| Rothhammer1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 11/03/20 03:03 PM |
|
Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965
|
Quote:
The Wikipedia piece makes a good read, and ties up the loose ends that were left dangling by the 1965 article. In particular, it straightens out the misrepresentation of oilman John King, who Life portrayed as some sort of high-minded philanthropist trying to purchase the rifle for noble reasons. His $5 million lawsuit against the government (apparently it takes a lot of money to maintain high-mindedness, and oilmen are such an impecunious lot) was more or less laughed out of court.
Believe it or not, there's quite a community online for people creating replicas of the Kennedy rifle. Working examples of the el cheapo scope have been advertised for over $600, roughly a hundred times what they cost new back at the time.
Here was the U.S. government's contention:
The demand of plaintiff for $5,000,000 is on its face inequitable — in fact unconscionable — and would appear to be based on some projected market value which could only arise from the fact that these are curiosities which derive their character as such from the assassination and which can be exhibited on a profit basis. But the uniqueness of the items in question, in our opinion, precludes reception of evidence of market value. We can see no demonstrable market for these particular objects.[80]
Perhaps five million late 1960s U.S. dollars was a bit high, but the claim of "We can see no demonstrable market for these particular objects." is absolutely ludicrous, especially when one considers that after all of these years there's quite a community online for people creating replicas of the Kennedy rifle. Working examples of the el cheapo scope have been advertised for over $600, roughly a hundred times what they cost new back at the time.
It seems the case was decided on the matter of whether Mrs. Oswald was in legal possession of the firearm when Mr. King negotiated the purchase from her. The courts decided that Lee Oswald had abandoned it on November 22, 1963.