Mr. SPECTER. That is Saturday.
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir; I could have called any number of people.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you make a call to RI 8-1434?
Mr. WALL. That number—that could have been Jim Mahon.
Mr. SPECTER. Was Jim Mahon’s number Riverside 8-4361 or do you recall?
Mr. WALL. No; that is his number. I do know—Riverside, 1434, I don’t
know, sir. I’m sure I placed quite a few calls that day. I talked to a
lot of people.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you ever have a financial interest with Jack Ruby in
the Sovereign Club?
Mr. WALL. No, sir; not as far as putting in our own money at all; only
that we would retain a percentage of the club.
Mr. SPECTER. What do you mean by “retain a percentage of the club”?
Mr. WALL. For doing our shows there because we only received a small
salary, as I said, $125 a week. He said he would give us a portion of
the club.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you mean a percentage of the gross receipts or a
percentage of the net receipts?
Mr. WALL. I mean a percent of the club, period.
Mr. SPECTER. Half ownership in the club?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Was that ever formalized into a written contract?
Mr. WALL. As far as I know it was, sir, but I don’t remember where the
papers are. I think they were destroyed in the fire at the Playbill
Club.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you ever get such an interest in the Sovereign Club?
Mr. WALL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Have you ever been interviewed by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation or any other other Federal agency regarding your
connection with Jack Ruby?
Mr. WALL. I have never been called into an office and interviewed
at all. Possibly there were some men who came by and asked me a few
questions but I can’t remember it. It was that vague. I do know Joe
Peterson was interviewed by some representatives of the FBI.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you think you may have been interviewed by the FBI, but
you are not sure?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you ever tell the FBI anything about Ruby’s telephone
call on the night of November 23 to you in Galveston?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir; if they interviewed me I definitely told them about
it because it was very important.
Mr. SPECTER. But you are just not sure whether or not they interviewed
you?
Mr. WALL. I will tell you, things happened so fast. I definitely
remember Joe came back and said, “Two representatives want to talk to
you,” but I don’t remember ever talking to them.
Mr. SPECTER. You don’t have any specific recollection of ever talking
to them or telling them about that telephone call from Jack Ruby on
Saturday, November 23?
Mr. WALL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. Wall, did you and I have a brief interview before this
deposition started today?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And during the course of that interview did I ask you the
outline of the questions which we have covered here on the record?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And were your answers the same as you told me here this
afternoon?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you have anything to add which you think would be
helpful in any way to the President’s Commission?
Mr. WALL. Well, the only thing that I stated to you before is that
previously I said that Jack and Joe got into a fight when he blew his
stack but then on the other hand there was a time when we needed $300
very desperately and Jack in a matter of 10 minutes went over and got
a loan on his own car for us so that the man does have feelings and he
can flare up in 5 minutes and then forget about it, you know. I can’t,
but he is one type of person who can. You never know what he is going
to do next.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you know Ralph Paul?
Mr. WALL. That was the name of the gentleman who was visiting Jack at
the same time I was that I could not remember.
Mr. SPECTER. Aside from that time in the jail have you ever talked to
Ralph Paul?
Mr. WALL. Very, very little. Jack at one time has taken Joe and I
to a bowling alley—I remember Ralph Paul was along—and took us for
breakfast. We bowled a game but I still didn’t say seven or eight words
to the man. I was very friendly but I still didn’t say anything to him.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you make any effort to telephone Ralph Paul anytime on
November 22 or 23?
Mr. WALL. No, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Or November 24?
Mr. WALL. No, sir. I wouldn’t even know how to get ahold of the man.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. Wall, if you wish, we can make available the typed-up
copy of this deposition for you to read and sign, or if you are
willing, you can waive that signature which means that you will not
read and sign the transcript. Do you have any preference on the subject?
Mr. WALL. I will do whatever is the easiest, for you all and the best
way.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you willing then to waive your reading and signature?
Mr. WALL. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Fine. We appreciate that. We will then accept your waiver.
It may or may not be made available for you to read and sign. Thank you
very much for your appearing here today.