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

The Curtain Rod Story

The Commission found that Oswald lied when he told Frazier he was returning to Irving to obtain curtain rods on the morning of November 22, 1963. When asked about the story, Oswald denied ever telling Frazier he wanted a ride to Irving to get curtain rods. He explained that a party for the Paine children had been planned for the weekend, and he preferred not to be in the Paine house at that time. The Commission noted that the Paine children’s party had actually been held the preceding weekend, and Marina Oswald had suggested Oswald remain in Dallas. When told that Frazier and Mrs. Randle had seen him carrying a long heavy package, Oswald replied they were mistaken. He told Fritz the only sack he carried that day was a lunch sack kept on his lap during the ride, but Frazier testified Oswald carried no lunch sack that day.

Actions During and After Shooting

During his first interrogation, Oswald told Fritz that at the time of the shooting he ate lunch in the first-floor lunchroom, went to the second floor for a Coke, encountered a police officer, then went outside and talked with Foreman Bill Shelley for 5 to 10 minutes before leaving for home. He said he left because Shelley told him no more work would be done that day. Shelley denied seeing Oswald after noon or at any time after the shooting. The next day, Oswald added that he had been having lunch with “Junior” at the time of the shooting. The only Depository employee named “Junior” was James Jarman, Jr., who testified that he ate lunch alone on the first floor around 11:55 a.m. and neither ate lunch with nor saw Oswald. Jarman did recall a brief morning conversation in which Oswald asked about people gathering on the corner, the President passing through Dallas, and the motorcade route, to which Oswald responded, “Oh, I see.”