The testimony of Malcolm R. Slaughter was taken at 7:30 p.m., on April
16, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Leon D. Hubert, Jr.,
assistant counsel of the President’s Commission.
Mr. HUBERT. Mr. Slaughter, my name is Leon Hubert. I am a member of the
advisory staff of the General Counsel of President Johnson’s Commission
on the Assassination of President Kennedy. Under the provisions of
Executive Order 11130, dated November 29, 1963, and Joint Resolution of
Congress No. 137, and the rules of procedure adopted by the Commission
in accordance with the Executive order and the joint resolution of
Congress, I have been authorized to take a sworn deposition from you.
I state to you now that the general nature of the Commission’s inquiry
is to ascertain, evaluate, and report upon the facts relating to the
assassination of President Kennedy and the subsequent violent death of
Lee Harvey Oswald. In particular as to you, Mr. Slaughter, the nature
of the inquiry tonight is to determine what facts you know about the
death of Oswald and any other pertinent facts you may know about the
general inquiry, and particularly what you may know about Jack Ruby and
his whereabouts and movements on Sunday, November 24.
Mr. Slaughter, normally the witnesses are required to come before the
Commission by a written letter or notice in writing sent to them by a
member of the Commission or the general counsel, Mr. J. Lee Rankin. I
have such a letter in my possession, but we have been unable to get it
to you on account of your work.
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I have the letter.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you get it over 3 days ago?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I got it; I got it last Friday.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, that’s fine. Then, it is over 3 days ago. Now,
would you stand and take the oath, please? Do you solemnly swear the
testimony you are about to give before the Commission will be the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you state your name, please?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Malcolm R. Slaughter.
Mr. HUBERT. Your age?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Forty-four.
Mr. HUBERT. Your residence?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. 5638 Ridgeway Drive, Houston, Tex.
Mr. HUBERT. What is your occupation, Mr. Slaughter?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Line driver.
Mr. HUBERT. For what company?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. For Red Ball Motor Freight.
Mr. HUBERT. How long have you been so employed?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Eight years.
Mr. HUBERT. You are a family man?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. So you have a wife and children?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. I understand that tonight you are en route from one point
to another?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s correct.
Mr. HUBERT. I think that during last fall you and at least one other
of your friends or fellow drivers of trucks rented an apartment as a
stopoff or sleeping place here in Dallas; is that correct?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. We were domiciled in Dallas at that time.
Mr. HUBERT. You were?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Would you tell us where this apartment was located?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. In the Oak Cliff section of Dallas--223 South Ewing.
Mr. HUBERT. What apartment did you have?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Apartment 204.
Mr. HUBERT. Who else shared that apartment with you?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Jack Scritchfield [spelling] S-c-r-i-t-c-h-f-i-e-l-d,
and Sidney Evans.
Mr. HUBERT. You don’t have that apartment any more, I take it?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir; I vacated March 1.
Mr. HUBERT. When did you first occupy the apartment?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. October 30, 1963.
Mr. HUBERT. And how often were you there between that date and November
24, 1963?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. You say--how often?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes, sir--I mean--did you live there or were you on the
road a great deal of the time?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. We maintained our homes in Houston but due to the fact
we drove out of Dallas, Tex., off of the pool board in Dallas, we had
to maintain a residence in Dallas. That’s why the three of us split
costs and rented this apartment.
Mr. HUBERT. What I wanted to get at--we are talking about a period of
approximately 24 or 25 days, from October 31, I think you said, until
November 24, and I was just wondering how many of those nights or days
you were on the road and didn’t occupy the apartment?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Well, I have logs to substantiate it--I can’t give you
the exact figure.
Mr. HUBERT. No, sir--just approximately.
Mr. SLAUGHTER. In and out--every time I was in Dallas I stayed there.
Mr. HUBERT. That would be how often, roughly?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. It could be every night--every third night, and most
generally always on weekends.
Mr. HUBERT. And when you did stay in that apartment it would be during
the daytime, sometimes?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes, sir--mostly in the daytime.
Mr. HUBERT. And mostly on Sundays and Saturdays?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. On weekends.
Mr. HUBERT. On weekends?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you ever get to meet a man by the name of Jack Ruby who
occupied an apartment in that same building?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Not personally.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you see him prior to November 24, 1963?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I would say possibly two or three times in passing, only.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you ever converse with him?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir; only to say “hello” or some such greeting as
that.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you know his name at that time?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir--not at that time.
Mr. HUBERT. Prior to November 24 you did not know his name?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you know George Senator, who lived with him?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you know him as well as you knew Jack Ruby, say, but of
course--you didn’t know him at all?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I don’t know George Senator to this moment.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you know a man, even if you did not know his name, who
shared an apartment with Jack Ruby?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, coming precisely to November 24, 1963, do you remember
whether you were at the apartment that you have described on that date?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I was.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you remember whether you saw Jack Ruby on that date? At
or about or near the apartment?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. On November 24?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes.
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I did.
Mr. HUBERT. At approximately what time did you see him, sir?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Approximately 10:05 a.m.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, you are fixing that time very accurately, and I want
to ask you how you do so?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Evans had just returned from a Catholic church
in Oak Cliff, stating that he thought there was a 10 o’clock mass;
however, there was none, so he returned to our apartment approximately
at 10 o’clock a.m. I had just gotten up when he came in the apartment.
Mr. HUBERT. That’s Evans you are talking about?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. When Evans came in the apartment, I spoke to him and
asked him what happened. He replied there was no mass at 10 a.m.
He had decided to go to 11 o’clock mass. I went out in the kitchen
and put on the coffee pot. Then I asked Evans how was the weather?
He said, “Rather windy.” So, as was my custom, I walked out on the
balcony just for my own information to see what the weather was like.
It is approximately 50 feet to the railing where I would look down the
freeway, and as I walked out the door toward this railing, I met Jack
Ruby.
Mr. HUBERT. Was that in the hallway of the place?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. On a balcony, sir. He was coming the opposite way. I
said, “Good morning,” and he acknowledged the greeting, not with the
words “Good morning,” or “Howdy,” or any such statement, but he did
acknowledge the greeting.
Mr. HUBERT. That is to say, he made no sound but he made a nod, I
suppose; is that what you mean?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. “Hmmm”; something like that.
Mr. HUBERT. You passed right by him, then?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s correct.
Mr. HUBERT. Within a matter of a foot or two?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s correct.
Mr. HUBERT. How was he dressed at that time?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. In my terms, I would say very casual, such as a pair
of khakis and a light jacket. I, myself, wear khakis and T-shirt as
lounging clothes, we’ll use that term. I would say that Jack Ruby was
dressed similarly.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he have a coat on, and I don’t mean an overcoat, but a
coat to a suit?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he have a shirt or tie on?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I don’t think he did. As I said, he did have a light
jacket on and it appeared to be as my dress or a T-shirt, or some
nature as that.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he appear to be shaved?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I didn’t observe that closely.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you observe whether his hair was disheveled?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. His hair was combed and I’ll say he was more or less
looking down as if in deep thought. That’s my impression.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he have a hat on?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. From what direction was he coming?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Direction-wise he was coming from the end of the stairs
which would let him walk in front of our apartment on down to his. As
for direction, that would be----
Mr. HUBERT. He was going toward his apartment?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s right.
Mr. HUBERT. If he continued in that direction, he, of course, could get
to his apartment, but could he get to the lower floor at all?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Not without back tracking or passing his apartment.
There is a stairway on either end of the balcony.
Mr. HUBERT. And you met him about the middle of it or something like
that?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Toward our end.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you observe whether he went into his apartment or not?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Was he carrying anything?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you know where he parked his car?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Only hearsay. There was parking space provided for all
tenants at the rear of the apartment.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, considering where that parking space was, if he were
going from his car to his apartment, would he be taking the route you
saw him take, or would the other route have been better?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Well, as I say, I don’t know his car--I do not know
where he was parked. Presuming he would park where the rest of us did
and he was coming from his car?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes.
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Presumably, it would have been the other end of the
stairway that he would have used.
Mr. HUBERT. Rather than what he probably used--that’s the stairway that
was on the end toward which you were approaching, is that right?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s correct. My presumption there would be that he
had either been to the mailbox or to the manager’s apartment.
Mr. HUBERT. Could he have been to the basement where it was possible to
wash clothes?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s on the other end of the building.
Mr. HUBERT. So, that it would be improbable that he would be coming at
that time from the basement area?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. It would be improbable--yes.
Air. Hubert. When Mr. Evans came in, were you awake?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I know not whether I was awake or he awakened me upon
entering.
Mr. HUBERT. But you would judge that it would be about 10 minutes from
the time that you first spoke to Evans until you saw Jack Ruby, or
longer? Or shorter?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. I would say approximately that length of time.
Mr. HUBERT. About 10 minutes?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. About 10 minutes.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, in order to get it exactly straight, you
would estimate that Evans came in about 5 minutes to 10, and that you
occupied yourself in speaking to him a bit, and putting on the coffee,
talking about the weather, and subsequently going out on the balcony
and at the point at which you saw Ruby 10 minutes had elapsed from the
time you first had spoken to Evans?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s approximately correct.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you see Ruby any more that day?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Was there much space between your apartment and his
apartment?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Two apartments.
Mr. HUBERT. You couldn’t hear anything that might be going on in his
apartment?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you hear anything from the direction of his apartment
which might have indicated someone was leaving?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you hear or see his automobile leave?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir; I haven’t seen him yet.
Mr. HUBERT. This third gentleman who shared the apartments with you, I
think you called him Mr. Scritchfield?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Jack Scritchfield.
Mr. HUBERT. Was he there then?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he see Ruby to your knowledge?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Not on that day; no, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Was he sleeping?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. He had just gone to bed within 30 minutes of Evans’
arrival.
Mr. HUBERT. And you would judge that he was asleep or at least in bed
at the time Evans got back?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Had he been up prior to that time and moving around?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. You are speaking of Jack?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes.
Mr. SLAUGHTER. He had just come in off of a run.
Mr. HUBERT. He walked right into the house and undressed and went to
bed?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. In a very short matter of time--I don’t know exactly
what time Jack got to the apartment, but he had been on an overnight
run and he had just arrived and was due to sleep all day Sunday.
Mr. HUBERT. Prior to the time that you saw Ruby, had Sidney Evans
mentioned anything to you about having seen him also?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Not until after the television program.
Mr. HUBERT. Had you ever seen Ruby in or about the apartments with any
feminine company?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Had you ever seen him there walking in or about with any
man?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Had you ever seen him with a dog?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Mr. Slaughter, have you ever been interviewed by any member
of the Commission prior to this occasion?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. Not the Commission.
Mr. HUBERT. All right, sir, have you anything else that you can tell us
regarding the movements of Jack Ruby on this day or on any other day?
Mr. SLAUGHTER. No, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Thank you very much. We appreciate your cooperation.
Mr. SLAUGHTER. That’s all right--I hope this was some help.
Mr. HUBERT. Thank you again.