Interesting tidbit from Oswald's 201 file

[Drew Phipps]

Docs from Mary Ferrell attached.

It appears that Michael Paine was receiving monthly checks from JM Forbes and Co. in the amount of $285.00 every month. It is interesting that the start of these payments seems to correspond with Ruth Paine's trip to New Orleans to pick up Marina Oswald and return her to Dallas.

Late summer 1963: Ruth Paine has taken her kids on a rambling tour of the South.
August 7, 1963: Paine pays $3000.00 to "Jack Arnold" (unknown man in Dallas)
(circa) August 20, 1963: Michael Paine flies round trip to Los Angeles.
September 19, 1963: First check from JM Forbes.
September 20, 1963: Ruth Paine arrives New Orleans.
September 22, 1963: Ruth and Marina depart New Orleans.
October 18, 1963: Second check From JM Forbes.
November 18, 1963: Third check from JM Forbes.
November 22, 1963: The assassination
November 26, 1963: The FBI investigates Paine's bank account and obtains the above information.

There is $ 2529.00 left in the account. It is unknown from the FBI report if there had been other payments from Forbes to Paine, that predate or post date this period of time, although the FBI's discovery of other financial transactions that predate August 19, 1963 would imply that there was no payment on or about 8/19/63.

JM Forbes and Company, as you may know, are "yes, THOSE Forbes'." Forbes' fortunes were built on trade with China, including opium, as the Forbes' were bookkeepers and ship captains for the Russell business. When British ships were denied permission to sell opium during the opium wars, Russell and Forbes ships (with American flags) could carry the forbidden substance the final few miles to the markets. Michael Paine was a descendant of the Forbes family. Secretary of State Kerry is also a Forbes descendant, and Yale U. "Skull and Bones" member (founded by the Russell family).

Fixed monthly payments generally aren't dividends (quarterly), nor interest (which generally fluctuates), but might be some sort of pension (though Paine was still young), or fixed return investment like bonds, both of which are currently (2014) managed by Forbes. A fixed return of $3420 a year in 1963 would be worth $ 25,000.00 today, not the investment income expected from a working man.