The Hidell Alias in New Orleans
In Oswald’s personal effects at 1026 North Beckley Avenue was a purported international certificate of vaccination signed by “Dr. A. J. Hideel, Post Office Box 30016, New Orleans,” certifying that Oswald had been vaccinated for smallpox on June 8, 1963; the “Hideel” signature was identified as Oswald’s, no “Dr. Hideel” is licensed in Louisiana, and no such post office box exists, though Oswald had rented New Orleans box 30061 on June 3, 1963, listing Marina Oswald and A. J. Hidell as additional recipients. “Hidell” was also the fictitious president Oswald assigned to the so-called New Orleans Chapter of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, an organization of which he was the sole member, with Marina Oswald testifying that she was compelled to sign “Hidell” on membership cards and that “Hidell is merely an altered Fidel.” Other job applications listed fictitious “Sgt. Robt. Hidell” and “George Hidell” as references, and the first name “Alek” — a nickname Oswald used in Russia — was signed on letters to Marina.
Oswald’s Palmprint on Rifle Barrel
Additional evidence of ownership and possession was provided by a palmprint lifted from the underside of the rifle barrel near the firing end, approximately 3 inches under the woodstock, by Lt. J. C. Day of the Dallas police shortly after the rifle was found. The lift, performed before the rifle was surrendered to the FBI on November 22, was confirmed by FBI Laboratory tests showing the adhesive bore impressions matching the barrel’s irregularities. FBI latent fingerprint supervisor Sebastian F. Latona identified the print as Oswald’s right palmprint, a finding independently confirmed by New York City Police Department fingerprint expert Arthur Mandella and FBI expert Ronald G. Wittmus. Because the wooden foregrip covers this part of the barrel when the rifle is assembled, the palmprint on the underside of the barrel demonstrates that Oswald handled the rifle when it was disassembled.
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