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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 298« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Harry D. Holmes)


I don't know what color actually he had on. I do know, I can tell you when he put on the black sweater and all that.
Mr. Belin.
He put on a black sweater?
Mr. Holmes.
Toward the end--that is the last thing on my memorandum.
Mr. Belin.
Now, do you remember Captain Fritz showing a map, showing Oswald a map of the city of Dallas which had been recovered from his room?
Mr. Holmes.
He didn't show the map. He only mentioned the map and asked him about a certain map that had markings on it, and Oswald said, "Well, I presume you have reference to a map that I had in my room that had some X's on it."
And, he said, "Well, tell us about that one. Why were the X's on there? What did that designate?"
And he said that, "I have no automobile. I have no means of conveyance. I have to walk from where I am going most of the time. And I had my applications in with Texas Employment Commission. They furnished me names and addresses of places that had openings like I might could fill, and neighborhood people had furnished me information on jobs I might could get. I was seeking a job, and I would put these markings on this map so that I could plan my itinerary around with less walking, and each one of those represented a place where I went and interviewed for a job."
And he said, "You can check each one of them out if you want to."
Then Captain Fritz mentioned the X at the intersection of Elm and Houston.
Well, he said, "That is the location of the Texas School Depository and I did go there and interview for a job. In fact, I got a job there." He said, "That is all the map amounts to."
Mr. Belin.
Is there anything else about that aspect of the interrogation?
Mr. Holmes.
I believe not.
Mr. Belin.
Do you remember Inspector Kelley asking Oswald about his religious views?
Mr. Holmes.
Yes. Someone, and I don't recall who. asked the first question on that, but you got that Lenin business in there.
Mr. Belin.
I am deliberately asking you these questions before we get to your memorandum, and I am just trying to get your memory first.
Mr. Holmes.
All right. Someone asked him about what his beliefs were, and he said, "Well," about him being a Communist something. Someone referred to his communism, and he said, "I am not a Communist. I am a Marxist." And they said, what is the difference between Communist and Marxist, and he said, "Well, a Communist is a Lenin Marxist, and I am a true Karl Marxist."
So, this Secret Service inspector asked, "What religion are you?" In other words, I mean, "What faith are you, as far as religion?" And he said, "I have no faith." And then he said, "I suppose you mean the Bible."
"Yes, that is right."
"Well," he said, "I have read the Bible. It is fair reading, but not very interesting. But, as a matter of fact, I am a student of philosophy and I don't consider the Bible as even a reasonable or intelligent philosophy. I don't think much of it," he said.
Mr. Belin.
Did anyone there ask him if Cuba would be better off since the President was assassinated? Do you remember anything about that?
Mr. Holmes.
I don't recall a question on that.
Mr. Belin.
Do you remember anyone asking him a question about the rifle, or there was a picture of Oswald holding a rifle. Do you remember anything about that?
Mr. Holmes.
Yes. They said, "We have a picture of you holding"--actually it came up before then in an interrogation of him about this rifle that came to this post office box.
They asked him, "Do you own a rifle?" He said, "No."
Well, "Have you shot a rifle since you have been out of the Marines?"
He said, "No." Then he backed up and said, "Well, possibly a small bore, maybe a .22, but not anything larger since I have left the Marine Corps."
"Do you own a rifle?"
"Absolutely not. How would I afford a rifle. I make $1.25 an hour. I can't hardly feed myself."
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