The Dead-Letter Package

[Alan Ford]

If the handwriting on the address label is Mr Oswald's, might he have sent the package to himself @ a non-existent address to test whether it would eventuate in a notification at the Paine home, i.e. to test whether he was under surveillance from the postal authorities?

[Walt Cakebread]

If the handwriting on the address label is Mr Oswald's, might he have sent the package to himself @ a non-existent address to test whether it would eventuate in a notification at the Paine home, i.e. to test whether he was under surveillance from the postal authorities?

I've read that the "Nassaus" street address was a federal building in 1963.....  The handwriting on the envelope does look like Lee Oswald's writing.   And that sewing machine the was used to seal the package looks like something that was used at Reilly Coffee Company.

[Alan Ford]

[Alan Ford]

Meanwhile...............

[Alan Ford]

LHO-Incriminating Scenario!

1. Mr Oswald does not want to personally transport a long paper sack made @ TSBD to the Paine residence

2. He does a dry run to test whether the postal authorities have him under surveillance: he posts a parcel containing 18"-long brown wrapping-paper bag, and addresses it to a fictitious address

3. He establishes after a few days that no notification has been delivered to the Paine residence: good news

4. He mails a second parcel, this one containing a longer paper bag (along with a magazine?), and addresses it correctly to the Paine residence. In order to ensure that its arrival will be noticed chez Paine, he does not pay postage

5. On November 20 or 21, he calls the Paine residence and learns that the parcel has indeed been delivered, after Ms Oswald paid excess postage: he asks Mr Frazier for a Thursday-evening lift to Irving

[Jerry Freeman]

I have tried before to make out that postmark date
Indication is that it was mailed out of a Texas post office.
Notice at the right hand corner...the 'X's and the line drawn through a word I can't make out either.
'Q265' ...What could that mean?
The 'Dallas' part was written on a label.
But then, 'Irving' was written directly on the package and it looks like the same handwriting.
Of course the parcel was mailed. It has a postmark but oddly no 'postage due' stamped.
After a fashion...the dead letter people will open stuff with no return address to see if they can find any clues.

[Richard Smith]

If the handwriting on the address label is Mr Oswald's, might he have sent the package to himself @ a non-existent address to test whether it would eventuate in a notification at the Paine home, i.e. to test whether he was under surveillance from the postal authorities?

Why would Oswald care?  He was already aware that the FBI had visited the Paine home.  He felt comfortable receiving his pro-commie literature.  Why suddenly be concerned about postal surveillance?  He already had his guns.  I think it was most likely a hoax.  Probably some anti-JFK type joking about Oswald needing more bags to continue the good work.  It doesn't make much sense for Oswald to address this to a non-existent address. If he learns on Monday or Tuesday that JFK is passing the building, then there would be a remote possibility he considered mailing the bag there instead of transporting it himself but there would be no guarantee that it would arrive by Friday.  And why do a test run to a different address with so little time?   

[Alan Ford]

I have tried before to make out that postmark date

Me too!

Indication is that it was mailed out of a Texas post office.
Notice at the right hand corner...the 'X's and the line drawn through a word I can't make out either.
'Q265' ...What could that mean?
The 'Dallas' part was written on a label.
But then, 'Irving' was written directly on the package and it looks like the same handwriting.
Of course the parcel was mailed. It has a postmark but oddly no 'postage due' stamped.
After a fashion...the dead letter people will open stuff with no return address to see if they can find any clues.

This parcel was indeed partially opened