[JFK Assassin] Lee Harvey OSWALD Autograph Letter by LEE HARVEY OSWALD written to Gus Hall,

[JFK Assassin] - Lee Harvey OSWALD.

Autograph Letter by LEE HARVEY OSWALD written to Gus Hall, General Secretary of the Communist Party USA, requesting membership. Undated but addressed using his infamous post office box in Dallas Texas that had been used to purchase his mail order rifle, rented from 9 October 1962 to May 14, 1963 (Warren Commission Exhibit 1160). 8vo (measuring: 8 x 5ins; 203 x 127mm), 98 words entirely in Oswald’s hand, most likely written February or March 1963: "To: / Mr. Gus Hall / Mrs. C. B. Flynn / c/o Box 28 Madison Sq.  Station  / New York 10, N.Y.Dear Sirs,I have followed the / activities of the C.[ommunist] P.[arty] for the last / few years, and I have decided / that it is very timely and / correct for me at this time; / to apply for membership in / the communist party of the U.S. / I wish to become a member / so that I may share, as fully / as is possible, your trails [sic.] and / tribulations, as well as your / glories and victories. / Very Sincerely /L.H. Oswald / P.O. Box 2915 / Dallas, Texas."

In important letter: hidden for fifty years amidst fears that its existence might fuel theories that the assasination was a Communist-inspired plot.

During the early 1960s the Communist Party USA had about ten thousand members, of which fifteen hundred were believed to be American government agents infiltrating the organization. When Oswald’s letter was received, with its sloppy handwriting and misspellings, it was thought to be from another American agent so the letter was simply unanswered and put on file.

When Oswald was identified as JFK’s assassin, Gus Hall confirmed that was the name of the person who had written him and became greatly concerned that if such a letter was known, the president’s death might be considered a Communist conspiracy so for fifty years this letter was “buried”, even unknown to the Warren Commission.

[With:] a 1973 photograph of Gus Hall amidst his library and a photograph of Oswald being shot by Jack Ruby (printed later) signed by Detective James Leavelle, to whom Oswald was handcuffed at the time.