Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Job Search and Unemployment Benefits in New Orleans

Job Search and Unemployment Benefits in New Orleans On April 26, Oswald registered with the Louisiana Department of Labor employment office, identifying himself as a qualified commercial photographer, shipping clerk, or “darkroom man.” His interviewer noted that he would travel on a limited basis, would relocate, and would accept a minimum wage of $1.25 per hour, describing him as “Neat. Suit. Tie. Polite.” Although the commission made some referrals, Oswald relied chiefly on newspaper advertisements. On April 29, he filed a request for reconsideration of the employment commission’s prior disapproval of his unemployment compensation claim; his complaint that he had not been credited for his work at Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall in Dallas was ruled valid on May 8, granting him maximum benefits of $369 at $33 per week. He filed interstate claims on May 7 and 15, receiving $33 from the latter, but listed fictitious employers on his claim forms. In letters to Marina, Oswald described staying with Aunt Lillian and said that Uncle “Dyuz” (Charles Murret) had offered him a $200 loan if needed.

Employment at Reily Co. and Marina’s Move to New Orleans

Employment at Reily Co. and Marina’s Move to New Orleans On May 9, responding to a newspaper ad, Oswald applied for work at William B. Reily Co., Inc., a coffee roasting, grinding, canning, and bagging enterprise at 640 Magazine Street. On his application he listed as references John Murret plus “Sgt. Robert Hidell” and “Lieut. J. Evans,” both apparently fictitious names. He was approved and began work on May 10 at $1.50 per hour, lubricating machinery. He did not enjoy the job and falsely told his wife and Mrs. Paine he was doing commercial photography. Also on May 9, with the help of Myrtle Evans (who had known him as a child), Oswald rented an apartment at 4905 Magazine Street for $65 a month. After phoning Marina and inviting her to join him, Ruth Paine drove Marina and June from Dallas; they left May 10, overnighted in Shreveport, and arrived on May 11. Mrs. Paine stayed three days with the Oswalds and toured the French Quarter with them before returning home on May 14.

Social Visits from the Murrets and Ruth Kloepfer

Social Visits from the Murrets and Ruth Kloepfer The Murrets and the Oswalds exchanged visits occasionally; Marina testified that the Murrets were “very good” to them, and Mrs. Murret’s daughter Marilyn took the Oswalds on an outing. According to Marina, aside from Ruth Paine and Ruth Kloepfer and her daughters, the Murrets were the only social visitors the Oswalds had in New Orleans. Ruth Kloepfer was a clerk of the Quaker Meeting in New Orleans whom Ruth Paine had contacted in hopes that she might direct Russian-speaking visitors to Marina. Kloepfer visited the Oswalds but made no effort to bring Russian-speaking acquaintances to them.

Dismissal from Reily and Subsequent Unemployment Claims

Dismissal from Reily and Subsequent Unemployment Claims On July 19, Oswald was dismissed by Reily Co. for inefficiency and inattention. He had spent many of his working hours at the adjacent Crescent City Garage, where he read gun magazines and discussed firearms with co-owner Adrian Alba. On Monday, July 22, he returned to the Louisiana employment office to seek new work and file another unemployment compensation claim, again listing fictitious job applications on his forms. He collected unemployment benefits weekly thereafter, ostensibly made some effort to find another job, but soon gave up his search and began spending his days at home reading. On July 25, he received another setback: the Marine Corps affirmed his 1962 undesirable discharge.

Plans to Travel to the Soviet Union or Cuba

Plans to Travel to the Soviet Union or Cuba During this period, Oswald began expressing thoughts of returning to the Soviet Union or going to Cuba. On June 24 he applied for a new passport, receiving it the following day. At Oswald’s request, Marina wrote to the Russian Embassy expressing a desire to return to Russia with her husband, citing family problems and her impending second pregnancy. Accompanying her letter was a July 1 letter from Oswald asking the Embassy to rush an entrance visa for his wife while his own visa was considered separately. Marina testified, however, that Oswald’s basic desire was to get to Cuba by any means, and that the rest of the correspondence was “window dressing” for that purpose; she believed he planned only to go to Cuba.