Mr. HUBERT. The beginning of the notes relating to the interview in
Captain Fritz’ office?
Mr. SORRELS. That is right.
Mr. HUBERT. It is your testimony now it would be your custom, as I
understand it, to put the time at the beginning of the notes.
Mr. SORRELS. Ordinarily we do. In this other one, I did not put the
time.
Mr. HUBERT. All right.
Mr. SORRELS. He gave his name as Jack Leon Ruby. He was asked about who
his attorneys were, and he said that he was going to get Tom Howard and
possibly Fred Brunner, and Stanley Kaufman, a civil attorney, and Jim
Arnton. In other words, he was going to consider those and C. A. Droby.
He said that his name was changed in Dallas.
Now, I might put in here as an explanation that these are in response
to questions that Captain Fritz was asking him. That he had this gun
for 2 or 3 years. That George Senator was a roommate. That he came in
the basement--the word “basement” is not shown here--he came in off
Main Street, off of the ramp. That he felt that Oswald was a Red, and
that he was alone on this assassination. That he saw Oswald in the
showup room, or a similar room. That he knew who he was going for. That
he did not want to be a martyr. That he had built up--was a buildup of
grievance. That he had closed both clubs.
And I have the notation here “Vegas, Oaklawn, 3508, Carousel, 1312½
Commerce.” That he never saw the man before this thing took place,
referring to the time that he was down at the police station, or city
hall, rather. That he had been in the mail-order business. That he had
been a labor organizer. That he was fond of the police department.
And when Police Officer Slick had been killed--that is all I have in
the notes, but he said that he grieved about that.
That he had been around Saturday night, that people were laughing,
no one was in mourning. That he had seen a eulogy on TV. That he saw
the President’s brother, Bobby, on TV. That he guessed that there
was created a moment of insanity. That he read about the letter that
someone sent to little Caroline. That he knows the police department is
wonderful. That his heart was with the police department. That he had
hoped that if ever there was an opportunity--that he had hoped there
was an opportunity for him to participate in a police battle, and he
could be a part of it, meaning on the side of the police.
That his mother and dad were separated for 25 years. That he owes Uncle
Sam a big piece of money. That he has love for the city of Dallas--for
the city--he did not say Dallas. That his sister was operated on
recently, she was hysterical about the President. That he went to the
synagogue Friday night, heard a eulogy. And he had been grieving from
that time on. That he went over to where the President was shot.
He wanted Captain Fritz to not hate him for what he had done. That when
he was with the union, that one of his dear friends was killed, he came
to the place where it happened. Leon Cook was the man. That Ruby’s
mother told him to leave. That he was in the union Scrap Iron and Junk
Dealers Association. That a man by the name of Jim Martin killed Cook.
That Martin was political and had affiliations and got out of it.
That his roommate sold postcards. That his politics were Democratic,
but he voted for the man.
That Sammy Ruby, a brother, who services washaterias. Another brother,
Earl Ruby, in Detroit, who operated a cleaning plant. Another brother,
Hyman Rubenstein, in Chicago, a salesman.
That he had also sold twist boards. That he would not think of
committing a felony. That Tom O’Grady, a Catholic, formerly with the
police department, had called him, that he had called Sims, who is one
of the members of the police department, and wanted to bring sandwiches
for them, because he knew they were having a tough time, and that Sims
said that it wasn’t needed.
That he tried to locate--anyway, it was some of the TV people to give
them to. And that is when he went to the showup room. And that is the
first time that he had even seen anyone like that, referring to Oswald.
That he had seen Henry, meaning Henry Wade, the district attorney,
talking to someone. That KLIF, the radio station there, had been good
to him. No one else was involved.
That is my notes--“no one else involved”--meaning there was no one else
involved with him, Ruby, in connection with the shooting.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, was this a sort of monologue on his part, or response
to questions?
Mr. SORRELS. No; as I said a moment ago, that was in response to
questions.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, thus far have you covered only the part of the
interview which was conducted by Fritz, or was some of that the result
of your questioning?
Mr. SORRELS. About the only thing that I recall questioning him about
was possibly the correct address on the night club.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you know if anyone asked him how he got in?