Feb. 6, 1964 - A rifle that authorities believe was used to kill President Kennedy on Nov. 22 was identified today by Mrs. Marina Oswald as the one her husband had kept in their Texas home. Mrs. Oswald had previously told authorities that a rifle matching a description of the alleged murder weapon had been kept by her husband in the garage of their suburban Irving home. It was there on Nov. 21, she said, but not the next morning.
Chief Justice Earl Warren, chairman of the Presidential commission investigating the assassination, disclosed the identification of the Italian-made weapon by the widow of Lee Harvey Oswald. He also said that Mrs. Oswald, who was born in the Soviet Union, testified that her husband had used the fictitious name of “A. Hidell” in some activities when they lived in New Orleans last summer, before moving to Dallas. That was the name under which the rifle had been purchased by mail from a Chicago sporting goods store.
“She stated that while she did not like to believe her husband killed President Kennedy, the facts presented to her since the assassination would not permit her to reach any other conclusion,” the Chief Justice said in a statement.
Asked if Mrs. Oswald had been upset or had broken down during her four days of questioning, the Chief Justice replied: “She was very composed toward the whole investigation. She is very tired. She is a very brave little woman.” He said she had been “very cooperative” and had appeared voluntarily with her lawyer, John Thorne of Grand Prairie, a suburb of Dallas.
Mrs. Oswald has been escorted constantly by Secret Service agents, who accompanied her from Dallas. Mr. Warren said she is free to travel as she wishes, is not in protective custody, and that she and her lawyer have asked that she be guarded.
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