Here is my version of the Magnolia party. It is one of several versions. This is because different participants have given different accounts in their testimony and interviews.
After my story, a commentary on the significance of this gathering. In a following post, a deconstruction of the different accounts, including mine.
This is chapter 30 of “the White Gloves Legend”
30. Magnolia
The phone rang at Ruth Paine’s house in Irving. She picked up.
“Ruth here”
A slightly problematic voice was on the other end, Everett Glover. He had left his wife just about the time that she and Michael had separated. Everyone had their reasons, but it seemed a stretch that Everett had dumped his wife so their son could continue his figure skating lessons.
She still didn’t understand why she and Michael had split, sort of. He had simply withdrawn. and she was having none of it. She filed for divorce.
They settled for the time being on separation. He owned the house, she cooked him dinner when he came over. They went to movies and they still sang madrigals in the group with Everett.
Something was off-key though; she didn’t know what. She was lonely.
Everett explained the reason for his call.
“Hi Ruth, are you free Friday night, yes this Friday, the 22nd. I know you’ve been wanting to advance your Russian, actually the guys I live with are all doing that too, but I know you are way ahead.”
“There’s an emigré couple you might like to meet and my best tennis buddy George de Mohrenschildt is going to introduce them.”
“Actually she’s the emigré, Marina Prussakova, and he’s, well let’s call a spade a spade, he’s a defector who came back. An American defector! A most unusual and interesting pair, even in this stew of the Russian expatriate community.”
“Maybe there’s something here that would interest you. Volkmar Schmidt, one of my roommates thinks, that the guy, Lee Oswald, would make an interesting political subject for Michael to look over so he is going to invite Michael. And I would love to see you and I hope maybe a connection with Marina could be good for you.”
Ruth was tired of changing diapers and always accepted invitations like this instantly.
“Sure thing Everett. Your place? Seven? I will be there.”
Ruth made her way to Everett’s on Friday night. She drove.
As she went in the open door she saw mainly petroleum chemists and engineers from the Magnolia labs of Sokony Mobil where Everett worked. So they were studying Russian?? Maybe wanting to look for oil in Siberia? Hah, a lot more would have to thaw than just some ice for that to happen. God, what contortions she had gone through with the State Department just to get a few Russian exchange students over.
Everett approached her right away with a drink, almost as if he’d like to take that somewhere.
He greeted her.
“Hi Ruth, so nice to see you, did Michael come?”
“No Everett, he’s home with a bad cold, didn’t think it would be wise to come.”
“Home?? Are you two back together again?”
Ruth missed his drift.
“No, I meant his home, wherever that is. No, we’re not back together again. I guess this is what lots of young couples go through these days. All those soldiers came back from the war, thought they would just marry their sweethearts make babies and live happily ever after, it doesn’t seem to be working out that way for everyone. “
Glover was way ahead of her in reproduction. His son was already training for the Olympics.
“Well, you two were a bit late. Not sure if we would call your children boomers or not. No, no babies for you if you don’t want them. We have the pill now. Gives us a lot more freedom, wouldn’t you say? Try some things out????”
Now, Ruth caught his drift, not where she wanted to go.
”I’m not sure where you are going with that, Everett, but I appreciate your hosting this party. I’m here to meet a real woman, a Russian, practice my Russian with a real woman, no more of those tapes for me.
Just then there was a flourish at the door, and Glover went to welcome. Four people came in, George de Mohrenschildt, his wife Jeanne, Lee Oswald and Marina Oswald. Glover introduced them.
“George and Jeanne, this is Ruth Paine, wife of Michael Paine I’ve been telling you about.”
“Ruth, so pleased to meet you. Always a pleasure to meet a beautiful woman. Here are my two new Russian friends I think you would like to acquaint with. Lee Oswald, Marina Oswald.”
Before her were four people. George, urbane, very much the host, even if it wasn’t his party, Jeanne, svelte from constant tennis, she could have modeled the dresses she designed, herself. Lee, dressed casually would be the polite way to put it, not looking at anyone in particular, and Marina, in a less impressive dress than the time Lee met her, but looking great, as everyone always thought she did.
Ruth managed to get out some awkward Russian.
“Hello, it is nice for me to meet you.”
Lee replied in English, rudely .
“Hello”
Marina replied in Russian, graciously .
“Good evening, I am most pleased to make your acquaintance. I understand that you have young children? What are their names please?”
Ruth was heartened at breaking the language barrier and continued in Russian which improved with each word. The syntax, but not the accent.
“They are Lynn and Chris, we wanted to get away from family names. What are yours gracious lady, I am so pleased to meet you.”
Marina swelled with pride, and with the thought and reality of her next child.
“They are June Lee, with her father’s name, she is at home with a baby sitter found by Mr. de Mohrenschildt, and, (shyly, rubbing tummy) another little one on the way, but (low voice) please do not tell people in the Russian community I am pregnant.”
Ruth was happy to agree. Although she was more than able to take over other people’s space, she tried to respect them when they staked it out first.
“Of course, pregnancy is a private individual matter, let’s just hope the Supreme Court comes to see it that way. But it is very noisy in here, and I see that Mr. de Mohrenschildt is setting up the movie projector to show their walking trip through Central America.... We could be here all week.... And your husband Lee seems to be getting into a political discussion with the men.”
Marina eyed the circle around Lee as he talked Russia and politics; she had seen this before.
“Yes, Lee always seems to want to draw people out, sometimes I wonder if it’s an act. And your husband, he is not here tonight?”
Michael was not at the front of her thoughts, and Ruth struggled to get through the situation in as few words as possible.
“My husband Michael has a cold and felt it best for him and everyone if he did not share it. But, honestly, and please don’t tell anyone, Michael and I are separated since last September. You know, maybe we could get away from this noise and find a quiet place to talk.... Maybe this bedroom.”
She walked down the hall, tried doors, entered one and Marina followed; they sat on the edge of the bed and chatted.
Marina responded to her discomfort, as always, graciously and to the point.
” I am so sorry to hear of your trouble. Actually Lee and I are having our difficulties. He has become much more nervous since we returned to America, looking over his shoulder all the time. I’m afraid he takes it out on me, and sometimes I just can’t bear it. But I think that the early time of a marriage is not all honeymoon, so I will try to work it out.”
Once Marina started talking about her own difficulties, Ruth saw another possibility of a land grab, and could not restrain herself.
“What do your friends call you? Okay if I call you “thou”? You could come live with me if you want. I am sorry for your problems and I definitely would not want to interfere with your husband, but I am very interested in learning to speak Russian well, and we could deduct everything on Michael’s taxes, and it could work out just fine.”
Marina may have been taken aback by this forwardness, but whenever something strange happened she chalked it up to the new ways in the new country, and responded with grace.
“You are most kind, and I would very much like to help you with your Russian, so I am sure that we could arrange something. But my place is with my man so I would not want to agree to what you propose. Still I thank you for your kindness.”
There was a quiet knock on the door and George de Mohrenschildt peeked in. A smile of satisfaction took over his face. He had an invitation.
“Sorry, don’t want to interrupt, but we just have an intermission in the movie of our walking trip and I thought I would make sure you had found each other compatible. The show starts back in a minute, come watch!”
Ruth frowned, but Marina was gracious as she replied,
“Thank you so much Mr. George, it sounds really most interesting. But I am tired, it is a strange and exciting new world I am living in, and sometimes it drains all my energy. I think I will just rest here for a while, maybe a little nap. I know that Lee is most wanting to follow your pictures.”
George was disappointed but not much. With the two women intimate, he saw his goal in reach. Haiti called.
“Yes, he stopped talking about workers’ councils and watched my film. A very nice young man your husband. Still, you ladies get acquainted. I hope very much that you will be good friends.”
Ruth was relieved to hear his encouragement, and felt justified by her forwardness, even if not successful so far.
“I feel tired too, I think I will rest also, do you mind?”
It was a big bed, the covers were up and they lay down, two tired mothers, to slumber.
———-
Background to Chapter 30:
On November 22,1963, Lee Oswald woke up next to his wife Marina in the house in Irving Texas owned by Michael Paine, son of Ruth Forbes Paine Young, a sister of my father-in-law, William Hathaway Forbes. Marina was staying there at the invitation of Michael’s estranged wife, Ruth Hyde Paine, who occupied the house with their children, and who had invited Marina to come live with her.
Many many questions surround the circumstances and reasons this living arrangement came to be. The murkiness is underscored when one considers the occasion known as the Magnolia party, on February 22 (probably) of 1963 where Lee and Marina were introduced to Ruth Paine (at least). Exactly nine months remained.
This scene is dramatized wonderfully in Oliver Stone’s movie about the assassination, JFK. I refer you to Stone’s rendering; I can’t get it out of my mind. (See below for more acknowledgements on this nexus)
The following people were present at the party:
Lee Oswald
Marina Oswald
June Oswald (two years old, maybe maybe not)
Ruth Paine
Michael Paine (probably not)
Everett Glover, the host, a chemist at Magnolia Laboratory of Sokony Mobil
Volkmar Schmidt, (probably not), Everett’s housemate, a chemist at Magnolia Laboratory of Sokony Mobil
Dick Pierce, Everett’s housemate, a chemist at Magnolia Laboratory of Sokony Mobil
George de Mohrenschildt
Jeanne de Mohrenschildt
Betty McDonald, a secretary at Magnolia Laboratory
Norm Fredrickson, a chemist at Magnolia Laboratory of Sokony Mobil, and wife
Volkmar, Dick, Norm were all studying Russian with Ilya Mamantov, whose mother in law, Dorothy Gravitis, was Ruth Paine’s Russian teacher.
This is such a significant event because George and Jeanne de Mohrenschildt effectively handed over their role of watching out for the welfare of Lee and his family (Marina was pregnant with their second child) to Ruth Paine at this party. At least that is the conventional view, and one that certainly has validity because Ruth spent the next nine months worrying about where Marina would deliver her second child next October and provided her with a home that September (part), October and November(part).
In fact, it is a completely accurate statement. Whatever their motivations, the use of the word “role” is completely accurate. Whether assigned, arranged, assumed or all of the above, first the de Mohrenschildt’s and then Ruth Paine went what my Amazon delivery satisfaction questionnaire would call “above and beyond” what any casual or ordinary acquaintance would undertake to support the health and well being of this younger couple.
A younger couple consisting of a returned American defector with a Russian wife who (maybe) spoke no English. From September of 1962 to April of 1963 the de Mohrenschildt’s moved furniture, broke up fights, delivered fresh vegetables, found baby sitters, provided transportation, found safe housing for the battered wife, donated a record player with Shakespearean English lessons and brought them to parties even when the entire Russian expatriate community couldn’t stand Lee.
They introduced the Oswalds to Ruth at this party.
Within a week or two Ruth Paine had secured Marina’s address, had gone to visit her and had drafted a letter offering Marina to come live with her in Irving.
A bit later Marina did come with toddler June to live briefly with Ruth, and when Lee summoned Marina from New Orleans in early May, Ruth promptly drove Marina to New Orleans and then stayed with the Oswalds in the cramped quarters of 4905 Magazine Street where according to Norman Mailer she didn’t like what she saw coming out of the bedroom, and returned to Dallas.
(I get into this only to underscore the zero to sixty intimacy of Ruth’s involvement with this couple)
While the Oswalds were in New Orleans, Ruth provided them with some introductions to acquaintances in New Orleans and began inquiring of Parkland Hospital whether Marina would qualify for free medical care there. She also got into discussions with Michael Paine as to whether Marina and June living with her in the house he owned in Irving would qualify for a tax deduction as dependents.
When Lee finished his business in New Orleans in September, Ruth drove from the East Coast where she had been visiting her in laws Ruth Forbes Paine Young and Arthur Young, first at Naushon and then in Paoli, her sister in DC who worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence and the CIA, her parents and brother in Ohio, finally to New Orleans to load Marina and June into her station wagon, which already had a kayak/canoe tied to the roof rack and drive them back to New Orleans.
The Warren Commission verbally examined that luggage piece by piece to look for Lee’s rifle.
I understand that many of my readers know this story backwards and forwards, but for those who don’t, the Magnolia party is worth retelling, worth rethinking.
Just to repeat….. George de Mohrenschildt was asked by the head of Domestic Services of the CIA to take care of Lee and that Ruth’s sister, Sylvia Hyde Hoke, worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence and then for the CIA.
The interesting thing about understanding the Magnolia Party is that although there were (probably) at most twelve people at the party/gathering and most of the participants testified under oath about it, their accounts of the party do not agree on many very significant details.
We are in the world of Kurosawa’s “Rashomon”.
I have read those accounts carefully and I am still analyzing them. I am going to proceed in two steps. Above I provided my own synthetic dramatization of what happened there. I have taken some dramatic liberties but for the most part, at least one of the principals has testified to each of the elements of my account.
Next time I am going to provide a detailed analysis of who I believe took what liberties in their accounts of the Magnolia Party, myself included.
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More acknowledgement. My initial exposure to this situation, as I have written before, was through Max Good’s film “the Assassination and Mrs. Paine”, available on various streaming platforms. It is very very worth watching. I am just wrestling with the issues that he raises in his film. And using the medium of fiction to attempt that.