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

C2766 Rifle Mail Order Identification

C2766 Rifle Mail Order Identification Klein’s Sporting Goods photographed the mail order and envelope for the C2766 rifle on microfilm before destroying the originals, and an enlarged photograph was used as the basis for handwriting identification. Comparison with the standards established that the handwriting on the purchase order, the envelope, and the money order (retained by the post office after being cashed) was that of Lee Harvey Oswald. The identification rested on numerous specific characteristics in the return address, including the construction of the “A” in “A. Hidell,” the elongated approach stroke and rightward slant of the “i,” the larger second “l,” the “B” in “Box” with a smaller upper lobe, the distinctive loop construction of the “D” in “Dallas,” the flattened “s,” and the “u” form of the “x” in “Texas.” Both the questioned and standard writings also used the same erroneous mixture of capital and lowercase letters in words such as “Texas.” The questioned writing showed no significant evidence of disguise, though the use of hand printing on the mail order may have served that purpose; Cole noted that persons using aliases frequently make no attempt to disguise their writing.

V510210 Revolver Mail Order Identification

V510210 Revolver Mail Order Identification Based on comparison with the standards, the handwriting on the mail order sent to Seaport Traders, Inc., of Los Angeles in response to which the V510210 revolver was sent, was also identified as that of Lee Harvey Oswald.