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

The Vaccination Certificate

A government-printed “International Certificates of Vaccination or Revaccination against Smallpox” was found among Oswald’s belongings at 1026 Beckley Avenue, Dallas, purporting to certify that “Lee Oswald” had been vaccinated by “Dr. A.J. Hideel” with a New Orleans P.O. Box address. Handwriting examiner Cole identified all handwriting and the “A.J. Hideel” signature as Oswald’s, while Cadigan identified all writing as Oswald’s except the Hideel signature, which he considered too distorted to identify. The stamped material, including the three-line “DR. A.J. HIDEEL/P.O. BOX 30016/NEW ORLEANS, LA.” stamp, was compared with a rubber stamping kit belonging to Oswald containing a stamp reading “L. H. OSWALD/4907 MAGAZINE ST/NEW ORLEANS, LA.” Cole found a perfect agreement in measurement and design between the certificate’s stamped letters and those of Oswald’s kit, concluding the kit could have produced the impressions but was not necessarily the only one capable. Cadigan concluded that the words “NEW ORLEANS, LA.” on the certificate had been stamped with Oswald’s rubber stamp but could draw no conclusion about the remaining stamped material. The circular impression resembling a seal was found to consist of the words “BRUSH IN CAN” printed in reverse, apparently made with the top of a solvent or cleaning fluid container, with a mottled center similar to the blank areas on a date stamp from Oswald’s rubber stamping kit.

The Fair Play for Cuba Committee Card

The Fair Play for Cuba Committee card bore two signatures, “L. H. Oswald” and “A. J. Hidell.” Both Cole and Cadigan identified the “L. H. Oswald” signature as Oswald’s handwriting but were unable to identify the “A. J. Hidell” signature. Cadigan noted differences suggesting someone other than Oswald authored it, and Cole believed the signature was somewhat beyond Oswald’s penmanship abilities. Based on a short English interlinear translation written by Marina Oswald, Cole felt she might have been the author, though the sample was insufficient for positive identification. In subsequent Commission testimony, Marina stated she was indeed the author of the Hidell signature, and Cadigan confirmed this by obtaining further samples of her handwriting and comparing them with the signature on the card.