« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Hyman Rubenstein)

Mr. Griffin.
What was the cause of the separation?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Just ill-feeling.
Mr. Griffin.
While you were a child, did your mother have any peculiar ideas, any delusions of any sort, did she seem to have any mental problems?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Yes; she always felt there was a bone stuck in her throat and about once a month I had to take her downtown. I being the oldest, to a clinic for 50 cents, we had clinics, you know those days, and she insisted there was a bone stuck in her throat from fish, and everytime we would go there the doctor would tell her, "Mrs. Rubenstein, there is nothing in your throat, you are imagining things. Why don't you forget it."
Thirty days later, about 30 days, I don't know, I would go back there with her again. She insisted and I went, she made me go. This kept on for a couple of years, and she finally got tired of going and then we quit going. Mr. GRIFFIN. Well, was this after you left high school?
Mr. Rubenstein.
No; before.
Mr. Griffin.
Did there ever come a time when your mother was inattentive to the children, sloppy and so forth?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Yes. There came a time when she felt very despondent, very disgusted, because she felt she had to keep up the job by herself taking care of the children, and she was unhappy, and so I think the family service suggested that she go to Elgin Sanitarium for a while.
Mr. Griffin.
That was in the thirties, though, was it not?
Mr. Rubenstein.
I don't remember what year, but I know I went out to see her one time with my sister Marion, I drove her out there. It could have been the thirties and it could have been the twenties.
Mr. Griffin.
But it was after you got out of high school.
Mr. Rubenstein.
I don't remember.
Mr. Griffin.
How many children were born into the family?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Nine.
Mr. Griffin.
How many of them are now living?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Eight.
Mr. Griffin.
And one of them died as a young child?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Yes.
Mr. Griffin.
Where did the one who died come in the picture, in the age span of the children?
Mr. Rubenstein.
I don't know. It was a girl. She was about 5 years old, I think.
Mr. Griffin.
How did she happen to die?
Mr. Rubenstein.
She got burned. She tipped over a kettle of hot soup on herself. It was a very tragic incident in our family.
Mr. Griffin.
Were you living at home at the time?
Mr. Rubenstein.
I was a kid. I was only about 6 or 7 years old, I think.
Mr. Griffin.
Was---it is clear to you that you were a child and you were not an adult when this happened?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Oh, definitely.
Mr. Griffin.
Was this before your parents separated?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Many years before.
Mr. Griffin.
How did your mother take that?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Don't ask. I thought she was going to go crazy. She loved her children.
Mr. Griffin.
I take it you have considerable affection, affectionate feelings toward your mother?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Always.
Mr. Griffin.
How about the other children, did they feel that way or was there some fighting?
Mr. Rubenstein.
Yes; yes.
Mr. Griffin.
All right.
Mr. Rubenstein.
The reason I think for that is, she had a tough life. It wasn't easy for her putting up with my father all these years, moving from place
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