The Dead-Letter Package

[Alan Ford]

Oswald puts his own name on a package that he addresses to a non-existent address to determine if doing so will trigger a notification to the Paine home?  Why would he care?  If he was concerned about the authorities monitoring his mail and finding a large brown paper bag in a package associated with him, why test that theory by sending a package with a large brown paper bag in it.

This is precisely what would explain the use of an 18" bag: he is concerned about the authorities monitoring his mail and finding an eyebrow-raising rifle-length brown paper bag in a package associated with him, so he safely tests that theory by sending a bulky package with a non-eyebrow-raising non-rifle-length brown paper bag in it

[Richard Smith]

This is precisely what would explain the use of an 18" bag: he is concerned about the authorities monitoring his mail and finding an eyebrow-raising rifle-length brown paper bag in a package associated with him, so he safely tests that theory by sending a bulky package with a non-eyebrow-raising non-rifle-length brown paper bag in it

My head is spinning.  Oswald is concerned about someone monitoring his mail to discover a large paper bag.  And he tests this by sending a smaller brown paper bag to a non-existent address?  Even if someone discovered a large bag in his mail - so what?  Why would they conclude it was going to be used to carry a rifle to assassinate the president?  All of this when he has the obvious solution of just taking the bag there himself when he goes (which he did)?  Why mail it?

[Alan Ford]

My head is spinning.

Well that's not saying much, is it Mr Smith? Your head spins at even the minutest deviation from the Warren Report bedtime story.

My head is still spinning by your idea that a random hoaxer was in a position to write Mr Oswald's name and the fake 'West Nassaus' address in a convincing imitation of Mr Oswald's own style of handwriting. Like I say, if it weren't for the timeline implications (foreknowledge of motorcade route) you would not be putting forward such a silly explanation

Oswald is concerned about someone monitoring his mail to discover a large paper bag. And he tests this by sending a smaller brown paper bag to a non-existent address?

Yes. To see if it finds its way nevertheless to the Paine residence

Even if someone discovered a large bag in his mail - so what?  Why would they conclude it was going to be used to carry a rifle to assassinate the president?

Mr Oswald is paranoid about surveillance. With JFK coming to town, he fears that an odd parcel containing a long (rifle-length) paper bag could easily raise suspicion with the authorities. He is being extra careful

All of this when he has the obvious solution of just taking the bag there himself when he goes (which he did)?

Really? Where on his person was it when he travelled back to Irving with Mr Frazier on the Thursday pm?

Why mail it?

He doesn't want a fellow employee to see him taking (i.e. stealing) TSBD property home from work--------------especially not when said employee will be seeing the same paper bag the following morning and being given to understand that such was needed to carry mere curtain rods. Much cleaner to have the bag there waiting for him when he arrives at the Paine home on Thursday pm.

[Jerry Freeman]

Guys...there is another possibility--- Someone wanted Oswald's hand prints on a paper bag.
 A palm print and/or index finger print will do.

[Alan Ford]

Guys...there is another possibility--- Someone wanted Oswald's hand prints on a paper bag.
 A palm print and/or index finger print will do.

Yes, Mr Freeman, this has been a favored explanation amongst CTers. It seems to me however to be attended by at least three problems:

1. Why an 18" bag? (Was the original plan to have Mr Oswald framed for, at least, supplying a shorter weapon---------of the type seen by Ms Carolyn Walther? Or was it to take the paper from the 18" bag----------with Mr Oswald's prints now on it-----------and tape it together with more paper to form a rifle-sized bag?)

2. Why not just send the parcel to the correct address (Paine home)?

3. Wouldn't it have been much easier to just get Mr Oswald to handle paper at the Depository?

[Jerry Freeman]

1.     Or was it to take the paper from the 18" bag----------with Mr Oswald's prints now on it-----------and tape it together with more paper to form a rifle-sized bag?)

There you go.

2. Why not just send the parcel to the correct address (Paine home)?

Mystery

 

3. Wouldn't it have been much easier to just get Mr Oswald to handle paper at the Depository?

The paper would have to be re-handled and fabricated [as it seems it was anyway] complete with telltale fibers.
There was this disgusting revelation of certain hairs analyzed and traced to LHO on the surface of a blanket.
 They apparently did not make it to the confines of the paper bag so why mention it?



Notice that the bag is partially laying on subject blanket. Can we say contaminated evidence?

[Richard Smith]

Mr Oswald is paranoid about surveillance. With JFK coming to town, he fears that an odd parcel containing a long (rifle-length) paper bag could easily raise suspicion with the authorities. He is being extra careful

Really? Where on his person was it when he travelled back to Irving with Mr Frazier on the Thursday pm?

He doesn't want a fellow employee to see him taking (i.e. stealing) TSBD property home from work--------------especially not when said employee will be seeing the same paper bag the following morning and being given to understand that such was needed to carry mere curtain rods. Much cleaner to have the bag there waiting for him when he arrives at the Paine home on Thursday pm.

Why is it less odd to send an 18-inch bag than a somewhat longer bag?  The bag folds.  It was made of paper.  A genius like Oswald could figure that out.  It could be folded it and carried under his jacket.  Which is what he did.  And the guy who is planning on assassinating the president is "worried" about stealing TSBD property?  Very silly.  And why is Oswald doing all of this if you believe he is innocent and just carried curtain rods to work?  I realize that nothing has to add up in CTer fantasy land but that is rich.   Because none of this adds up, a hoax is most likely.