The Blanket and the Thread.

[Jim Hargrove]

Considering the witnesses we had, Marina and the Paines, it doesn't make it easy to trust any analysis of this. But in the broadest sense, the whole blanket business smells about as bad as everything else connected to the rife.

The FBI, using laughable evidence, told the WC Classic Oswald purchased the rifle from Dallas in March. Then Oswald traveled to New Orleans, and, on his way back to Dallas, we're told, traveled through Mexico City, all the while carrying this long, heavy rifle. REALLY? Like Michael Corleone trudging through Sicily?

Ruth Paine was asked if there was a rifle in a blanket when she brought Marina and June and their belongings to her Irving house in September.

Jenner: "Now, was there a separate long package of any kind? ..... Was there a

separate package of any character wrapped in a blanket?"

Mrs. Paine: "No."

Jenner: "When you arrived in Irving, Texas were you present when your sta*

tion wagon was unpacked?"

Mrs. Paine: "Marina and I did that with the exception of the duffels."

Not one to give up, Jenner tried again:

Jenner: "Now, in the process of removing everything other than the two duffel

bags--on the occasion on the 24th of September 1963 when you reached

Irving, Texas, did you find or see any long rectangular package?"

Mrs. Paine: "I recall no such package."

Jenner: "Did you see any kind of package wrapped in the blanket?"

Mrs. Paine: "Not to my recollection .... I don't recall seeing the blanket either."

Only Marina, desperate to please U.S. authorities, ever gave any testimony that Oswald had a rifle in a blanket.

If I were to take a wild guess about the blanket wrapped in twine, I'd say it probably was found at the Paine's, it may have once held something other than a rifle, or it was simply a wrapped up blanket. OTOH, any other guesses are probably as good as mine.