Lee Harvey Oswald became employed by William B. Reily Company, Inc. as a greaser and oiler maintenance man on May 10, 1963. His employment terminated on July 19, 1963.
There were occasions from time to time when I was unable to locate Oswald in and about the premises and learned that he was in the habit of absenting himself from the premises without leave and visiting a service station establishment adjacent to the Reily Coffee Company known as Alba's Crescent City Garage. Furthermore, Oswald had become quite indifferent to the performance of his duties.
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/barbe.htmWhy was Oswald so interested in the activities of Alba's Garage?
I can't find very much research into this facet of Oswald history.
Mr Alba passed away in 2016....
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/190546514/adrian-thomas-albaA bit of fake info in that obituary .....
Oswald regularly spent his lunch hour and breaks at the garage chatting with Alba and reading gun magazines lying about in the small lobby area; and it was from one of those magazines that Oswald allegedly ordered the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle he allegedly used to later assassinate President Kennedy.
At least it said 'allegedly'.
If Oswald merely spent his lunch breaks at the garage...why would that get him fired?
Supposedly...Oswald had already received the weapon that previous March before he ever went to New Orleans
Alba gave an interview in the '70s stating that he saw Oswald regularly accepting white envelopes from G-men in what he knew to be FBI company cars as they entered or exited his garage. Alba recalled watching Oswald approach an FBI car outside the garage and receive a white envelope that was handed to him through a cracked window before concealing it under his shirt. Alba later said Oswald "met the car again a couple of days later and talked briefly with the driver," whom, as detailed in "JFK and the Unspeakable..." Alba knew as an "FBI agent visiting New Orleans from Washington." He further stated that he did not know the content of the envelopes. He explained to his interviewer that he had refused previous interviews or photos, even for money, because he was worried about the safety of his family. He refused to be filmed for the interview.
From the Warren Report------
Mr. LIEBELER - Did you ever become acquainted with or observe in your garage Lee Harvey Oswald?
Mr. ALBA - Through conversations and Outdoor Life magazines in the office I have a coffee pot there, and a coffee table, and some chairs, and a magazine rack, where he frequent the magazines quite often and drank coffee. And I have a coke machine there.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did this fellow, did you tell us what his name was?
Mr. ALBA - All I knew him was as "Lee."
Mr. LIEBELER - I understand that you are a gun enthusiast, is that correct?
Mr. ALBA - That is correct.
Mr. LIEBELER - And that you kept in your office in the garage various magazines relating to outdoor life and guns?
Mr. ALBA - Yes.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did Oswald ever discuss guns with you?
Mr. ALBA - Yes, he did.
Mr. LIEBELER - Can you tell us what he said, and what you said on the subject?
Mr. ALBA - He pursued the issue of ordering guns, and how many guns had I ever ordered, and how long did it take to get them, and where had I ordered guns from----
Mr. LIEBELER - Go ahead. What did you tell him? Just tell us the conversation that you had with him.
Mr. ALBA - I told him that I had a gun on' order at the present time, a U.S. .3 caliber carbine, and he asked had I received the gun, on several occasions, after that. "I told him no at I hadn't. And he ask me Would I consider selling him the gun and when I got it. I told him no.
Mr. LIEBELER - Was there anything peculiar about this particular rifle that made Oswald want it? Or why did he want you to sell this rifle? Do you know?
Mr. ALBA - He told me he had a couple of guns, and he would like to have the carbine. He was familiar with the carbine from the service, I believe.
Mr. LIEBELER - And this was the regular M-1 carbine?
Mr. ALBA - Regular M-1 carbine, yes.
Mr. LIEBELER - From whom had you ordered that carbine? Do you recall?
Mr. ALBA - Through the National Rifle Association.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did Oswald indicate to you what other kind of rifle or weapons that he had?
Mr. ALBA - No; he didn't. He did make a remark that he had--I think he said he had several rifles and, several pistols, but he did not go into the nature of the arms, or how much, or what they were.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did he ever express any interest in any rifle that you indicated that you had, other than this M-1 carbine that you told him you had order?
Mr. ALBA - One 30.06 Springfield rifle that I had.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did you have that?
Mr. ALBA - I was in the process of sporterizing that at the garage at the time----
Mr. LIEBELER - What did he say about that particular weapon?
Mr. ALBA - He said what was it worth to me, and I told him it was worth over $100 to me. There was no followup on that.
Mr. LIEBELER - Was this particular rifle that you have referred to, a Japanese rifle?
Mr. ALBA - No it wasn't. I had a Japanese rifle down there that was not for sale, an he was more partial to the Japanese rifle than the Springfield and the carbine put together.
Mr. LIEBELER - He was really interested----
Mr. ALBA - He was more interested in the Japanese rifle.
Supposedly...Oswald had a rifle that he supposedly shot into the Walker house.
Why is he saying that he has a virtual arsenal?
Mr. LIEBELER - What is the effect of cutting the barrel?
Mr. ALBA - On the accuracy of a rifle; none. [is that really true?]
Mr. LIEBELER - Did you tell Oswald that?
Mr. LIEBELER - Did he seem surprised?
Mr. LIEBELER - The Japanese rifle that you said you had completely sporterized, can you tell us approximately how long that weapon would be when it is put together?
Mr. ALBA - Prior to sporterizing or after sporterizing?
Mr. LIEBELER - Both?
Mr. ALBA - I took approximately 4 to 4 1/2 inches off of the barrel, and I think it was left with a 22 1/2-inch barrel, and it had approximately a 2 or a inch barrel to start off with.
Mr. LIEBELER - When you fasten the barrel to the stock, can you tell us approximately how long that rifle would be?
Mr. ALBA - I can take a guess--I never really measured it, or any of my pieces, for that matter, but I would say approximately 55 inches.
55 inches? My ...that is still quite long is it not?
Why was Oswald pumping Alba for information about obtaining rifles?
