Here’s a quote from Gus Rose that is the introduction of his interview in “No More Silence” by Larry Sneed. This speaks volumes to me. I can’t help but believe that if Oswald had lived to stand trial, and a jury had witnessed this description, it would have been very persuasive in helping to confirm that she believed the rifle was still there (until that moment).
“I could see what I believed was the imprint of a rifle. Though it may have been partly suggestive, something was there that made me think there was a rifle there. When I picked it up, it fell limp across my arm empty. At that point, Marina let out an audible gasp. I turned and looked at her and noticed that she was wide-eyed and pale. I thought for a moment that she might be about to faint. I now believe that at that point, with the rifle not being there, the full realization had soaked in . . .”
“I could see what I believed was the imprint of a rifle. Though it may have been partly suggestive, something was there that made me think there was a rifle there. When I picked it up, it fell limp across my arm empty. I don't believe this happened....I believe Marina lead the police to the garage and pointed to the blanket on the floor ....Let's see what she told the WC.
Mr. ROSE. Well, I was the senior detective that was there, and so I was sort of the spokesman for the group, I suppose, and Stovall wen into the bedroom of Marina Oswald--Marina Oswald's bedroom, and I don't remember where Adamcik went first, but I talked with Ruth Paine a few minutes and she told me that Marina was there and that she was Lee Oswald's wife and that she was a citizen of Russia, and so I called Captain Fritz on the phone and told him what I had found out there and asked him if there was any special instructions, and he said, "Well, ask her about her husband, ask her if her husband has a rifle." I turned and asked Marina, but she didn't seem to understand. She said she couldn't understand, so Ruth Paine spoke in Russian to her and Ruth Paine also interpreted for me, and she said that Marina said--first she said Marina said "No," and then a minute Marina said, "Yes, he does have." So, then I talked to Captain Fritz for a moment and hung up the phone and I asked Marina if she would show me where his rifle was and Ruth Paine interpreted and Marina pointed to the garage and she took me to the garage and she pointed to a blanket that was rolled up and laying on the floor near the wall of the garage and Ruth Paine said, "Says that that's where his rifle is." Well,
at the time I couldn't tell whether there was one in there or not. Mrs. OSWALD. I said that I saw--for the first and last time I saw the rifle about a week after I had come to Mrs. Paine.
But, as I said, the rifle was wrapped in a blanket, and I was sure when the police had come that the rifle was still in the blanket, because it was all rolled together. And, therefore, when they took the blanket and the rifle was not in it, I was very much surprised.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you ever see the rifle in a paper cover?
Mrs. OSWALD. No.
Mr. RANKIN. Could you describe for the Commission the place in the garage where the rifle was located?
Mrs. OSWALD. When you enter the garage from the street it was in the front part, the left.
Mr. RANKIN. By the left you mean left of the door?
Mrs. OSWALD. It is an overhead door and the rifle was to the left, on the floor.
It was always in the same place.
Mr. RANKIN. Was there anything else close to the rifle that you recall?
Mrs. OSWALD. Next to it there were some next to the rifle there were some suitcases and Ruth had some paper barrels in the garage where the kids used to play.
Mr. RANKIN. The way the rifle was wrapped with a blanket, could you tell whether or not the rifle had been removed and the blanket just left there at any time?
Mrs. OSWALD.
It always had the appearance of having something inside of it. But I only looked at it really once, and I was always sure the rifle was in it. Therefore, it is very hard to determine when the rifle was taken. I only
assumed that it was on Thursday, because Lee had arrived so unexpectedly for some reason.We now know that the paper sack was not large enough to hold the rifle.....So How could Lee have transported a rifle?
Mr. RANKIN. Did you believe that the reason for his coming out to see you Thursday was to make up?
Mrs. OSWALD. I think there were two reasons. One was to make up with me, and the other to take the rifle. This is--this, of course, is not irreconcilable.
Mr. RANKIN. But you think he came to take the rifle because of what you learned since. Is that it?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, of course.
