ADVISERS DISMISSED BY OSWALD'S WIDOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000600170036-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 4, 1998
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: February 23, 1964
• Content Type: NSPR

Sanitized - Approved For
NEW YORK TWM FEB 2 3
Dismissed
'by Oswo!d s 'Widow
Zy JACK LANGGUTII
Spec.ai to The 1:-.w York Times
DALLAS, Feb. 22-Mrs.
Lee H. Oswald has terminated
her agreements with the law-
yer and the business adviser
who had represented her since
the shooting of her husband.
She has engaged as her new
attorney William A. McKen-
zie of Dallas, Mr. McKenzie is
the lawyer who accompanied
her brother-in-law, Robert
Oswald, during his testimony
in Washington this week be-
fore the Warren Commission.
John Thorne, her former
attorney, said he had no com-
ment on Mrs. Oswald's deci-
sion, James H. Martin, her
former business adviser, could
not be reached for comment.
Mrs. Oswald and her two
children, who had been living
with Mr. Martin and his fam-
re, s n es Dnes, viva, foi Until her recent trip to Wash-j Article Disturbs La,%vyer
the hook rights to her memoirs in ton to testify before the.,
and with Tex-Italia Films, an g ASHINGTON, Feb, 22
presidential commission headed) (UPI)-The final questioning
Italian company, for the motion by Chie'C justice Earl Warren; of Robert Oswald by the War-
picture rights. which is investigating the alas-! ren Commission stretched out
Her change of atorneys will sination, Mrs. Oswald had been; longer than expected today as
entangle the terms of those con- kept in strict seclusion by her) a discussion developed regard-
xdvisers. mg apublished account of his
tracts, according to one source,`
It is understood that Mr.1 Denied Coercion secret testimony.
Thorne is taking the position Last month, after repeated i is Iienzil attorney, ii1ll l am Bturl e -
that the contracts Mrs. Oswald) attempts to meet with her had) over a Now York Times article Lib
las signed as his client are binding. failed, the Dale to hierlin Ri l;--l today quoting his client as sug-
ties
Dallas. Born in'Russia, Mrs.
ll
Oswald spoke little English atI
the time.
Oswald's mother, Mrs. Mar-
guerite Oswald, and his brother,)
Robert, were also taken to the,
motel, where Mr. Martin was
employed as the assistant man-
ager.
Robert Oswald, sales manager
for a brick company, decided
that his home in Denton, some
30 miles from Dallas, was too
small for his sister-in-law, her
two children and the Secret
Service agents assigned to pro-
tect her,
Mr. Martin volunteered to
1 share his home and to leave his
ily in Dallas, have moved to a job at the motel to act as her
private house'in the city. agent. Robert Oswald approved
Mr. Martin had announced' the arrangement, and M.. Mar-
.Mr. then selected Mr. Thorne,
last week that Mrs, Oswald had who, practices in suburban Grand
signed contracts with Meredith Prarie, to serve as Mrs. Os-
4 D ' ' I ? wald's lawyer.
be attempting to persuade her
to reconsider her decision.
,
Mr. Martin had previously) sign, that she was as happy q-.
declined to disclose the terms of she could be under the circum-
tho contracts already signed ox`lstances and that she apprecia.t-
the share apportioned to him 41d the protection of the Secret
and to Mr. Thorne. Service.
At the last accounting, Mrs.! Airs. Oswald said at that
Oswald and her two girls, 2-, time that she had not, got in
year-old June and 4-month-old touch with friends she had
Rachel, had received about made before the assassination
$40,000 from Americans con- because she wanted to spare
corned over their plight. them further involvement in
Oswald's husband was. the case.
charged with the assassination Mrs. Ruth Paine, with whom
of President Kennedy in Dallas Mrs. Oswald had been living at
riit at a noon, recess, AFr,
himself was killed by Jack L, has not beciv,permitted to sect
Ruby, who is now standing her during th. ,fast three D'uIlcs announced that an after-
trial. months. I rrnnn session would be held.
Placed in Custody Mrs. Paine, who speaks flu-! The Times article said Air.
After her h usband's , death, ent, Russian, has questioned the Oswald had produced no evi-
Mt's. Oswald and her children wisdom of isolating Mrs. Os- dr'nec that his brother had been
were placed protective cost wald businessfand legal ad.qu stioni g, by agent
comm5ions;
tody the Secret Service at but her th-I article said, he retreated-
a motel on the outskirts of visors. ;from the, sug estion
Sanitized - Approved For Release : CIA-RD075-00149ROO06001
been trained as a Communist
held against her will.
agent after he defected to the
also in jtus- ,,S
She wrote back
i
ov
et union from October,
1959, to May, 1962.
Mr. McKenzie told newsmen{
after today's morning session: i
"I am very disturbed about'
It and I told the commis-I
Sion so."
Allen W. Dulles, former di-1:
rector of the Contra) Intelli
gence Agency, who pre sided at:
today's hearing, later told'
The commission had hoped toi
complete -questioning ? of l r.j
FOIAb3b
CPYRGHT
70036-2