Ruth Paine's helping hand

Ruth Paine


George de Mohrenschildt once speculated that the assassination was the result of an argument that the Oswald’s had about obtaining their own apartment. Marina had objected that she could not move from the Paine residence unless she had her own washing machine. This dispute had allegedly taken place on the night prior to the assassination and caused Oswald to “strike out and hurt someone”.

But what really happened… and when did it happen?

It is apparent that Oswald was seeking a place to reunite his family from at least the previous Friday.
 
On that day he was seen at (and assumed, rightly or wrongly to be living at) 507 East Tenth Street in Oak Cliff. This is only about a tenth of a mile from the Tippit murder site – literally a 2-minute walk.
 
Also seen entering or leaving the apartment on that day, separately, were two others, believed by the witness to be Jack Ruby and Marina Oswald respectively.
 
The person believed to be Jack Ruby was described a wearing black coat with a fur collar. I have been unable to find any photo or document showing that Ruby had such a jacket. It is much more likely, in my opinion, to have been a member of the White Russian community.
 
The person believed to have been Marina is like-wise someone else. In this instance, the clothing and hair description help nail the person’s real identity. It was without doubt, Ruth Paine.
 
The description given: black hair, on one occasion wearing a plaid skirt with a light-colored top and another time, the same skirt with a black colored blouse or top. 


photo shows left to right, Ruth Paine, Marguerite Oswald & Marina Oswald nursing baby Audrey


The above photo was taken after the assassination, but prior to the sequestering of Marguerite and Marina. It clearly shows Ruth with dark or black hair and wearing a plaid skirt and a dark or black blouse.
 
On the same day that Ruth and Lee were seen at 507 East Tenth Street, someone phoned the Ridgewood Furniture Company in Garland asking about renting a washing machine for a Marina Oswald. This person was remembered as offering the name “Ruby” - last name unrecalled - as a credit reference.

This too was undoubtedly Ruth Paine, with the first name becoming confused with Jack Ruby’s surname post-assassination.

Ruth was duly interviewed - meaning that the FBI came to the same conclusion I did regarding the name confusion. In this interview, she gave one of her oh so clever non-denials - "a call to Garland would be a toll call and I therefore would remember had I made it." In no way did that statement rule out her having made the call. She is simply stating she would remember making it if she did. Yet the FBI chose to infer from it just such a blanket denial and failed to even check Ruth’s toll calls for that day. But then, the investigating agents also failed to interview the owners or landlords associated with 507 East Tenth Street as well, so we can hardly be surprised. This whole area was going to be deep-sixed, come hell or high water.

The following explains how Quakers avoid technical lies while also avoiding telling the truth:

Quakers who take not lying very seriously have traditionally still occasionally used not telling the whole truth as a way around that strictness. There are stories about people giving intentionally misleading but not technically false responses to questions like "why would you think that?" and non-quakers warning each other to force a quaker into giving a straight answer and not to be misdirected by apparent denials that aren't actually making any claim. So even if you do believe that you should be always telling the truth and nothing but the truth, I'm not sure about the whole truth.

Ruth’s Warren Commission testimony is full of similar examples for anyone who wants to depress themselves by looking.

Marina was also asked about this call to the Ridgewood Furniture Company. She denied knowing anything about it, but what we do learn is that the question of a washing machine for Marina was raised well before the night of November 21.
 
The final question to file under this is, why was information about Oswald seeking to reunite his family in their own apartment and obtain some modest modern appliances, not properly investigated and then buried? The answer is for the same reason as the Downtown Lincoln Mercury test drive was dismissed. Oswald looking to reunite his family and buy a car is an Oswald with an eye to a future beyond November 22. It does not fit the “lone nut” narrative.