l!lliJiiiill - National Archives and Records Administration

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torneys
Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination C=o~ll~ec:t io:.: n :~K.:.e:::y.:P.:e.: rs::o:: n s:.;F:.; ·i.:,: l c:, s _______.;..;;;;;.___________"\______..

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
Buby. _Ja~ II /
1
STANLEY F. KAUFl'I!AN, .520 • ·:, ·~.;;3i
Building, advised that t·~ has known J'/'..'"'-i.'- .. T
and nas represen·ced him in ::; e•ieral c1 i~. .a'
~~~ night_night club business in Dallas.
NO
·1 C' ~ · -
:.e :J.ec·" .itics
s J.· E ' 1 .954
er~ ·· • .

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Records
of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
DL 44-1639
2
~ ..... ~· - · . '
' )
- 1
unable_:to. do so. KAUFMAN stated that RUBY told him that he
had been to the Dallas News .Advertising Department and had
raised "hE!ll" with the .Ad Department for accepting such an ad.
KAUFMAN stated that from his contacts with
RUBY and the civil matters he has handled for him he is aware
that RUBY is quick tempered, and that it is his opinion RUBY
had no assistance or guidance in connection with his shooting
of OSWALD.
.,­
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
D
ission No.~
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"C' __ _
}___
I-~

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
FD-302 (Rev. 3-3-59)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
_Ruby, JacJt // /
1 Date JJ /?'i'/63
HENRY KLEPAT< 3 Attorney, J 509 Mercantile Bank
.Building, Dallas , Texas, IU!viiled that tn 1956 he represented
JACK RUBY in a suit filed against him by hi~ brother, s. D.
RUBY. He recalls no details cf thl

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fil es
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
Date
Pa g e
05 / 07/ 20
1
-- - ---- -- ------------------- - - ----------------------- ---- ------- ----- ------- -- -
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
RECORDS SERIES
AGENCY FILE NUMBER
AGENCY INFORMAT I ON
we
179 - 40002-10325
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
--- - ---- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
ORIGINATOR
FROM
TO
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
SUBJECTS
FBI
11/30/1963
1
RUBY, JACK, TRIAL
HOWARD,
TOM
DOCUMENT TYPE
CLASSIFICATION
RESTRICTIONS
CURRENT STATUS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW
OPENING CRITERIA
FOWLER, CLAYTON
FERRANTELO, CHICKEN
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
UNCLASSIFIED
OPEN IN FULL
OPEN
12/06/1994
COMMENTS ALSO IDENTIFI ED AS DL 44-1639; P. 368
----------------------------------------------------------- -- ---------- - ----
[R] - I TEM IS RESTRICTED

---
Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fil es
...
DL 44-1639
NAP: sl:eah
Mr. CLAYTON FOWLER, Lawyers Building, Dallas,
Texas on 11/2~/63, advised SA NAT A'< PINKSTON that he 'did
not w~nt any information furnished by him concerning JACK
RUBY either published or made known to RUBY, since he is
an attorney who has represented RUBY in the past and presentl~
shares office space with Mr. c. A. DROBY, another attorney
who has represented RUBY and who was called to. represent. RUBY
in this case, but did not accept the employment.
FOWLER stated that he has known JACK RUBY in
the past and does not believe that RUBY committed the murder
of OSWALD from patriotic motives. He may have done it for
publicity or to raise himself soCially in the eyes of the
public and his friends. He stated that Mr. DROBY feels. the
same way and made the statement, "There is no way that RUBY
could be as loyal as he is claiming."
FOWLER stated that he feels that the case will
receive a great amount of unfavorable publicity for th~ .
country since it now appears that TOM HOWARD, an attorn~y,
will represent RUBY and it is a well-known fact that TOM
HOWARD was convicted in Federal Court in Dallas for failure
to file income tax returns and was disbarred by the Texas
Bar Association in view of tftis. It is also well known that
TOM HOWARD divorced his wife·and married the widow of the
well-known late gambler, CHICKEN FERRANTELO, who was m~dered
in Dallas by a woman. Mr. FOWLER stated further that qnother
attorney, Mr. PHIL BURLESON, told him that he had received a
call from someone in show business concerning hiring him to
represent RUBY. BURLESON has recently resigned from Dallas
County District Attorney•s Office, and has entered private
law practice. BURLESON decided after discussing the case with
him not to get into it.
·..
REV'~=WED
BY FBIIJFK TASK FORCE
ON lz_/G{-9~ &t.Y---
1¥' RELL,1Sl IN FULL
cJ RELEASE IN PARr
0 TOTAL DENIAL
Cowmis~ion No. ~~
FBI 7
..
XE RO
COPY
I XERO
~OOP Y

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
FD-302 (Rev, l ·2S·60)
1.
I NTERVI EH VIITH 1\TE\IiSI·1EN
__ j
Oswald, Le a H. - Murder oy Ruby I
FED):RAL BUREAU OF JN VESTJ fK..·•nl-' L
'UN . ~. ea H. - Mur der by Ruby ~
Ruby, Jtlck '1 0

- ....-.--- Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
------ - _-;-- _-:-:-,..,-.--:--:------1
"""\
' )
. :NY 44-97 .L~
2.
third floor. The corridol~ was not crowded at that
tim8 a:.-.J he is not sure if he was required to s!iO"tl
identificativtl at the time. He went to the office
of the Chief of Police Curry.
Chief Curry was standing outside his office
talking to some photographers who Nanted to lmo\'l
when they could get pictures of Oswald. Cu:' r y was
telling these men that Om

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
~
'
'
'
'
NY 44-974
3.
He observed Oswald being brought out by
police officers into the basement corridor. He
saw Oswald look to the left. which he later
believed was the direction from which Jack Ruby
came.
He did not see Jack Ruby in the basement
area that morning. As Os\'lald was 1·1alk1n;3 along
t:1is corridor he heard a shot and saw Oswald
- bend over clutching his abdomen . He saw police
officers grappling with a man whom he did not
know at the time. He saw a hat rolling on the
floor and believed the initials inside the hat
were J.R. He oointed out that he did not see
Jack Ruby any time prior to the time Os·.1ald was
shot. He did not see the gun used by Jack Ruby.
He observed that after Oswald was shot
he \•fas taken back t hrough the door·.-;ay from which
he had emerged and the man in police custody. whom
he later determined was Jack Ruby, was also taken
through this doorway. :rvlachirella l'ras sta~ding
near this doorway and could see Osl'rald lying
on the floor inside the door>'lay. Then, in a sl1ort
time. Oswald v1as placed in an ambulance and taken
to a hospital.
He recalled that just about the time that
he heard the shot a car had backed rapidly dovm
the ramp behind the armored car and stopped short.
He did not knov; of any authorized persons
permitted to enter the basement area on November.24, 1963,
without exhibiting identification.
l
C (( 1 o6

Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Co llecti on: Key Persons Fil es
0
....._
( )
• • ~ !
·'J
'i
NY 44-974
4.
He did not knm•r f:::oom his own per.sonal
knowledge of any unauthorized person in t he
basement area on the morning of November 24,
1963. Someone did tell him that a sixteen year old
female reporter for a hig:1 school newspaper
was in the basememt that mo:::oning. He did not
know who had furnished him this information, but
believed it might be w. Fowler, a reporter for
the 11 Dallas Morning News 11 ,
Machirella estimated t~at the::-oe were
between 75 and 100 people, in addition to police
officers, in the basement area on· that morning. It
did not seem to him that all could have been
authorized press representatives, but he could
not name any unauthorized persons in the basement
other than the girl mentioned above. 'J.'he only
persons he actually knev; among the press
representatives in the basement v;ere the following:
A girl named Peggy (Last Name Unlmovm) (LNU),
who is a reporter for the Dallas .dureau
of the Associated Press;
Gene Miller, Reporter for the "Min.mi,
Florida Herald";
Tony Ripley, Reporter for the
11
Detroit Times 11 ;
Francois (LNU), Reporter for the
French Press.
He is not certain, but he believed that Adrian Smith
and John Me Donough, Reporters for the "Philadelphia
Evening Bulletin 11 , "l'lere in the basement that morning.
[$
c --

Records of the John F. KeiiDedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
NY 44-974
5.
rvrachirella had no knovrledge that any person
conspired with Huby to kill Oswald. He also had
no knowled'3e that any police officer, or other
official, conspired \vit 1 Ruby or wilfully
permitted the killing of Oswald.
rvrachirella did not see or tall-c to Ruby
at any time on November 22, 23, or 24, 1963.
rliachirella did not know of any connection
between Ruby and Oswald.
f/Jachirella a~ related the folloNing
facts wh1ch were fu~hed to him on November 25,
1963, ,by Tom Howard~who was attorney for Jack
Ruby: ..,...
Howard was in the basement near the nublic
elevator at the time Oswald v:as shot. This was
not in the same area where the shooting took place .
After the shooting, Hmvard left the basement
of the building and went to his office nearby.
His partner, E. c. Sullivan, was in the office at
the time, There was also a man in the office, whom
Howard said identified himself as 11 a la1V~Jel~
from the East" . This man had an attache case
with him, which he opened and tilbich corrbained tvro
guns , on e of these was an automatic and a pistol.
Thi s man had t old Howard that he came to Dallas
to kill Oswal d. Ho;-1ard informed this man that
he might a s well take a bus back t o the East.
~achirella a~estioned Howard as to
whet her he had report ed this to police authoritie s
and Howa ::::-d indica t ed that he had not. HO\'lar d
·------- --··-

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
l\ ()
NY 44-974
6.
did say that he had taken the two guns from this
man . Hm-mrd had pointed out that the r.1an came
to his c""fice because he noticed the sign
Hov.rard had ou..,.;;ide his office indicating that
he was an attorney. Machirella describeci. the
i nformation furnished by Ho1.-1ard as "fanta.stic 11 1
but he did report it to his nm-.spaper, ;-;hich
did not print it. Machirella t:1ought the
story had been made u;> by Hmvard and he
bel ieved that this story gives an indication
of the t ype of man that Houard is. Maonirella
thought Howard's pu~pose for furnishing this
information was to give the impression that a
numbe r of people. wanted to lcill OSI-?ald.
-c !\ 1 o b. ·
JD

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
~ GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
ROUTING SLIP u.
TOI co Rl R2 R3 R4 RS R6 Rl RB R9 RIO
I.
NAME AND/ OR SYMBOL
. M:c I I!!i:e Ra.nk11l- .,.
2")~ , ~ ~r7i
3.
4.
~
~
BUILDING, ROOM, ETC.
II-/
i/ ;~/cc.)
/
I
5.
D ALLOTMENT SYMBOL 0 HANDlE DIRECT 0 READ AND DESTROY
0 APPROVAL 0 IMMEDIATE ACTION 0 RECOMMENDATION
D AS REQUESTED 0 INITIALS D SEE ME
0 CONCURRENCE 0 NECESSARY ACTION 0 SIGNATURE
0 CORRECTION 0 NOTE AND RETURN 0 YOUR COMMENT
0 FILING 0 PER OUR CONVERSATION 0 YOUR INFORMATION
D FULL REPORT D PER TELEPHONE CONVERSATION 0
D ANSWER OR ACKNOWL-
EDGE ON OR BEFORE
D PREPARE REPLY FO R
THE SIGNATURE OF
REMAR KS
Mr. Malley called me Saturday morning to inforn
me of a report received fran the FBI office in Dallas
concerning a call from Mr. Tonahill. Mr. Tonahill
offered his client, Jack L. Ruby, to the FBI for the
purpose of any or all scientific investigations which
the FBI or other federal authorities might wish to
make, including lie detector tests, truth serum, etc .
Mr . Malley stated that the FBI office in Dallas
informed Mr . Tonahill that the trial of Ruby was a
state and not a federal matter. The FBI further inforn d
Mr. Tonahill that if he wishes to inform the President ' >
Commission of this matter, as Mr . Tonahill indicated he
wanted to do , the appropriate course was to contact
directly representatives of the President ' s Commission.
:t:: AND/
FROM I co Rl R2 R3 R4 RS R6 Rl
OR SYMBOL _, -:;;;It; ,l!f• ~t¥G . ROOf, ETC.
Howard P. Willens
u. s . GOVER NM ENT PRINTI NG OI',.ICE . 1959 0 510156
.
.q{,
RB
DATE
R9
RIO
1/18/(:)+
GSA FORM 14
MAY 1959

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fil es
Date
Page
05/08/20
1
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTI FICATION FORM
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
RE CORDS SERIES
AGENCY FI LE NUMBER
AGENCY INFORMATION
we
179-40003-10267
09: RUBY , JACK 11 - 1
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
OR IGINATOR
FROM
TO
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
SUBJECTS
FBI
01/30/1964
2
BROMBERG, WALTER
RUBY,
JACK
DOCUMENT TYPE
CLASSIFICATION
RESTRICTIONS
CURRENT STATUS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW
OPENING CRITERIA
COMMENTS
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
UNCLASSIFIED
OPEN IN FULL
OPEN
12/06/1994
P. 1-2
------ -- --- ---- ------- --- ---------- -- ------- --~ --- ------- -- ---- --------- --·- -- -
[R] - ITEM I S RESTRICTED

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
In Reply, Please Refer to
FileNo.
San Francisco, California
January 30, 196'+
DR.
A source advised on January 30, 1952, that Dr. Bromberg
was employed by the Depart ent of Public Health, State of California,
as an assistant physician and surgeon at the Sacramento
Police mergency ospital, Sacr ento, California, since October,
1951.
Dr. ro berg was born December 16, 1900, t lew Yor
City, ew York. He attended elementary an high school in
rooklyn, ew York. He received a B. S. degree from the University
of Cincinnati in 1924. He receivedan H. D. degree fro
Long lslan College.
Dr. Bro.bere served in the U. S. Navy as a Co ander
in the Medical Corps fro May, 1942, to June, 1946, having U. S.
avy Serial wnber 216461. From June, 1946, to August, 1950, h
conducted a private practice as a edical psychiatrist at eno,
evada. From August, 1950, to September, 1951, he was employed
with the California State Department of l1ental Hygiene at Mendocino
State ospital. The source furnished the following description
of Bra ber
Na e:
Race:
Born:
Heigh
'ei ht:
11arital status:
Residence:
REV'
Dr. ialter Brouber
White
Dece ber 16, 1900, at New Yor ·
City, Iew York
5 1 10"
180 lbs.
Married
1907 21st Street, Sacra ento,
C; 'f~ f ~ - 52)
Tnis document conta~n recommendat~ons nor conclus~ons
of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your
gency; it and its contents are not ~J be distributed outside
your agency.

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
Re: DR. WALTER BROMBERG, MD
In the !- ovember 9, 1951, issu of the San Fr ncisco
"Examiner", an wspaper published in San Fr ncisco, California,
there appe rc an article headlined "Dr. Bromberg Under Fir ."
A ubh adin stat d "Meddled At Director Says." The
article set out as follows:
"Dr. Walter l3ro b r , ou te Dir eta of Clinical Surveys
at Mendocino State rospital, was accused to y of meddlin
in Agnews tate Honpit 1 ff irs.
The accusation was by Dr. Halter Rapp port,
of Aene.: , in a St te P x· onnel Bo rd h aring on
pp al from hi dismissal.
Rappaport s i Bro ber twic consulted wo n patients at
A news while he was e. ployed at Mendocino. Rappaport said
this t.as the first time in the hi,.,tory of California th t a
tate hospital director intervened in th ad inistr tion of
another tate ho~pi tal."
In the SepteJ:Jber 2 , 1951, issue of th New York "Daily
.Jews", a nc\-JS aper publish din New York City, there a p r dan
rticle showin a photograph of Belle ro berg and her two children
in connection with the arr•est of al t r Bromber on the
roun s t at her alicony ayments •ere in jeop rdy in that he
h d thr at n d to ,a to Californi if she jd not a ree to a
Florida d·varce. The rticle r fleeted th t Belle Bro ber
alle d thut lter Bromber h d be n to California on trip
with a Welfare Department employ e by the name of Esther Boyd
and that Dr. romber had been livin with oyd since 1939.
As cond source dvis don Octob r 27, 1952, th t s e
is very close acquaintance of Hazel Nystron, who admitted to
h r that she h s b n a memb r o th Co unist Party of the USA.
ystron encoura ed the ourc to beco e ember of the Communist
Party and in this connection arr n ed n introduction for th
sourc with the Or aniz tional nd Memb r hip Dir ctor of the
Com.unist P rty in th Sacramento ar a.
Nystron invited h r to variou social functions in
Sacra ento. y tron nd so of her s ociates have, with ome
frequency, en a in "sex parties" wh r ba , immor 1 practices
took plac • Th sourc ttended one uch function without prior
knowl de of the practice to t ke place. Pr em: at thi.., "party"
w s Dr. 'alt r Bromberg who was th n employed as physici n at
the Sacram nto City o pit l nd who form r•ly w s Clinical Dir ctor•
t th M ndocino St te lo pit 1.
2

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
Date
Page
05/08/20
1
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
RECORDS SERIES
AGENCY FILE NUMBER
AGENCY INFORMATION
we
179-40003-10308
09: RUBY, JACK 11 - 1
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
ORIGINATOR
FROM
TO
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
SUBJECTS
FBI
HOOVER, J. EDGAR
RANKIN, J. LEE
02/04/1964
2
BROMBERG, WALTER
RUBY , JACK
DOCUMENT TYPE
CLASSIFICATION
RESTRICTIONS
CURRENT STATUS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW
OPENING CRITERIA
COMMENTS
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
UNCLASSIFIED
OPEN IN FULL
OPEN
12/06/1994
COVER LETTER PLUS ROUTING SLIP
[R) - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

R7 RB R9 RIO
BUILDING, ROOM, ETC.
D ALLOTMENT SYMBOL
0 APPt

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
/1-/
Of''Fltl£ OF 'THE DIR.ECTO R
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
.J
WASHI NG T ON 25, D . C.
February 4, 1964
Honorable J . Lee Rankin
General Counsel
The President's Commission
200 Maryland . venue, Northeast
Washington, D. C. 20002
Dear Mr • Rank in :
Dr . Walter Bromberg has been widely reported in
the newspapers as a New York psychiatrist upon whose
testimony Jack Ruby's defense lawyers have relied heavily
in connection with the hearings in the Ruby case at
Dallas, Texas.
I am enclosing herewith a letterhead
memorandum setting forth certain information from the
files of this Bureau pertaining to Dr. Bromberg which may
be of interest to you.
Sincerely yours,
Enclosure

~----=-.;:;;:===== Rec o rds of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fil es
OFFICE OF Till: DU:ECTOR
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
BilbY. ;raok j / ~
"RUbY• Jack I /
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
March 11, 1964
BY COURIER SERVICE
Honorable J. Lee Rankin
General Counsel
The President's Commission
200 L!aryland Avenue, Northeast
Washington, D. C. 20002
Dear Mr. Rankin ;
It has come to the attention of this Bureau that
Paul D. Cantor, M. D., LL.B, Adjunct Professor of Law and
Professorial Lecturer in r.Icdicine, Georgetown University,
Washington, D. c., has in the past been engaged by Melvin rJ.
Belli to handle legal matters with related medical aspects.
It was learned on March 9, 1964, that Dr. Cantor has
withdrawn from the Ruby case for the reason that he
disliked the epileptic indication as an aspect of Ruby's
defense. Also it was reported that Dr. Cantor's lack of
knowledge as to the source of funds for Ruby's defense
was a factor in prompting him to withdraw from the case.
The above is being furnished for the information
of the Pl·esident's Commission in view of Dr . Cantor's
reported association with Mr . Belli, who is one of the
defense attorneys for Jack L. Ruby.
Sincerely yours,

Records of the John F. KeiiDedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
ACCESS RESTRICTED
The item identified below has been withdrawn· from this file:
File Designation A:J~ 1/-1 tl~
Date
~ cJt} I'M·!/
From ~/(~
To tJ £. ~~
/1
In the review of this file this item was removed because access to it is
restricted. Restrictions on records in the National Archives are stated
in general and specific record group restriction statements which are
available for examination.
The item identified above has been withdrawn
-
:::z
C>
-1
because it contains:
[g) Securi ty-·Cla s sified Information
c=J Otherwise Restricted Information
/ () -3-7f/
Date
GENERAL SERVICES ACMINISTRATIOO
GSA FORM 7117 (2·72)
GSA DC 72.10421

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
1
~1CC~vm
DL 44-1639'
Ruby, JaoJr
J J- J
Ot
lnvQ~V~d or Tnt nd Organizations
ervJ.ew(itd
On March 23, 1964, EARL RU~Y, 29925 Woodland Drive ,
Southfield; Michigan, advised the D~troit Office he had, whils in
Dail-&s, '!'exa.s, on Marc:h 16, 1964, obse:r-.,; -ed a telegram sent to MELVIN
BELLI, &Jttorney for JACK RUBY, e,,

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Records
of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
Date
Page
05/08/20
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JFK ASSASS I NATION SYSTEM
IDENTIFICATION FORM
-- - ------ - - ----- ---------------------------------------------------------- - --- -
RECORD
RECORDS
AGENCY FILE
AGENCY
NUMBER
SERIES
NUMBER
------------ - - ----- -
AGENCY INFORMATION
we
179 - 40003-10336
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
- - ---------------------------------------------------------
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
ORIGINATOR
FROM
TO
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
SUBJECTS
FBI
HOOVER, J . EDGAR
RANKIN , J . LEE
04/14/1964
2
RUBY, JACK
BELL I , MELV I N
TONAHILL , JOE
DOCUMENT TYPE
CLASSIFICATION
RESTRICTIONS
CURRENT STATUS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW
OPENING CRITERIA
COMMENTS
PAPER , TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
UNCLASSIFIED
OPEN IN FULL
OPEN
12/06/1994
ALSO IDENTIFIED AS GA FBI, MELVIN BELLI, JOE H.
TONAHILL; P . 1 -2
[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
~FFICk. 6F TIIE Dlllt:CTOR
Ur-;ITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
I
L
WASHINGTON 25. D. C .
pril 14, 1964
BY COURIER SERVICE
Honorable J. Lee Ranldn
General Cou::1sel
The President's Co~~ission
200 Maryland venue, .:o:rthe:::st
Washingto , D. C. 20002
Dear Mr. R~nldn:
A confidential source o~ th~s Bure~u hus
• advised thc.t r.k~lvin ,r. Belli, fo:-:1e:: ;;:.ttor;.-1cy of
Jac!: L. Ruby, di!"ccted a letter to Ruby dated Uarch 21,
196

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
--------
Honorable J . Lee Rankin
were made by you (Ruby). The testimony of McMillon was
completely destroyed, 1.1dl!illon h:lving testified he saw
certain things, where us, photographs shO\'led !.1c!.!illon was
not looking in the di~ection of Oswald at the time he
was shot.
~r. Ton~hill's letter continued by statin~ that ,
without the testimcny of the officers as to st~to o.ts
allegedly n::de by Ruby at the tine of and i:::.mediately
followin~ the shooting, the :Jist_ ict Attorney ,-,ould at
best have a case of murder ni·;;nout malice. "Of course,
our testimony would completely co.:ltradict that." The
penalty for murder without malice is from two to five
years. "We can reverse the case and get a change of
venue from the appellate court," and the statements of
the police officers will not be adoissible as res gestae.
llr. Tonahill said that, should P.uby enter a plea
of guil·;;y, he would, undoubtedly, get credit for the time
he spent in jail and should not have to serve over a year,
considering ti~- off for eood behavior, under a maximuo
sentence of five years. A second trial would likely take
less than a week and a jury would find _ uby not guilty,
because the approach would be soz:.e-r1hat different in the
next trial. "Also, Jack, even if you entered a plea and
commenced to serve out that short sentence, you would get
the treatment you need during that time."
The above is furnished to you for your information
in view of its relationship to the appeal and possible
retrial of Jack L. Ruby .
Sincerely yours ,
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Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
Date:OS/12/93
Page:1
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
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179-40005-10038
AGENCY INFORMATI ON
RECORDS SERIES
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
ORIGINATOR
FROM
TO
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BELLI, MELVIN
CRAIG, WALTER
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
04/21/64
26
SUBJECTS
RUBY, JACK
DOCUMENT TYPE
CLASSIFICATION
RESTRICTIONS
CURRENT STATUS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW
OPENING CRITERIA
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
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OPEN IN FULL
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COMMENTS
P. 1-26; BOX 16
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[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

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··•'Wal.ter ~.., ·craig, 'Esq,, President
The Ameriqan Bar Association
1155 E. 60th. street
Chicago, Il.linois. 6063]. ,
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~be found guilty of a bx:'each ,of professional. e~ics then your ,. .
p1.l'uli.c relations counsel may cafl in the press, television. radio, .' ... ' ·
:wire . services, t:j'le legal newspapers and th.e "profile" rnagaiines.
of all ·the Elrofessions, Mr, c:raig, we as la\vyers, and you
parti.cu.larly as a lawyer now about to assume the federal bench, .
shoqld know the roost about due process o f la\o~, fairness aM justice,
the right to an impartiql he

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is dead and . "his lawyer'' c·an • :t be fernbarr,assed by sitting next to . ,. '
hit:\ in court. It is another when 10rte has 1;0 stand ·up alone ... in . .
court for a flesh and ·blood defendant. and ~ixhaustedly fight against.
his being railroaded in the small hdurs of the · morning. - '., .. '
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Some of the leaders of the great fair minded Texas Bar
~-\ssociation, emboldened by the exa.'11ple set by your brazen public
ex parte conviction of mQ for exercising my frced9m of speeCh as ~~
an American lawyer, went even fu~'hcr than you: They too called · ·
a press conference and, . advising that I had breached professional
ethics by maligning the American c~ty of Dallas, they actually
distributed a "40 page brief" and announced that they were "going .
to tha Texas supreme court to disbar Belli from practicing in Texas."
Though this 40 .page brief" was allegedly "filed" with the
Texas suoreme court over two weel s ago, the Texas Bar Association
did not have even the courtesy to send me a copy. I wrote the
Texas suprcr:1e court for a copy of the " 4 0 page brief" • . The Clerk
'of that court and the Texas Bar Association i n a wire service story
said they would not send me a copy of the charges~ . However, today ·
I did receive a copy graciously sent me by the Chief Justice.
You know, r-~r. craig, that there is nothing I could have done
before, in, or after the Ruby trial that would have met with your
personal approval or that of the few "leade rs" of the American Bar
Association ,..,ith .,.,.hom I have been at war over the years because~
the interests of their clients conflict with those of. my clients, :
their concept of the service an American lawyer should perform for
his clients differs from my principles and beliefs. You want the -
American la~1yer to be a conforming second rank professional, a
sort of athletic supporter to insurance companies and big business.
I want him to be a leader.
Before I had even officially been retained by Jack Ruby,
your friend, the insurance company lawyer, president-elect Kuhn
of the American Bar Association, gave a talk to the oklahoma City
Bar Association. His remarks about me a nd my client thereat
·~ violated every canon of decency·, fair play and ethics of an ~/: .
;iawyer. They were so grossly in bad taste and abusive tnat some of
._:my friend.s of the oklahoma Bar telephoned me in dJ,..sgasfz. 4:::) report
.f.no=nc.v-.:Z~.reo:UJeDJ:-

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some cities irrAmcri~a, a stack of billd which the Rubys left and
their. checks marked "insufficient funds". I did not receive one
cant in fco nnd I don't suppoca that r•11 nck for it now, but I
did leave for Jack Ruby the legacy of that trial record which
you, if you are going to be a judge and if you believe in justice
in America, should be the first one to read so that something l:Uta
this can't happen in an American court again.
Insurance-company-lawyer-American-Bar-President-elect-I

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Mr. walter E. craig, continued
uutomobile' driver, the railroad ~orker, the F.E.L.A. cases, the
industrial accident cases and the ' crirninal defendant. ~lliy, if
the American Bar Association is a legal association of just and
fair lawyers should there be a great hue and cry publicly when
in the mind of the President of the Association (not a duly
elected committee) there is a violation by a lawyer representing
individuals and causes and.not when there is a violation by~
corporate lawyers?
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Mr. :i

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walter E. craig, continued
General Robert :Kennedy, asking that his anti-tl:'llst agency ·examine
into the "impartial list" and "confi,dential keV" roodtls
operandi of establishing this "impartial list".
You and some of the other "leaders" of the American
Bar Association must be well aware that this "impartial" list
-- is "rated" 111ith its "confidential key" by Martindale-Hubbell
"inquiring" in each community in the united states solely of
lawyers representing banks and insurance companies, those
regularly on the defense s ;idc of the lc::wsuit, as to who are
the "best" lawyers in the community, \vho have the most "ability",
what is their net \·1orth, \vho pays his bills promPtly. As a
result of ~uch "impartial inquiry" ( ~) the ., impartial rating"
is made up by the very interests we plaint~ff - lawyers regularly
oppose~ so, qUite undorstandably, throughout the united States,
many of my brethren at the personal injury bar, those able, ·
honest and courageous lawyers who will fight an insurance
company and a bank and defense lawyer firms such as yours and
Mr. xuhn's, are rated by these interests far below their legal
ability or~ what is less important, their financial worth. The
M. H. system of "impartial rating" is as impartial as it would
be to retain Richard Nixon to "rat'i!" Harry Truman's epitaph~
I can give you the name of tho ablest, most -honorable,
most ethical lawyers in any community in the united States who
pay their bills promptly and \~ho have enough of this world • s
goods to live like respectable human beings~ but who are rated
in this "irnpa.rtial law list" far below the banker's lawyer, the
insurance company's la\vyers and the other "defense lawyers" in
that particular community which lawyers couldn't pack their priefcases
in an ~onest man's race.
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I xnow that you, Martindale-Hubbel, and a small
minority of the American Bar Ass oci ation leaders have resentea
my attempts to break up this monopoly, not because it :has
damaged or diminished my practice but because I know that through
the perpetration of this A.B.A. monopoly able, good, honest and
indeed great indj_vidua~ pract:ione.rs have beenpe.rpetually and
da~ly deprived of law bu~iness that should have come to them
:but went· elsewhere to less able lav.>ye.rs pecause the_ ":forwarding"
~-or .institution or lawyer, seeing that they were ,.unrated"
or H rated" lower than another la\

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' Nr. Walter E. craig, continued
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which I have done so much writi~g. I felt perhaps that I
might have misjudged the American Bar Association after all.
· It-. could 'be a "grass roots" organization representing !:]d
the la ..,yers of the United States, those on the pJ_aintiff' s
:;).de as well as those reprcsanting insurance companies, those
representing the individual American as well as those representing
the American corporations; that some of the "leaders"
truly were interested in the complaints o f we members Qf the
plaintiff's 'bar~
When I carne to Chicago~ thcte were a number of
inquiries addressed to me about Lif~ magazine having done a
"profile" on me and call.i.ng ·roe the "l

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Mr~ Walter E. craig, continued 9
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·do something about him before -
.you know~"
he ,.,.as in • trouble• before,
For 1-:1y part, I have not mentioned this "trial" (!)
publicly until now. I had intended to write fully and detailedly
of it for the first time in my autobiography but I mention it noW
.___ publicly, aincc you have. seen fit to castigate rne · publicly, · again .·:,
without my opportunity to make a defense or be apprised specif- i·
ically of the charges, so that my clients, my family, my friends,
decent, honorable lawyers, .la\·1 students, judges and public officials, ~ .
here arid abroad can appreciate the full badcground of your and the .
association's personal animosity ag.::inst me end the despicable
manner in t-lhich you have attempted cla ndestinely to proceed while
all the while claiming that 1_ breached professional ethics~
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~rnat has happened to the (image of the) American lawyer?
TO me, he \·1as first an indivi dua l with an individual's conscience.
I suppose I can't be crit i~:~ , . t11ut nou he's joined a "big firm"
and' he too has become big bus iness. But what I do complain .is that
he has lost his individuali-ty and ~lith his individuality his sense
of individual conscience, ethics and courage.
There are some t11ings ·a man must do alone. He's born
alone~ he's married alone, he dies ·alone. He must be a. lawyer
alone in much of nis practice. He frequently must make individual
decisions when h e is offering evidence, when he is objecting,
when he is standing before tho jury in argument and his ·client
is facing the electric chair. He c'an't go to his "Bar Associationu
or his big l?.W firm at that time.
I recognize t.'1a't;"' man cannot b e alone unto himself
particularly today with mode~ communication and the comple~ity .
of business and life and the ominous shortness thereof incongruously
in an age of longer life expectancy. Ne cannot practice
a profession today without associating with our fellows for
in£ormatiQn . sba~ing in our professional specialty.
But in the old days, it was to tne lat-;yer, the indiv- ·
iduaJ. ~zwyc,r, that the community looked for leadership. When
thoro was a Red cross drive or a swimming pool to be built or
an emergency to be met, it was the lone lawyer who gave leadership,
not a banker or a bank or an insurance company or a business
man as nm·1. The lawyer was SO-:!lething special in his ' community.
He stood for integrity, as well as individuality and he stood for
imagination and courage as t-;cll as freedom of speech. He was a
fighter in court, he was a fighter out of court and he was a.
fighter for the community against enemies from the outside.
What has happened to the image of the individual
doctor? I complain when suing the doctor in court for malpractice
that the individual doctor has a highe r honor and ethics than
his association or when he gathers together· in convention. It
seems that there is sort of a conventi on violence that takes over
the individual practitbner•s ethics and honesty and he condones
malpractice acts that individually he l•rouldn' t think of approving.
His association tells h.:L11 not to ope ~]( out against or criticize
his brother doctors. (In lcll·l ussociations i t seems only when :the
. la\o!Yer for the injured person or the crirn i n out against fhe
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The image of the individual doctor has I suppose beG!n
smeared in laboratory slides, S\qallo\qed up by pathologists,
specialists, gargantuan modern hospitals and test tubes. And
so has the individual lawyer, who to rna first and foremost was
the trial lawyer, become the corporate lawyer, the tax lawyer,
the accountant lawyer. He's become a ledger .jodtey for corporations
seel~ing to evade the payment of taxes.
Fewer are the hours spent in law school curriculae
on common la~l history, common la\-l f orms of action. In la"1 more .·
ihan the other disciplines we must kn01-1 where we've been to chart
where we' rc going. One of the principal intendments of a profession
is its unbroken ancient lineage and its proud ancestral
tree. But now not only "the 10.,.1 branches but the trunlt arc being
amputated to substitute for the humanities, taxation, accounting
and those oti1cr commercial studies more properly taught in the
business school. Fundamentally rr~st a lawyer learn of his ethics
and moralities in law school and h e learns a great deal of these
through legal history. He cannot learn them after graduation
and they cannot be l egislated.
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Tho nurnbor of hours lD:cwise spent on criminal law
io dccrcnsL'1g witn the pnssir.g o:: c;1ch ye;:,. r in the major lntq
nchools . The 1-:~rch issue of the l1.ocric:Jn Bnr 1\s:::;ociation Journal
c;:1rricd an z.rticlc "The sunset o:::: the Cr:L-ninal Lawyer". Even
your association recognizes that crimL~al lawyGrs arc not baing
made in the law schools because thGy nrc not being taught. Exit
the criminal la~1 and you may as well move your law schools over
to the school of business administration -- or to the I.B.M.
·Computer house and move the f0\1 o f us remaining practicing criminal
lavJYers and general trial men over to the monkey hoUse where
the public can stare at us - being attracted by your public
announcements about us - and our ethics! ·-
American Bar Association presidents on the social
circuit after the filet mignon and petit fours have a particularly
majestJ.c subject for the.lr tall~: "The Defense of unpopular
casas". Hhile they approve t..'le abolition of law school courses
wh.ich would teach the student lawyer how to try an unpopular
cause, they ponderously proclaim that "it is the duty of every
la~er courageously to stand up e nd be counted, to represent
his un£ortunate brother no matter how unpopular the cause, how
heinous his crime~"
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But tho defense of a child rape case, a Negro in the
south, a communist an~!here in America, an insane hatchet murder~r,
a live 05\-JaJ.d, of Columbus, of Pasteur, of Jenner, Dreyfus, with
always"others"! There are great vocal defenders in the American
Dar Association president speeches until it comes time actually
to represent these poor devils -- when they are alive. Then,
there is the scrw~ble back to the corporate desks by these men
of great and worthy forensi c sentiments, it is accompanied by the
phraso that h

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midnight with an hour break for ! lunch and an hour break f or
supper because we have so much to teach in modern trial law
th~t \'le try to conserve every bit of time. I have always had
one moment of levity and relaxation, and in the same spirit of
a "gridiron dinner", that the greater tl;e man the greater the
profession the more he and it could afford to be examined
humorously. ~ne profession or the human being who cannot
laugh at himself is indeed sic;{. ·
In 1.9_ to one o! these Se.'llinars in Miami, .. Fl:o·rida,
I brought a former client, .Nickey . Coheu~ It 'Yil:IS:'.at· thoi:· time of .'· ·
the American Bar Convention· in that city. N.r. coh~,. had· just ·"'
been released from a Federal prison after havi~g served time for
income ta>~ violation. The subject of his "lecture" at my Seminar
was "Income Tax Tips :from the Inside". He \las billed as an. income
tax specialist, Professor o•Brien, from Harvard university.
Of course, had the insurance section of the American
Bar done this or had this been done at one of the hijinks which
are held by al!OCs t every Bar Association near the end of each
year, which are delightful· und most entertaining, when f air
humor is poked at honest judges ar:d l:! S r:!i l c/ votes we gave hinl. ~ . (*see
EXhibit One attached hereto, an editorial in the san Franciso
Chronicle, April 7, 1964, for an honest appraisal of these two
g entlemen.)
Another Of your past presidents of the American Bar
upon rctirament became a specialist in the evasion of the ssrvico
9f .process upon one of his corporate clients. It was he who, too,
was :r.:ost critical of me, but alHays behind my back, during his

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tann of office. and particularly of my lectures in wh:).ch I advised
of procedures to sue, serve and collect by deserving injured
p~cple against his clients!
A very recent pres~ent of the American Bar Association,
John c. Satterfield, became, immediately upon stepping down from
the presidency of the A~rican Bar Associaion 1 the spokQsman for
rr~ scqrcqationist movement in the United States. This is hardly
organization \~hich , in its comments, has been .respectful of
·-·-· ·· the laws of the un,itoo States or the Supreme Court but his ren~arks .
_ have again all been acceptable under. your organization'~ concept
of freedom of speach - to some.
I recall Hr. Satterfield's comments· on "'l'he President's
page"~ July, 1962, the American J:)ar Association Journ~l, page 663.
He quoted Chief Juctice Harland F, stone of the united States
Supreme Court, "!'1hen the courts deal, as ours do, with great
public questions, the only protection against unwise decisions,
and even judicial usurpation, is careful scrutiny of their actiOns
and fearless comment upon it."
Is this "fearless" comrr.ent reserved to a clique of
lcndoro of tho 1\meric

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~ three minutes jurx del iberation~
Hhc:m the late Clarence Darl:>'0\•1 t~ent to
to tr"¥ the "s=pes Evolution case" a'ifainst 'l'lilJ.iarn Jennings
Bryan, which case Parrow, too, kne~~ he was going to lose at the
trial state but t~hichhs, too, hoped \'.o win on appeal, upon a
guilty verdict being announced he oried o4t such exact words
as "bigot", "hypPcrite", 'lna!:rm·l-rn:j.hded", "Vict;ory for pigotr'y
injustice." I just used ~ of these . words. and yet you have
the collosal effrontery to call me for this reason "unethical".
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·thousand write~s in this country ~1d abroad and still echo and reecho
- - "bigotry" - .;. and there was no criticism of his exercise
' · of his freedom of socech at a time when it is lc s~ needed than new~
samuel Liel:x:>

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magazines, nei.e;; .' v. ftc•·e
that it would have first to be reversed upstairs on appeal, then
transferred to another co~ty~

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But we had th0n no conception of tho magnitude of the
errors or the prejudice in law and in decency that we would meet
during this trial. T.~is next above is a factual statement that
every fair~minded lawyer 111ill appreciate once the trial transcript
is prepared and settl~d. Every newspaperman, outside
Dallas, 111h0 covered the trial Jmows it now.
~·Jhat \~c did not ltnow \~hen we came to Dallas to move
for change of venue \~as that there was a pu"bl.ic relations counsel
assigned by the Citizens Council of Dallas to Judge Bro11m and
that Judge Brown had then and there made up his mind, and had ~
reported, that the cause would not and could not be transfe~red
from Dallas~ t·Je were allowed to go through three "horrible hypocriticalw0~•s
in futile gestures moving for a change of venue~
>'lha'c happened after that and during tho trial is
partly reflected in Sybil Bed£orc1's rc~ort of the trial in a
recent issue of Lifo t 1 lagazine: "l"·!e 11Tere relfused any discovery,
we were refused an opening statement; the District Attorney
objecting and the judge sustaining t:hat we 111ere talking "facts".
(l'he District Attorney had refused to ma::;e an opening statement
so ne ..,,asn 1 t going to allow us to mal

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b¥ his Honor. The principle state's witness was Sgt. Dean, who
was in charge of security ( ~) at the time of the OSIIJald shooting.
He was allowed to testify to conversations by Jack Ruby at least
a half hou:t:" ~ Mr. Ruby's arrest. Recently he complained to
his Chief of Police that the F.B.I. had accused him of lying ~
I now affirm that which has been repeatedly repo~ed
-· by an impartial press (referred to in Dallas as the "Yankee Press"·
that the judge looked unabashedly to the pro·secution for his
rulingst and indeed, sustained each. every and a-ll thereof the
state '.s =tions.
In"picking" this jury, referred to by me as bigots .
we exercised all of our ~reemptory challenges, and indeed, were
given three extra "gratuitol.!Sly" by the Court·. This jury was
"thrust d01-m our throats." Of some 178 talismen there were only
two Jews, two Ne d.) cur challenge to her for cnuso
By that two \o.'O v c r c out of prooonptory challongo.o.
"""'a dicallO'~·ec.
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U1 ~t: J.. ~ ho ;o-: or. ~'~ ~u ry ~K .•,ul . , :. l r.uLy La tho oloctr1c
ch"'i.r. • Judge :;ro-~·n .H:X!'10'"'lc:dgcd o:. t c. = t:.c verdict th::~t ho hud
been told this by this. reporter~
Vic r e:eeatedly asked for a change of ve nue, ~ and
during the selection of each juror. nut w_e did not know then as ws
do now, that his Honor had a fixed opinion himself 1 that a -change
of venue would not be granted, and we were forced to trial before
a jury of twelv~Has. c.ii:.izell.s- a.l.l.. dot:e.::127.i.ned.-to protect the
image of t:nat:. c.J..t:Y - at any and all costs ....... particularly to
Ja.ck.--RtW.Y.
- on the last day of trial the charge (or proposed
.1n.st:.ruct:.ions to- the jury) was presented to us for the first time
about. ten in the morning. It had over 100 errors of substance.
·l't ]>ad been p.l-·epared not: by the cour-:.: but: by t.lJe D.istri.ct At:torneyp'
office~ ~
Ne stayed in the cou;:troom from a little after 9: oo·
that morning until approximately 8:00 in the evening, at which
time his Honor announced t;hq.t "the cas e will be finished toniqht
regardl -e ss~" That jury would have gone out to deliberate that
night had the judge allowed them:)
i'To were finally able to eke out three hours to a side
for final argument but that \o/Ould have put. the last of the final
arguments after 2:30 in the mornin~, s o in orrler to comply with
his r:onor' s order, we cut our argur.1ents to two hours and that
evening I began my argument to tha1:_.Dlry on a death penalty case
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Hr. Walter E. craig. continued
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at 8 min!:ltes to 12 midnis:h t ~
I was mot b:f the yawns of two jurors before I even
had the opportunity to open my exhausted mouth.. The District
Attorney who followed me spoke only sixteen minutes . He told
the jury if they didn't electrocute Jack Ruby "~1e Rust;.i;:n
Cornrnunits would laugh at us~" He told U\etn what a great city
Dallas was and what Dallas justice (~) is .
The next morning the jury started deliberation at
about 9:00A. M~ TWo of the women ju~ors requested to have the
.·
"defense medical testimony" read, announcing that they had "slept
through it"~ Eut apparently the other juro~s convinced them that
it would not be ncccssarx to consider the "defense medical testimony".
(The Judge did not have it read.) The verdict was
reached in 50 minutes - not two hours. After those 50 minutes
the jury then sent .out for coca Cola and laughingly spent the
rest of the two hours -waiting for the trial judge to · come to
Court~
His Honor had told me several days before and several
tirocc, "You have the case \~on." But I knew with that jury that
h ad boc n forced ul"'n us and with his Honor• s rulings that the
o nly w y t."lio cm ·t:o- ·.r~rt Dallas' act of public cl.ean,sing
-t;a. t:.h.a world.
N'hcn the verdict was smugl:s:-· reported I stood and said
to that jury what cver;y impartial ne~~spapcr man in that courtroom
felt., "Thank vou for a verdict of biqotry and lnjusticc." I had
told the Court that the verdict would b3 one of bigotry and injustice
if we wcr~ forced to trial in Da llns; I woul9 have been
less than honest if I had not the courag e to speak ~~e words
that wero in my mind and in my soul and my heart.
It is interesting to not~ th ~ t the judge after all
of these comments which I made and whiC:< you, sir, say arc unethical,
said "This is the zr.ost brillia::t lawyer that ever carne
into my courtroom and he c

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Mr •. Walter E. ~raig, continued 19
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of the prosacutors said, "Maybe "lila are pressing our luck too far
ln Dallas to allow another parade so aoon for anot..1-J.er Irishman~"
He is the same p::::osetutor who said, "Hell, if they "l.vant to look
_inside of Jack RubY's braj.n we'll give it to them aftor we fr:(
]"!.{_..l~~" It was he \~ho also said, "I suppose we' 11 have to give ~em .
those report::; because b'lat Soddam liberal Sup:r.eme Court has said.,_ '
.:;ot" And he also called .Jack Ruby a "Jew boy". ·
But you, sir, do not regard the next above remarks as
disrespectful or unethical or blasphemous or castigating .our
supreme court or a religion. They a~c the exercise of freedom
of speech though publicly uttered to the press for further reportingt
If my remark t{lat Jack Ruby was "railroaded" was
"unethical", then, sir, how do you consider the remark made within
the last week by Jack Ruby Is counsel next retained after me that
"Jack Ruby was barbecued in Dallas!" '+'his lawyer is a Texan, there
has been a "cooling-off"pcri6d. Nou1ii you not say that that bitter
remark was in serious , sol~, studious corroboration of my charge
that Jack Ruby was "railroaded"?
;,s far as my remark that "Zlallas is a festering sore
flr.c! ~ cit'l of h:::ltc, I advise you, sir, that United states Federal
Di:;t=ict vi.!'-J.:l S~=;)h ?. Et:gh;::;, ju.:;t :! few days ago, {April 5,
1 ~& ~) publicly told a group of Latin ~mcr.~~an editor:; in her
n.:lti·Jo D.::.lln::; t....~.J. t there w~s a ncl.ir.l~.:~c of hate in Dallas that
1~.1s not cvidcr.t in any other place - - - t11at feeling contribu.ted
to Prc1;ident oe.ing developed,
But for you, sir, to ignore utterly and comple~ly
not only my _charges of "railroading'

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Mr. walter ;E. craig, continued 20
that didn't swp them from comir\g to the aid of Pallas. (The
only time Judge Brown "leaned over backward" while the tria,l
was in session \~as to hit the spitoon~)
I
It is inexplicable to me that a true trial lawyer
today when American justice; l~t alone our whole democracy, is
on trial ~~roughout the world could co~dernn me by clai~voyance,
could pontifically proscrib9 me without ~nowing the record and
thereby approve Dallas, the city of shame and its public relation
council inspired trial of Jacl~ Ruby.
Your condemnation and conviction of me publicly and
without giving rno an oppbrtunity to anS\~er \'las much more unfair
than Governor Connelly's or General carr's. You are supposed
to sperut for the American lawyer, you are supposed to be ~
partial, you are supposed to represent jus~i~e in this country,
yet you knel'lt nothing of the record and you know nob"ling of this
record. You failed to advise that '11/C are personal adversaries
not only so ~i ally but in our philospphy of the law, and of
economics and represent adverse interests and clients \~hen you
gavo your onc .. sided press conference in my home to\•m ~
He perhaps do need

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Mr. Nalter E. craig~ continued . 21
kept this issue sublimated. Some people think I am Jewish.
I'm not that . fortunate. But I am a member of a "minority race".
The next time I go to Dallas I would like to be one-quarter
Italian, one-quarter Jew, one-quarter Negro and one-quarter
l'.merican Indian so I can be lOC»h mL;ority and I'll say that.
which I should have said about the picture significantly glorifying
the hanging Judge Bean with its "foi: whites only" drink- '·
ing fountain just below it· ·in tho main lobby of the Dal.las ·court
House, the Hall of Justice~
You havo forgotten he who is most important to our
very p·rofossion, our client·. In this instance I am referrilig
to Jack Ruby. (You represent Lee Harvey Oswald.) I haven•·t
for the moment. r•m sorry that I won,t have the honor of
having my name on the Brief to the Texas Appellate courts that
must consider the trial record, and particularly \~hen the re- · ·
versal will have to be based upon the record I left in the
trial court, )mowing that there would have to be an appeal.
The Ruby case has become a cause celebre. In this
age of television drama ~nd the frantic race for over-entertainmont
\ole lose si']ht of our client, of t.'1e individual, what ls
good for hi.'ll, ;::nd incccd, \·lhat even is good for the individual
l~wy.::r. Too ::::-cquently, we

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Mr. t-7alte:c E. Craig, continued
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first suggested in the l~nes of '~~ o foreign press and this long
before thG vGrdict~ And then camb tho repor'cing of the ominous
insinuation that oswald, your clie~t, who assassinated our Pres­
::.dont, and Jack Ruby, my client, w110 shot him, kno\-1 each other,
that OS\.,ald was part of a "conspira cy:, t.'1at Ruby .,.;as encouraged
"by tho Dallas police to go into the Dallas jail to shoot Oswald.
1 tried, and this without prejudi ce to my case or the state's
case, to have the District At'c.o;::ney 1n Court announce during the
tria~ that there was no truth to these rumors. But the prosecu~
tion feeling theY could gain some prejudicial bGnefit by encouraging
these =.ors refused to quash thcxn. The judge '"as televised
laughing and joking with Mr • . oswald's mother. They munched candY.
together in the court corridor. ·
So these rumors wh~ch hur·::. us immeasurably abroad
continued. They hu:rt us because it wns made to appear that our·
law enforcement agencies, local and ;'la·tional, tho F .B. I;.,~ could
not or \10uld not report the "plot" in all its ~ntendrnents. There
was oven the rllioor t~at Prc~idcnt Lyndon Johnson, a Texan, assisted
in huving P:::ooid~nt !(cnnedy done ;::..,,ay \-lith to succeed to his office.
These rumors' v1crc headline rcpo:rtcd in the papers c.broad where ro­
::;pcct for our typo of justice {even in other American cities than
D~ll~o) is o~dly lacking.
n-...:t .... :--.c!'l t-1 ..: :.:orcign pr\::::;::; y_·~~ ~bo ut to report that
Cr.l~o j"..:::t!co !._~ t.~o ~·.!::. :~ c~~c \.'.:!,.. ~1c ju:;t:icc r.1ctcd out by my
::;:-n }·::.:::::!:;.::~ ju::!...;;.., our . :c•-1 Yo::::c ju:::i~:;, ou:r Chicogo juries, I
c~~~c u~ ~c lau~ly oc I could, ~;at thic wac a unique, tharu< God,
type of ",·.r..c:::iccn justice" pcculia :r to ric", oligarchical, festering
sore 1
hate mongering, Dnllas. ~nd if you till~~cl.y as you cilarged.
I am sure you are familiar that ~ the law of defamation
a rot~ection must be given the same breadt~ and pUblicity and
emphasis as the origina;!. chaJ;gc. Particularly since you are going
on tho Federal Bench, sir, r s uggest to you that it is incumbent
that .,.,e discuss this Ruby case publicly, your charge of breach of
ethics by me because of my exorcise of freedom of speech, and my ·
cha:rge against yo~, of your·breach of ethics because of your condemning
rne publicly when you took unfair advantage as speaking for
an o:rganization and \-Then you ·del~ratoly withheld that you and I
have adversa~J interests.
· . You certainly must r.n~·~ the chi=ll:'J§S ~gainst tllG American
Bar Association, that it is a rich man's club run by insurance
companies and insurance companies' lawyers, that it does not repro-
·. i
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llr,. walter E. craig, continued
23
sent the individual practitioner, that it does not stand for
justiciable c auses. that it has a h~story of Jim crowism,
Ioic!

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Mr. 'l'lalter E. craig, continued
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a nation of sheep fo'l:lowe;r-s.,.
And he~G
And another:
r.,,
"Your determination to continue to seek justice
. ;!.11 the courts and not l:>e frighteneCl by judges,
district attorneys and insurance attorneys is
most corn.'l1endable. (signed)"
is another:
"In durkest r. frica you '·muld not try a man' s
life at 12 at night. Ho, 0nly in D3llas, Texas.
HCI:l long will it l:>e before anyone investigat-es
thi::: mock 'erial, The nmerican Bar Association
only defends the idoas and people they concur
,.lith. Justice has tallith the suc:;gcstion of 1-ir. Belli
that you and your associates investigate ~~e
substances of the charges that !'lr. Belli made
\dth rcspGct to· the Ruby cc.se rather than make
an invest:f.gntion of Nr. Belli himself,
"Your otudy of history ml.lst hav~ taught you
thut Engl

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Nr. walter E . c raig, continuoo
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had been forevermore suppressed.
"It seems to me that you should do somethingto
the writer John nainbridge for writing a
boo~~ in 111hich nc called Dallas "a city of
murder", rather .than just single out Mr. Belli
ao

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Hr .• waltcr .E. craig, continued
26
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for you ag'ain ex parte to castigate me and my principles and
the lawyers and causes l stand for~ N0t·1 you • 11 havG to kiclt
me out and do it publicly and openly and ·maybe we'll have a
public dcbgtc and noto_riety about 'sor.~c of these criticisms . ·
of level 1 ~'t the American .Bar and you·t ~ybc '~e will all learn
wi:lat really haPJ?

I
Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JLR:HRI:al
5/4/64
MAY 5 1964
rtr-. J;:,o R. ~
1'owh1ll~
Jc:s.JI(lr,. '1\:x.ao
I!llta
• ~llt
On frl~, .e._pril ~, 1981-, ~and "1 GJ,lOko by tolcpbono
~~ ~t:. b7 tl'b1.ell Wo cwmwoc 111t;;ht ta.!'.e tho
te~ ot lJOV clleat~ Je.clt L. 1-NbT ..
Sin::lG ~ co;mnol:lat.ion I h.uYe beea intoro::d thrt ~
~ for a nov triGl ht!il been ~ . Ill Atp:lm
t~U!\3 czq ~~ ot yow clic::Jt t:nUl t!Us EO'tt.ar 11t ~IJlJlvca.
'1'1» ca::nien~.n o~ m to vrit:~ y.m cc.:te.ll'll11\s tllia nntter end colleit.
your V.1a".l:) a.:s t-.) ~4" 01" 30t. ~ cl.illnt h t1ll. CG~O e$1 ~
to ~$,iOM to ~Uoc \r,r t.h1o C

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Jun 1, 1964
To: J. Lee ankin, Q n r 1 Couns 1
From:
ub.ject:
L on H. Hub rt
v"
eon, Attorn y
1. Durlc on
op1n1on '
1V
2. While Burl
would alee nn obj ct1on 1f
take the tea t1mony o~ Ruby,
do so.
3. In view or th bove d o~ the la t letter fro
Ton hill, I augc t t t l tt r be written to
Tonah1ll mru

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
J/- 1
Mr. Joe H. Tonahill
Tonahill Bullding
Jasper, Texas
1 6
Dear Mr. Tonahill:
'This refers to your recent reque t that you be furnished
for purpo es of your ap~l in the Jack uby se the state·
ments taken by the ederal Bur au of Investigation from
Dallas police officers Archer, Me llllan, Leavelle, King
and Dean. I have ascertained that the FBI did not take signed
statements from these officers althou h they were interviewed
and 1·eports of the interviews were contained ln the reports,
brief summaries of which were made available to you prior
to the trial of the Ruby case.
As you know, this Department has cooperated with you
in this matter far beyond the normal pr ctice in state cases.
I believ , however, that at thia time aft r the conclusion of
the trial it would not be proper for me to uthorize the furnishing
to you of any interview reports. By furnishin you
summaries of interviews conducted by the FBI prior to tri· 1
it was our int ntion to make it esible for you to call as
witnesses, if you o desired, any persons who had been
interviewed by the Federal Government.
Sincerely,
Herbert J. iller, Jr.
As istant Attorney Gen ral

Records of the Jolm F. Kermedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
Co=ission No. / '-)t; ::J b
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Ruby. Jack //-/
Iu R(ply, Please Refer to
FileNo.
Eouston, Texas
August 21~, 1964

~ Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
RE:
JACK L, RUbY
On August 21, 1964, Y2r. ;roe Golden, lay..r associate of
,Joe H. Tonahi.ll, ,Jasper, :· .....::., IW.vised that Joe H. Tonahill
was on vacatj on ar ..:i r,a would atterr:pt- to locate him and have
him contac1; the Houston Office of the Federal Bureau of .Investigation.
On August. 21, 1964_, Mr. Tonahill telephonically
contacted Special 1\.Q;ent: Graham W. Kj -cchel. When requested for
an appointment to 1r.t.erv:l.ew him, •.rr. 'TonahJ..ll i-las advised tne
purpose of the int ~rvie~'l' was to quest._on him concerning how
the transcript of the intervie\'1' of Jack . .L. Ruby came into the
possession of Columrlist Dorothy Kilgallen.
Mr. Tonahill. advu;ed that it t·wuld not be necessary
in his opinion to interview him ~n person regarding this matter
and declined to advi.:::e hJ.s loca"~on. He s-eated he was vacationing
with hi;; fa.m:i.ly or. a lake ~n Texas and \-ect th8.t he uas present during the
lnterview of Jack .L• .?uby as Ru·oy' 3 cou:n.sel. He stated he
took very few notes but wa..:; accordect a copy of the transcript
of the. interv1.ew by ,!.... ee Ra.'1..1tin when it was prepared. He
stated he has maintJ. n0c. thi.s copy o:f the transcript locked
in his desk in h:f :> off:! ce, a.r .. c. tlldt; employees of his offi.ce
have not seen it ru: 'i do not kno\,. ;:hat he has such. He stated
he does not know ho~.,; a copy of t.he transcript of the interview
came in"Lo the possessJ..on of .Coro"thy Kilgallen, but knows he
had no part in making the t~

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
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acrcr it indrcatcd by the
proper symbol.
BUC587 A8~44 082 19
0 cFC5 11 LONG DL PO 4 ~AN FRANCicco CALIF 4 11 21A PDT
HON EAR L WARREN , WARREN COMM I S~ION
\·TASHOC
DOROTHY KIL GALL EN STORY TODAY THAT JACK RU3Y MET WE I SMAN AND
TIPPET PLUS CON~P I RAT ORIA L OVERTONEr UTTER LY FA LcE RO T RID I CU LOUS
DEFAMATORY TO RU3Y PRE JUDIC I AL TO A~ER I CAN IMAGE HERE AND ABROAD
THAT THERE WAS CONcPI RACY TO ASSASINATE PRES I DEN T AMERICAN
PEOPLE NOT TO LD ABOUT. SUC H LEAKED -TORIES GROSSLY PRE J UD I CIA L
DIGNI TY OBJE CTIVITY YOUR COMMISSION REPORT AMERI CA PRE STI GE
HERE ABROAD AND WHAT I AM MOST CONCERNED WI TH JACK RU BY APPE AL.
RESPECTFU LLY AND EARNESTLY UR GE RESPONSIB LE COMMI SSI ON RE SPONSE
AND DENIAL
!1E LVI N M BE LLI
(28).
CLASS OF SERVICE
This Is a (:~.u mcu3i;C
unlcu Irs deferred char•
actcr 1$ ind•c:atcd b y ~he:
prop

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 94111
Jroll(,lo(Q0[415 • HIKONH849
Tltn nlllli Bllilding. 122 ~ONTGQioi[RY SJRE:£1
r.I[LVINioiBllll
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RICHARD F. GER~Y
S[~HOUR L.HLISON
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DAVID M . .. ~GAIItT
fREDE:RI O lri.CO"C
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90048
AREA CODE ~I) OLEANO£A t-3622
6505WII..Siiiii[~(\'AIHl,SUITEJ6
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SHJ.IOUR L.£lLISON
SAMUELS AIIOOY
SAUL GRAYSON
ALVINBGIIEEN
ARCI!EII ZAMLOCii
San Francisco - July 1, 1964
Or COUNS~L
DANNY ~ JONES
SEYioiOLIR M, L,t,ZAR
Air Mail
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92101
AII!:ACOD£714 B(lN0Nl9·217S
EiJOSANOIEGOJRUST&SJ

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
B:elli.Ash:e anrl Br:J'J'!l
The Warren Commission
July 1, 1964
Page Two
I think I learned considerable about Oswald and Jack Ruby and the events
of the assassination when I defended the unfortunate Jack Ruby, who incidentally,
in my mind, is a confirmed psychotic. Jack Ruby's trip to
Cuba and the other "ominous" events were as innocent as his other mundane
activities and free from sinister or conspiratorial purport. I asked
Judge Brown and District Attorney Wade to join with me in an in-court or
out-of-court statement that there was no evidence of "conspiracy" by Ruby
or Oswald. This would not have hurt the State's case or helped the defense
case, but it would have helped the image of America abroad and, indeed,
even in my own country.
Because I have seen the damage done to our country, both here and abroad,
by those who say that facts are withheld from the people in our democracy,
I add my single voice, for what it may be worth, that from everything I
saw and heard during the Ruby trial, there was not one iota of evidence
that Jack Ruby knew Oswald, that he acted in concert with Oswald or with
anyone else, or that Oswald was part of a conspiracy. Indeed, I saw
nothing to indicate other than Oswald acted as a sick man and Ruby did the
same, two lone aberrant individuals. The tragedy was, as has happened
so many times in murders in this country, that Oswald's crime was prognosed,
we should have known that someday he would kill someone in ' 'high
authority." As far as Ruby goes, it is always the "village character" or
"village clown" who is enjoyed and tolerated until his brittle personality
snaps and he does exactly what should have been prognosed,
I spoke out that the Ruby trial was a "kangeroo" court partly because of
the insiduous rumors allowed to ooze to the press from the daily proceedings.
I saw the foreign press daily and gleefully build the calumnies
against America that here, in this trial, where the people are entitled to
know in a democracy the "true facts, 11 not only of the Ruby case, but of
the Oswald case, there was something in some sinister manner being
kept from the people was the damaging defamation to our institutions.
I see by today's paper that Mark Lane has been invited to speak before
the Warren Commission. I respectfully urge that the Commission rebut
the statements Mr. Lane has been making in this country and in his "lecture
tour" abroad, no matter how well motivated he may be, that 1) there
was some conspiracy, Ruby and Oswald and some foreign government,
2) that we, the people, in this democracy are denied facts, 3) that there
is some "hidden government" that keeps "facts" from the papers and from
the people,

The Warren Commission
July 1, 1964
Page Three
The fact that men of the caliber of those selected for the Warren Commission
are the ultimate investigators for the people in this country
should be comfort to those of us who do know of the greatness of our
democracy and the sovereignty of we, the people.
MMB:ew
Yours r

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
REC [ !Vt_ o
Jut 6 10 os ~H '6~
C~ A M B E RS (J f THE
HIEF JUSTICE
.:

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
OF:i"ICB o~· THE OlHt::C'fOR
... t . P:::.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
/
WASniNCTCH

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
~s12:~
r;)2/Gv

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
--------------~G~E~N~ERA~l~SE~R~V~IC~E~S-A~O~M~IN~IS~T~R~A=TI~O~N~------- ~~--~----,
ROUTING SLIP
TO~ .1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 RS R9 RIO
BUILDING, ROOM, ETC.
2.
3.
4 .
5.
0 ALLOTMENT SYMBOl
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0FiliNG
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0 IMMEDIATE ACTfON
0 INrriALS
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D NOTE AND RETURN
D PER OUR CONVERSATION
0 FUll REPORT D PER TELEPHONE CONVERSATION 0
0 ~~J~6~ 0 tR"~~~~-'-----------­
O ~~~P~~~r7i~e~
REMARKS
0 READ AND DESTliOY
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OsEE~
0 SIGNATURE
0 YOUR COMMENT
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I i A t.J~ ?-
A .. ~~) 7~.-

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cotton • Front 2ipper for easy dresstn9 • Self b elt, 2 large
pockets • Assorted colors including orange, green, blue,
mauve and purple • 10 to 18 but not all sizes 1n all colors
Til~~·l Buement Sporhw.,.•
Ann Thomas, Po111onal Shopper
'l"iteho'&,Dal!as,'l"oxg~~7S20l
P!.Qa• .or.deo.. oi'o•tage out.lde doliverr are~
1

35
GREAT
FLIGHTS
ON
TTA
Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Perso ns Files

Flies to
HOUSTON N o~sto p Conwlr
AUSTIN Non-stop Convair
ABILENE No~ stop Conwlr
SHREVEPORT OnH!op Comalr
MIDLAND I ODESSA OnNtop Convair
SAN ANTONIO OM·srop Convair
PLUS DIRECT SERVICE TO
MEMPHIS * BEAUMONT /PT. ARTHUR* WACO
LITTLE ROCK * SAN ANGELO * BIG SPRING
HOT SPRINGS * RIO GRANDE VALLEY
LUBBOCK * TEMPLE * COLLEGE STATION/BRYAN
ALBUQUERQUE * CLOVIS
Let JTa book you all the way.
For fares and confirmed reservations call
FL 1-5333 or your TIA Travel Agent
will your nextcaH travel with Bob Hope?
TELE PHONE MICROWAVE TOWERS, ALONG WITH COAXIAL CABLES,
SPEED LONG DISTANCE CALLS, TV PICTURES SIDE BY SIDE
Your next out-of-town call might ride microwave radio beams in good companymaybe
the Bob Hope show or some other well-known TV program. Tho~sands
of Long Dist nee conversations as well as TV programs are transmttted stmultaneously
from a to wer to tower, leapfrogging miles in seconds to their destinations.
A growing system of new microwave routes, plus a dependable system of coaxial
cables, is makini the Long Distance network even more useful, more stormproof and
trouble-free, increasing the convenience, dependabtl!ty and personal value of modem
telephone service.
Serving the Great Southwest Regi

,._.,------
Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
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~::.:a;::;:;;;;::u- .. --~.:::=:;:::u::==
Commission No. 1 /l.o / h
1ubf 1
;raok//--1?
F. W. BARTLETT, JR .
.JUOGE PROBATE COURT
RCCDR08 •UILOINO
DALLAS 2, TEXAS
July 30, 1964
Mr. Sol A. Dann
Dann, Rosenbaum, Bloom and Kaufman
Attorneys at Law
1820 David Scott Building
Detroit, Michigan
Re: Jack Ruby, No. 59938
Dear Mr. Dann:
This will acknowledge your letter of the 28th instant relating
to the above matter. I have now verified that Mr. Clayton
Fowler has withdrawn as attorney of record in this proceeding
pending in this ·court; this will leave the proceeding
pending without any attorney of record listed. If you
are to represent sam Ruby, the applicant, it will be necessary
that you associate local counsel to actively participate
in the matter if I am correct in my understanding that
you are not licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
/'
If and when the applicant secures new counsel and a hearing
is requested on the application, I will at that time prrange
for a setting of the matter and I will, therefore, cancel the
setting for August 6, 1964 and continue the matter for the
time being. If new counsel does enter the case and pursue the
matter within a reasonable time, I may consider dismissing
the application for the want of prosecution; however, this I
will not do in the immediate future.
If this application is to be pursued, a time for hearing will
involve consideration of the condition of the court's docket
·and to permit time for an attorney and/or guardian ad litem
'·

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
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Mr. Sol A. Dann
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to be appointed and prepare for trial of the matter; every
possible consideration will be given to accomodate the convenience
of counsel representing the various parties interested
in this matter.
Because of the past uncertainty with respect to who will
serve as counsel for the applicant in this matter and the
coincidental uncertainty as to whether the application will
be prosecuted, I have intentionally deferred appointing an
ad litem to represent Jack Ruby. I have decided to appoint
Mr. Douglas E. Bergman, an attorney of this city, as attorney
and/or guardian ad litem for Jack Ruby and he has agreed
to serve in such qapacity; I will defer making a formal appointment
for the time being, but you may wish to communicate
with him with relation to the matter; his address is
shown below •
. I trust that this will adequately answer your letter • .
I'
.FWBJr:gh
cc:
Mr. Clayton Fowler
Attorney at Law
706 Main Street
·Dallas, Texas
cc: Mr • Henry Wade
District Attorney
Records Building
Dallas, Texas
cc: Mr. Douglas E. Bergma~
Attorney at Law
Mercantile Bank Building
Dallas, Texas
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Co llection: Key Persons Files
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- Commission No. I J.fo I e Rllbr. Jack . -1
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PHIL BURLESON
2420 TV TOHER
DALLAS , TEXAS
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August 4, 1964
DEAR PHIL JUST ThTFORMED IN NEW YORK OF YOUR LETTER JULY 31st AND
MUST REPUDIATE APPEARANCE OF ANY NAMES AS ATTORNEYS ON ANY PAPERS
FILED OR TO BE FILED RE JACK RUBY EXCEPT YOUR OHN ONLY AND MYSELF
AS OF COUNSEL, AS PER PREVIOUS REQUESTS AND INSTRUCTIONS OF RUBY
FAMILY AND MYSELF. THEREFORE, PROTECT RECORD ACCORDINGLY . - . .
Sent from
Americana Hotel
New -York City.
'·
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SOL A. DANN
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Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fi les
Commission No.
/ Jf O / f
August 10, 1964
Mr. Phil Burleson
Abney & Burleson
Attorneys-at-law
2420 LTV Tower
Dallas, Texas
Re: Jacl< Ruby
Dear Mr. Burleson:
I returned to my office today for the first time in over a
week and was unable to understand why I have not as yet received
"Bill of Exceptions No. 14 & 15". I trust you will
send them immediately upon receipt of this letter.
. !
I should probably wait until I receive the completed Formal
Bills of Exception before making any criticisms. However,
there is a matter of such a serious nature involving both
Messrs. Tonahill & Fowler that must not be overlool

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
- ~:!~~ ~
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and Memorandum Brief which I left with you for filing on July 22,
1964. I especially refer you to item 42B on page 13 wherein I
raise as one of the items to be specified in the Formal Bills of
Exception the
"conflict of interest in B & T Corporation and movie
and story rights, and misconduct of Ruby's counsel
Belli & Tonahill and their failure .. to concentrate all
of their best efforts in behalf of Jack Ruby and
their failure to. properly represent and protect" him;"
Anything which you omitted to state in reference thereto or which
you stated in your Formal Bj.ll of Exceptions to the contrary,
notwithstanding.
In addition thereto, the foregoing has been further aggravated by
the more recent misconduct of Messrs. Tonahill & Fowler in reference
to the appeal. We expect to make an issue of all of their
actions before the appropriate tribunals.
Both Messrs. Tonahill & Fowler have been discharged and as far as
they are concerned this " ~i;*pj tua; ion is cleared up." Since, as
you say in the 2nd paragraph ~ o~ your letter of July 31st, you are
"willing to abide by the wishes and desires of those making the
decisions", I would appreciate your abiding by !!!l_ clear and expressed
decisions in this respect.
..
I notice there is no affidavit in support of #10 and I do not have ·
the copies you refer to in #12. Please send these to me.
Phil, when I left Dallas and the last time I talked to you, I
thought we had a clear undeystanding that the two of us could work
together on a respectful bas is. However, you~letter of July 31
has greatly disturbed me. I await your reassurance. • ·
I trust that in the future there will be no repetition of that which
made this letter necessary and· that the ~ of us work together
in harmony in the future.
cc:
Mr. Earl Ruby
. '

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Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
J
SOL A. OANN
FRANK. ROSENBAUM
LESLIE 0. BLOOM
BERNARD L ~AUF"MAN
F"REO TURNC.R
WI L LIAM APPE L
CHARLES P NAT HANSON
IRVING .JA F"F"E E
LAW OFFICES
- Commission No . j J../-O 1
DANN , ROSENBAUM , BLOOM & KAUFMAN
IS20 DAVID STOTT BUILD IN G
DETRO IT, M I CHIGAN 48.226
Augul'( t 11\, 1964
j
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W OO DWARD 1 ~ 10 0 3
H E N RY A. ~ROL I
K
Mr. J. Lee Rankin, General Counsel
President 1 s Cmmnission on t:he Assassination of Pres. Kennedy
200 Maryland Ave. N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
Dear Mr. Rankin:
Re: Jack Ruby \
Enclosed is a copy of a Compla int (Exhibit L) I filed against
Joe Tonahill with the Amer i can Trial Lawyers Association (NACCA)
on August 5, 1964, requesting his expulsion from the Association
because of his personal att ack upon me as set forth in paragraph
6 thereof . '.AA'r/- S ~,., 1 rt c
As set forth in paragraph 11, there are additional serious instance s
of misconduct he made in the trial and proceedings that I may include
either before this As sociation or before the Texas Bar Assn.
because of his interference wfth the proper and orderly presentation
of this case on appeal, a s referred to i.n the telegram dated J u l y ·
25, 1964. (Exhibit 2).
I am strongly of the opinion that Joe Tonahill and Melvi n Belli
failed and neglected to properly discharge their duties and obligations
both in t he trial of this case as well as since then , as
pointed out in the Memorandum Brief I previousl y sent you .
I therefore understand that it was necessary to assign this as one
of the er rors to the Court of'Appeals by way of one of the Formal
Bill of Exceptions . However, I recently received 13 Formal Bill of
Exceptions from Mr. Burleson with a covering letter dated July 31 ,
1964 (Exhibit 3) completely disregarding my instructions in thi s
and many other respects .
The Forma l Bill of Exceptions that was filed 1/2 hour before the
90-day deadline was incomplete. Mr. Burleson omitted reference to
many of the areas of errors referred to in Exhibit 4, which is entitled:
"Defendant 1 s Formal Bill of Exceptions, Statements , Affidavits
& Authorities in Support Thereof. Petit ion t o Ext end Time to
File Suppl~mental & Amended Formal Bill of Exceptions." I could not

Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Co llection: Key Persons Files
-2-
expect Joe Tonahill to remain in this case and criticize
himself or Mr . Belli.
When I learned on July 21st that there was only 7 days left
of the 90 - day period within which to prepare Formal Bill of
Exceptions and that practically nothing was done to protect
the record on appeal in this respect, I arranged with a fellow
attorney, George Woods, to go to Texas the following day and
help in the appeal because he is a specialist in these areas .
Before leaving Detroit I prepared Exhibit 4 which I requested
Mr. Burleson to file in the event he was unable t o prepare and
complete proper Formal Bills of Exception by July 28th.
However, upon arrLvLng in Texas with George Woods I met with
the situation described in Exhibit 1.
When I learned of Mr. Burleson's letter of July 31st (Exhibit 3)
I notified him from New York by telegram as per Exhibit 5 and then
upon my return to Detroit I sent him a letter dated August 10,
1964 (Exhibit 6) criticizing his failure and refusal to abide by
my instructions and decisions. Also, because the Formal Bills of
Exception that were filed attempt to protect Tonahill & Bell i
against any charge of conflict of interest or misc onduc t .
It was previously understood and agreed that their misc onduc t and
failure to fully protect the rights of Jack Ruby would be one of t he
errors assigned before the Court of Appeals . I can therefore appreciate
Mr. Burleson's difficulty in making such a charge and at
the same time working with him on the appeal and inc luding his name
as one of the attorneys .
You previously requested me to send you any additional information
I might have regarding Mr. Ruby's mental condition . Please note
that attached to Exhibit 4 are statements of Drs . Tanay, Louis West ,
Beavers & Stubblefield, together with a copy of the Applica t i on for
Permanent Letters of Guardianship that are att ached thereto and
marked as Exhibit 5 therein.
I am also attaching a c opy of an article that recently appeared
in the Dallas News as a result of an interview between Dr . Tanay
and Jack Ruby , marked Exh i bit 7, plus a letter I recently rece ived
'

Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
-3-
from Judge Bartlett of the Probate Court wherein it appears
that the District Attorney is being recognized as a party
of interest in this Probate civil proceeding (Exhibit 8) .
I am sending you all of t hese documents because I am utterly
confused by the way these matters are 'oeing handled by the
attorneys and courts in Texas. Perhaps an examination thereof
may shed light on some of the aspects ~f your investigation.
We are making every effort to engage other attorneys to correct
the many mistakes that have been made thus far and to properly
handle this matter on appeal. This change of counsel may expose
us to further embarrassment before the public but it cannot be
avoided in view of the foregoing. Our difficulty is in finding
a lawyer in Dallas completely free of .the influence of the D.A.'s
office.
8 Enclosures

1""',.. _____ _
Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fil es
Commission No. / tfo / ,,__
Cx . 1.
SOL A. O A N N
F"RANK ROSENBAU M
t..ESLI E 0. eL.OO M
EIEA.NAR O L . K" U ,. MAN
rRt:O TU AN ER.
WI L LIAM A PPE L
CHARLES P NATI--4ANSO N
IRVI NG .JArrEE
H C N RY A KROLU~
L A W OFF I C E S
DANN,ROSENaAUM,SLOOM & KAUFMAN
1620 DAVID S T OTT BU I L O i "' G
CETROI T, M ICHIGAN 48226
August 5, 1964
WOOOWAI"'O 1•1003
Mr. Jacob D. Fuchsberg, Esq.
Arr.erican Trial Lavryers Association (NACCA)
C/o Americana Hotel
7th Avenue & 52nd Street
New York, NeH York
Dear Mr. Fuchsberg:
Re: Sol A. Dann vs . Joe .Tonahill
Enclosed please find the complaint in the matter of Sol A.
Dann vs. Joe Tonahill Hhich I respectfully request be submitted
immediately to a meeting of the Board of Governors
noH assembled at the Americana Hotel in convention.
The urgency of this matter and the serious effect that i t s
public exposure could have on the good name of the NACCA Bar
Association compels me to request that you give the enc l osed
petition your immediate and most careful attention .
I have accommodations at the Americana Hotel and Iam holding
myself in readiness' t o c onfer with you and the Board of
Gover nors at your earl iest conveni ence .
SAD ;ga
er~~/
.•
. ~r-IO'C~
So l A. 'Dann ~· _
Encs .
cc: Verne LaHYer
(
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Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
TO:
AMERICAN TRIAL LMNERS ASSOCIATION (NACCA)
AHERICAN TRIAL U.vNERS ASSOCI."'.TION (N..~CCA)
SOL A. DANN, . )
Complainant
)
-v-
)
JOE TONAHILL
Respondent
)
New comes Sol A. Dann, complainant, a member of
the NACCA Bar Association, and makes complalnt against Joe Tonahill,
also a m~mber
of the NACCA Bar Association, for misconduct and conduct
unbecoming a member of this Association and represents to this Association ,
as follows: <
1) That complainant has been a member in good standing
of this Association for a number of years last past.
2) That in about May, 1964, complainant was retained·
by Jack Ruby and the Ruby fan.ily as their attorney and legal adviser
on account of certain criminal proceedings then pending in Dallas,
Texas against Jack Ruby, wherein Joe Tonahi.ll of Jasper; Texas was
active as one of the attorneys for Jack Ruby.
3) TI1at complainant, Sol A. Dann, upon being retained
was given full authority to retain or dischar·ge any attorneys . then
: ! •
representing Jack Ruby or the Ruby family, or may thereafter appear
to him necessary for the best interests of Jack Ruby and the Ruby family.
This understanding was clearly conveyed at that time 'to Joe Tonahi11.
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
J
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·~==~·--- ·
4) ?nat thereafter complainant communicated and
conferred with Joe Tonahill on several occasions and ~vhen
it
appeared necessary and advisable to complainant to discharge Joe
Tonahill, the said Joe Tonahill was discharged both by complainant
and by a telegram from Earl Ruby, brother of Jack Ruby, dated July
21, 1964 on behalf of himself and the Ruby family and Jack Ruby.
5) That complainant and one George Hoods, a fellow
member of the Michigan Bar, arrived at the Dallas, Texas law offices
of one Phil Burleson about 7:00p.m.,, July 22, 1964 and immediately
began to confer with tr.c said Phil Burleson and Emmit Colvin concern- .-
ing certain .legal matters.
6) That a conference was being held in an orderly,
·I I
dignified manner t>7hen suddenly and without previous notice, the said
Joe Tonahill entered the library of the offices of Phil Burleson
where the conference was taking place and without any introduction
or further discussion began to berate, insult and thr ~aten
your
petitioner with the following language:
"This is a Sol A. D'ann expose •.• He are in Texas now and
you better listen ••• You Yid carpetbagger and interloper ••• Yiddish
system of Sol Dann ••• A Yiddish program--we will move you out •.•• You
white nigger ••• Texas · is an unhealthy climate for a Je~v •• • You .typical
kike ••• Better get out of Texas if you want to stay healthy ••• You
won't stay alive until tomorrow if you don~'t
get out of Texas tonight •••
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Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
We called you a God-damned liar --why don 1 t you fight back?
Are you afraid to fight? ••• You 1 re nothing but a God-damned
Jew-bastard ••• "
7) That t he ~ id George Woods was present in part while
the foregoing defamatory la~guage
set forth in paragraph 6 was
expressed by respondent.
8) That the assault upon complainant was interrupted
only qecause of the appearance of representatives of the press
and television.
.-
9) That petitioner has reason to believe and does believe
that but for said interruption, Joe Tonahill would have carried out
his threats to physically attack your petitioner.
10) That the. said Joe Tonahill has thus far failed and
refused to give any explanation for his misconduct although due and
timely request was made therefor: •.
11) That there .are additional serious instances of misconduct
which warrant the closest scrutiny by the ATLA Board of
Governors which your complainant reserves the right to raise through
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the amendment of this complaint or other appropriate procedures.
Therefore, complainant brings this matter to the attention
of this Association in order that this Association take the appropriate
'·
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action necessary to properly discipline the saiq Joe
Tonahill by way of expulsion from this Association and
otherwise because the matters involved herein caus-ed not
only your petitioner to suffer therefrom, but could bring
disgrace to this Association unless this Association takes
cognizance of and jurisdiction over this matter.
Therefore your petitioner respectfully requests
that a meeting of the Board of Governors of this body be
immediately convened to consider and act upon the matters
f
set forth in this complaint.
State of New York
County of New York
)
) ss
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- \~1r/ a . ~~
Sol A~::~--~
,.,. .. ~,/
Sworn to before me this
5th day of August, 1964.
S /d Ann Jone s
Notary Public, State .of New York
No. 41-7108995 Qual. in Queens County
Cert. Filed in New York County
Commission expires March 30, 1966

11, t··...
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fi les
II
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Commission No.
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;I !" : . ' GENTLEMEN • . - :. :.' . . ·, ;, . . . ' . 1 ' • . '· I .; ~
. !I ····~ · :::.·. u 'is NoT· ~~ LAWYERS t.rno ·sUFFER . JACK RUBY •s PAIN AND MENTAL A.NGtJrsH
: /' · NOR WHO WILL ·BE STRAPPED TO DEATH IN 'ELECTRIC CHAIR FOR I.Av7YERS WRANGLING , .
• 1 ! ; & MISTAKES, NOR TORTURED A]).TJ) CRUCIFIED miiLE LAWYERS HITH STICKY FINGERS
WRANGLE AND HOLD PRESS CONFERENCES OVER WHAT · SHOULD BE DONE AND BY WHOM TO
I·'' '. ·: SAVE JACK RUBY l s LIFE AND PREVENT GROSS MISCARRIAGE . OF JUSTICE •..
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BECAUSE WHEN JURY v1ERE MISLED CONCERNING EPILEPSY AND HERE DRPRIVED OF
VJATERIAL EVIDENCE WITHHELD BY DISTRICT .ATTORNEYS CONCERNING RUBY'S . UNSOUND
. MENTAL DISTURBANCES SINCE AGE 10;
! I' AND JURY DECEIVED BY PERJURED TESTIMONY CONCERNING PRE'-MEDITATION A]).TJ) DID .,
' 1 , '· , NOT . HAVE THOROUGHLY EXPlAINED TO THEH NOR UNDERSTAND THAT NOT WEAPON IN ., ·. 1
j ·· oNE •s HANDS, BUT EMOTIONAL MENTAL DISTURBANCEs· oR IMPu'LSEs-- IN oNE •s HEAD '·'
-~ ~~ · . . THAT PULLS THE TRIGGER, DE':fE&'1INES THE MANY DIFFERENT DEGREES OF MURDER ,[
'·· ... Mm DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOMICIDE AND DIFFERENT FORMS OF PUNISHMENT AS . '' .!
, i ... ·.• EX~IAINED IN MY 35 PAGE MEMORANDUM BRIEF INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE . .1
·I !.. ':'. AM BEGINNING TO BELIEVE T!'IAT IF THERE HERE LESS AND FEWER lAWYERS IN THIS . ·:;
t ,' : .. HORLD THERE WOULD BE MORE JUSTIC~ .AND LESS NEED FOR CHARITY. \
r· THEREFORE, REQUEST YOU IMMEDIATELY TO FULLY EXPlAIN TO DALlAS PRESS , ..
. .:
.. ·:. Pl}BLIC AND ME WHY YOU THREATE!Ii'ED NE lAST vlED't-.'ESDAY NIG'dT IN DALlAS WITH c;,
· .BdDILY HARM AND SAFETY QF . MY LIFE IN TEXAS IF I REMAThlED .THERE OR''IN ·•
1
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Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fi les
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.·. : . ALSO v7HAT PROMPTED, YOU TO CALL ~ KIKE, JE\•1-BASTARD, HHITE. NIGGER; AND '.". 1 :: :; · j
•. ,,;.· OTHER ANTI-SEHITIC VILE EPITHETS SIMIV..R TO THOSE RESORTED TO BY . : .. . '._ I ,1·.
. f PROSECUTION AND THEIR HITNESSES DURING COURT PROCEEDINGS TO INFlAME AND . · '
. ,~ __.·· ·Il\CITE HATE AND PREJUDICE OF COURT Al\'D JURYAGP.INST JA~K R~Y. . ··:·.,·, :·:.1
. ALSO IMMEDIATELY EXPOSE TO PRESS AND PUBLIC . LETTER FROM ,F.B;I. AGENT •. ··~. -,-.j
' '· GORDON SHANKLIN ADDRESSED TO FOHLER AND ME DATED JULY 16, 1964, AJ:.i1)
f TELEGRAHS DATED 'JULY 21, 1964 FROM RUBY FAMILY DISCH.t\RGING BOTH OF YOU·
l' .. ' AND MY 35 PAGE MEHORANDUM BRIEF AND MY FORMAL BILL OF EXCEPTIONS LEFT j I!
·_ IN DALLAS LAST HEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR FILING ON OR BEFORE JURISDICTIONAL ·.; II
::, . 90 DAY TIME ~XPIRES NEXT TUESDAY. TO AVOID LOSS OR HAIVER OF VALUABLE RIGHTS.; ,!
l
f . THESE DOCUHENTS ARE CONTRARY TO Al\TD ESTABLISH HOH FALSE Al';"D MISLEADING HERE -: j:
! • THE ALLEGED. STATENENTS ATTRIBUTED TO YOU IN PRESS RADIO Al\'D TELEVISION. ,
'
' j
t ALSO .REHIND YOU THAT RUBY FAMILY INTEND TO HOLD YOU FULLY ACCOUNTABLE . . ~ J:
f· FOR ORDINARY AND PUNITIVE DA!·oi

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Co llection: Key Persons Files
Commission No. j fo / C--
ABNEY & BURLESON
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW
242:0 LTV TQWE:R
D ALLAS, TEXAS 7S201
fRED S. "" FI'NEY
PHil.. BlJRI..tSON
July 31, 1964
1-4. C. M!:L A I N
WI\!.. TON P. BON DIES, ,JR. Rlvt:RSIDC 2-62 58.
Mr. Sol Dann
Attorney at Law
1820 David Stott Building
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Dear Sol:
Re: Jack Ruby
I apologize for the d e l a y in ge tting you the enclosed Bills of
Exception that were filed within the 90 da y period with the Trial
Court. The reason for the delay is tha t I have been extremely busy
in getting them
...._
filed and since having filed them on Tuesday afternoon,
have beenl\able to get a ny correspondence out to anyone. As a
matter of fact, this is the fir st dictation I have done this week. We
are, at the time of this dictation, preparing for an open house for
our clients and things have been very hectic.
.-
In addition to the 13 hills that are enclosed, there were two
additional ones done and at the moment I cannot find copies of them.
I will be able t o and will transport the m to you sometime next week
when I locate them. Numbe · 14 deals with some newspapers through ­
out the State of Texas that we atte m pted to offer on the hearing on
moti on for a new trial and w hich were excluded and we attached all
of those newspapers which I had had in storage to the bill of e~ception
and filed it. Bill Number 1 5 dealt with the exclusion of the taped
interview of Henry Wade by Radio Station KLIF that the Judge excluded
during the trial and also.excluded on the hearing on the motion
for a new trial.
As to what steps we ar e going to take in the appeal, I want you
to know that on Wednesday, some new and additibnal evidence as to
Officer Dean's testimony was brought to my attention and I spent
Wednesday evening checking it out and getting th~ concrete evidence in
my office . I have now tapes of Officer Dean locked in my desk which

Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fil es
Mr. Sol Dann
July31,1964
Page 2.
are at a complete variance to his testimony given at the trial. These
tapes are of Dean in his own voice and it is recognizable. Also, I have
a witness who will testify that Dean had a copy of this tape prior to his
testimony and he still said the things that he said.
We intend to utilize this information within the next 15 to 20 days
and are exploring the best means in which to present it to the Court of
Criminal Appeals . My present thinking is that we need to file a writ of
coram nobis in the Court of Criminal Appeals to get this to their atten ­
tion. However, I have not had a chance to completely firm up my
thinking in this regard and will let you know more about it later.
I know that the names of Fowler and Tonahill on the Bills of
Exception that I filed will not meet with your approval, but under the
circumstances, it was the only thing that I could do. As I told you, I
can work with these people if and as long as they are in the case. If I
had omitted their names from these papers, it would have caused a
tremendous controversy and additional adverse publicity to Jack Ruby.
Therefore, since I am more or less caught in the middle of a situation
and hoping to fully and properly represent the client, I wanted to avoid
any further squabbling either in or out of the newspaper and to fully
protect the rights of Jack Ruby. Therefore, I put their names on the
papers that I filed. As soon as the situation is cleared up, I am willing
to abide by the wishes and desires of those making the decisions. As I
told you, I can and will be willing to work with you in this case and will
appreciate any aid and help that any person can and will give. that will
help Jack Ruby.
As to the appeal, we are requesting the additional transcribed
testimony and have had a hearing on that on Monday, July 27th. At that
time I developed the fact that the attorneys for the Defendant have been
extremely diligent in attempting to get the transcribed testimony and
that the reason for the delay is the vast amount of work to be done and
that that work cannot be done by the Court Reporters in the time allowed
by statute . The Judge did grant an extension of time for f iling the
· statement of facts for 60 days . He did not extend the t i me for f iling
formal bills bec aus e he did not have the authority to do s o, but as the

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
,-~=-~~--~------
Mr. Sol Dann
July 31, 1964
Page 3.
various p'arts of the statement of facts are given to us by the Court
Reporter, it is our present intention to continue filing formal bills
of exception and predicating the formal bills upon the fact that the
information is just now available to us in the completed and proper
form and it is my considered opinion (and the opinion of the Judge who
denied us the extension of time, Judge Penn Jackson of Cleburne) that
the Court of Criminal Appeals will consider our formal bills of exception
filed after the 90 days if properly drawn with the proper predicates.
I have expended approximately $97.00 in the filing of the formal
bills for the various photostating work that needed to be done and the
obtaining, storage and delivery of the newspapers to Court.
If you have any further questions concerning the progress being
made by me in perfection of the appeal, please do not hesitate to let
me hear from yon.
PB:dc
Encl.

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
Date:08I12/93
Page:1
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
we
179-40005-10034
AGENCY INFORMATION
RECORDS SERIES
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
ORIGINATOR
FROM
TO
we
DANN, SOL
RANKIN, J. LEE
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
08128164
1
SUBJECTS
RUBY, JACK
TONAHILL, JOE
DOCUMENT TYPE
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
Ruby. Jack)/-/
' .
SOL A- OANN
FRANK R05EN3AUM
LES L IE D . BLOOM
BERNARD L KAU F" MAN
FRED TURNER
WILLIA'V1 APPEL
CI--IARLE5 P . NATHANSON
I RVING ,JAFF"EE
HENRY A. KROL I K
LA W OFFICES
DANN , ROSENBAUM , BLOOM &. KAUFMAN
1820 DAVI D S T OT T BU I LDIN G
DETR O IT, MICH IGAN 48226
August 28, 1964
WOODWARD 1- 1003
Mr. J. Lee Rankin, General Counsel
President's Commission on the Assassination of Pres. Kennedy
200 Maryland Ave. N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20002
Re: Jack Ruby
Dear Mr. Rankin:
In keeping with your request that I keep you informed, I am herewith
enclosing a letter of George Woods . He describes some of the
Anti-Semitic remarks he witnessed Joe Tonahill commit in the above
matter.
I don't know exactly why the American Trial Lawyers Association is
dragging its feet in the formal Complaint I made against Joe Tonahill
on account thereof. They haven't even given me the courtesy of an
acknowledgment of its receipt or any reply thereto. Mel Belli is
one of the big wheels in this organization, which may have something
to do with this.
I am also enclosing a copy of a letter I recently sent to Phil
Burleson because of his disregard of my instructions in reference to
Mr. Tonahill & Mr . Fowler. After I notified him of my intention to
possibly find the need to remove 2lJ Dallas counsel, he wrote me the
letter dated August 24th, a copy of which is enclosed. I regret
that it is not too legible.
I wrote him again today calling attention to the fact that his answers
are not satisfactory. A copy of that letter is enclosed.
There are other questions that I refrained from asking him but have
made a memorandum thereof and am enclosing them for your information,
which should be numbered from 21 to 30.
Encls.

1-',.. ____ _
Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
Date:OBI12I93
Page:1
IDENTIFICATION FORM
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
we
179 - 40005-10036
AGENCY INFORMATION
RECORDS SERIES
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
ORIGINATOR
FROM
TO
we
DANN, SOL
BURLESON, PHIL
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
TITLE
DATE
PAGES
08125164
4
RUBY,
SUBJECTS
JACK
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SOL A . OANN
F"RANK RO S EN BAUM
LESL ' E 0. BLOO M
1:\ERNARO L I< AU F' MAN
F'REO TU RNER
W•L.LIAM APPEL
CHARLE:S P . N A TH ANSON
IRVING JA F'F'EE
1-!E N RY A . KA O LI K
L.AW OFFICES
DANN, ROSENBAUM , BLOOM &. KAUFMAN
1820 OAVIO STOT T SUILOt N G
DETROIT ~ MI C HI G AN 462:26
August 25, 1964
WOoowAqo 1- 1003
Mr. Phil Burleson
2420 LTV Tm·1er
Dallas, Texas
Re: Jack Ruby
Dear Phil:
Confirming my telephone conversations with you of yesterday, I
informed you that I discussed the above matter with John Cofer
of Austin, Texas because I deem it necessary that a lawyer of
his ability take full charge of and carry on with the appeal.
Even though you claim you do not need assistance, the Ruby
family and myself would prefer having 'too much and beforehand'
than to later hold postmortems after losing on appeal , because
we had 'too little and too late.'
It may be that I resented your remarks concerning his age and
health because of my own comparable a ge and health. Be that as
it may, I have learned over the years to have a decent respect
for the ability of my elders . Therefore, although you thought
his age, health and involvement in the Billie Sol Estes case would
not permit him to give the Ruby matter the required attention, I
am satisfied, after discussing this matter with him, that there is,
as I informed you, no substitute for experience such as his and that
I hoped he, or an experienced lawyer like him, would undertake the
full responsibility of this appeal.
I have been very much concerned over the failure to file amendments
to the Motion for New Trial, that should have contained all of the
errors committed by the Court Below, including: (1) the pre-trial
insanity of Jack Ruby, (2) his inability to assist counsel, (3) the
newly discovered evidence in reference to the false testimony of
Officer Deal, (4) the District Attorney's concealment of material
evidence concerning Ruby's unsound mind since the age of 10, (5)
former counsels' carelessness or negligence in failing to discover
the mental incompetency and unsound mind and psychiatric background

;--------
Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
-2-
of Jack Ruby that would have created a reasonable doubt concerning
the mental incapacity of Jack Ruby not only to be able to distinguish
be t ween right and wrong but, what is even more important,
a reasonable doubt of his ability to plan or be guilty of premeditation
and vicious malice necessary to support a verdict of
murder in the 1st degree.
In my letters to both you and Emmett Colvin dated July 20th & 21st,
1964, I referred to many of the foregoing items with references to
the decisions of your Texas Court of Appeals that specifically
emphasized .the need to file affidavits to support a claim of newly
discovered evidence.
Perhaps it i s too l a te to now file such affidvits because they were
not previously filed as amendments to the Motion for New Trial. But
I am calling this to your attention to emphasize the need to prevent
any similar mistakes in the future. I cannot understand why, in
important matters such as this, a simple affidavit could not be prepared
in a matter of minutes either the night or morning before the hearing
on the Motion for New Trial, in compliance with the law of Texas.
Since you indicated that neither Mr. Tonahill nor Mr. Fowler have
been giving you any assistance on the appeal, there was no need to
include their names on any of the papers filed since they were previously
discharged. The mere fact that there names appeared in the file
did not require their names to be placed on any appeal papers, especially
since your recognizing them as remaining in the case may
present many complications and disruptions.
You did not find it necessary to include the names of Tonahill &
Fowler on the standby affidavits you claim you filed on August 21st
and it was equally unnecessary to include them on the Formal Bill of
Exceptions. Incidentally, I have not as yet received copies of those
standby affidavits. Please send mecopies immediately.
You seemed surprised 'qhen I told you of the newspaper account of
Justice 1-larren' s interview with Ruby that referred to an argument
when Mr. Tonahill attempted to persuade Jack Ruby to say that he had
planned the murder of Os"1ald for 2 days prior to the shooting. Jack
Ruby claimed that Tonahill was a "liar" and was attempting to get him
to practically admit that he was guilty of a planned and "premeditated"
murder. Jack then said to Tonahill and Justice Warren that this was
false and was something that Tonahill attempted to persuade him to say
by putting this idea in his mind but which he, Jack, refused to say because
it was untrue.

~-
Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Co llection: Key Persons Files
" A .:&OO ~­
l O~
-3-
Can you explain why Tonahill wanted Jack to say that he had
planned this murder after talking to Kathy Kay shortly after
the President's assassination? since planning and premeditation
would be tantamount to pleading guilty to 1st degree murder.
I would also like to know:
1) How much money or what benefits any of the lawyers who
have been in this case received or were promised from
any source, aside from the $11,000 paid to Mr. Belli.
2) What information do you have concerning any monies or
promises of monies or benefits made to any of the lawyers
in this case, or which they received or expected to receive
from the use of the proceedings in this trial in newspapers,
magazines, radio, television, movies or other news media,
more especially including the recent article in the Saturday
Evening Post entitled "The Untold Story of Jack Ruby;" the
recent syndicated copyrighted articles in the New York Journal
American by DorothyKilgallen exposing what was said during
the interview between Justice Warren and Jak Ruby; the movie
that was being made during the trial; the B & T Company and
the alleged downpayment of $65,000.00.
3) What information you have concerning any offers, promises,
or payments of money by H. L. Hunt to any of the lawyers in
this case? (Mr. Belli told me that at one time Mr. Hunt
offered him $100,000.00).
4) Who was responsible for not making a timely demand for a
separate trial in reference to Jack Ruby's insanity and his
inability to assist counsel before the actual trial on the
main case was begun?
5) Who was responsible for not challenging the entire voir dire
because they were improperly selected from an area of Birchites
which did not represent a jury of Ruby's peers.
6) Uho was responsible for not using public op~nwn polls to
show the need for a change of venue? as permitted by u.s.
-v- Boothe, in 313 Fed. 2d.

• f'V ;.J
Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
.; OtUX
-4-
7) "\-Tho was responsible for not objecting to the statement
;r of Officer Dean that regardless of the res gestae rule
the officer's testimony v1as incompetent under the case of
Escobedo -v- Ill. decided by the Supreme Court of the U.S.
about a year ago.
8) !.Jho was responsible for not calling Jack Ruby as a witness
or any of his sisters or brothers to establish the entire
psychiatric history of Jack Ruby in order to at least establish
his unsound mind and mental incapacity since childhood?
And don't you think that this would have been material evidence
to defeat the District Attorney's claim of planning, malice
and premeditation? Or at least to create a reasonable doubt
in the jury's mind in reference thereto?
8a) \fho was responsible for the epilepsy theory?
9) Hho was responsible for advising Belli to open the doors to
testimony otherwise not admissible under Texas law.
10) In what respect do you agree or disagree ,.,ith the statements
set forth in the recent Saturday Evening Post article entitled:
"The Untold Story of Jack Ruby" that points out the
many mistakes that were made during the trial and traps that
Belli & Tonahill fell into?
11) Do you still believe that the Court of Appeals will considerJ
and that you have the right to bring up for their consideration,
the matters of newly discovered evidence with reference to
Officer Dean's false testimony or Jack Ruby's unsoumd mind
since childhood 1 without having previously made the same a part
of your Amended Motion for New Trial supported by a proper
affidavit?
I look forward to your complete answers to all of the foregoing
questions as well as those set forth in my telegram of August 13,
1964.

Records of the John F. Ke1medy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATI ON SYSTEM
Date:08I 12I 93
Page:1
IDENTIFICATION FORM
---------- - ------------------ - -----------------------------------------------
AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
RECORDS SERIES
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
we
179-40002-10089
AGENCY INFORMATION
-- - --------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------
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TITLE
BURLESON
DATE
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"'?.~~L-. j '
"...?~ ....._.._.._
\
Memorandum .of"Additional Items of Complaint Against Burleson
which should be added to letter I sent him on August 25.
Since May, 1964, Phil ~vas repeatedly requested to file
complete motions and amended motions for a new trial to
include all of the errors and items of newly discovered
evidence.
Both Tonahill and Burleson informed Bellm.;s, Earl and .. Dann
that this was done.
\
He made motions for a ne-.;v trial without having the rec·ord
or transcripts to refer to in order to point out all the
errors committed by the trial court, to preserve them for
. review on appeal. .
Since May, 1964, Phil kept asking Earl for iuoney. At one
time he asked for $8500 because he said he was devoting most
of his time in preparing all of the necessary documents for
the appeal.
;6)
(a)
He didn't have the record, and still does not have the
completed record.
He neglected to obtain extensions of time within which to
file complete and proper motions for new trial.
He waited 83 days before preparing the Formal Bills o f Ex ­
ception and then only after Dann and Woods were compelled to
go to .Dallas with a skeleton form of Formal Bills of Exception
and with an ultimatum to either file same before expiration of
90•day period or prepare their own.
Burleson and Colvin then refused to discuss what should go
into the Formal Bills of Exception and threatened to resign
unless the Ruby family or Dann agreed to immediately ~~ pay
t hem $7500 under the terms of a contract whih they submitted
to Dann at that time.
I'
-1-

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fi les
·.. .,,,
ou:.x
~
OU ..;.o )o.
- 2 -
The follo~v ing day; the Press i n Dallas published
their intention to resign.
Phil, at first, notified Dann that he could get the 90 -
day period extended, but later notified Dann that he
was unable to do so, (Under the law of Texas, the
90-day period cannot be extended).
(a) On the 84th day, Phil said he ~vould need an extra
stenographer in order to meet the 90-day deadline ,
~vhereupon Dann told him to hire a Kelly girl.
30
t

----
Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
Date:OB/12 / 93
Page:1
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DANN, SOL
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
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Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
Date:08I 12I93
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Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fi les
9 01.. A. OANN
FRANK ROSENBAUM
L!::SLIE Q_ !!LOOM
eER~L KAUF~AN
rR ED TURNER
WILLIAM AF'DE L
CHARLES F'. NATHANSON
rRVI" G ..;AF"FEE
HI!:NR'I" A KROLII'\
L.AW OFFICES
DANN,ROSENBAUM.BLOOM & KAUFMAN
182:0 OAVIO STOTT SUILOINO
DETROIT, M I C H IGAN 48225
August 28, 1964
WOODWARD 1-1 003
Mr . Phil Burleson
2420 LTV Tm,rer
Da l las, Texas
Re: Jack Ruby
Dear Phil:
Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of August 24th but,
as you probably anticipated, I would like to have more complete
explanatory ansv1ers to avoid any misunderstandings .
By 1vay of illustration:
12) Earl was informed that a Mr. Jake Ehrlich, who is
primarily interested in book rights, has been interviev7ing
various attorneys connected with this case .
vfuat, if anything, do you know about this?
(I am continuing the numbering of the questions of my
letter of August 25th).
13) I understand Mr . Belli filed or left a brief v1ith someone
in Dallas. 'Vfuat, if anything, do you know about this?
14) I understand Belli, when he was recently in Dallas , was
attempting to interview jurors suspected of being connected
with the Birch Society. l·fuat do you know about this?
15) I have been informed that Judge Brmvn was a former leader
in the Birch Society. What do you know about this?
16) Do you know whether or not Tonahill v1as a member of the
Birch Society or any other Anti-Semitic organization?
Xf:.RQ
~-npy ..

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Fi les
-2-
17)
Have you ever been a member of 1
or associated with
a member of 1 the Birch Society or a member of any
Anti-Semitic organization?
18)
I received only one bystanders Bill of Exception
which was in support of "Formal Bill of Exception
1{10 . " Hhy ~·1asn 1 t a bystanders Bill of Except ion
filed in support of the other 14 of the 15 Formal
Bills of Exception you filed?
1 9)
Is it necessary that a bystanders Bill of Excepti on
shmv a ~vitness 1
testimony in question and answer form
that you wish to challenge by the bystanders bill?
20)
On ~·Jhat
case?
date did the Judge 1 pronounce judgment i n t his
I
I look forward to an early reply to questions .

Records of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM
Date:08I17I93
Page : 1
IDENTIFICATION FORM
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AGENCY
RECORD NUMBER
RECORDS SERIES
09: RUBY, JACK 11-1
AGENCY FILE NUMBER :
we
179 - 40 005 -10035
AGENCY INFORMATION
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OR I GINATOR
FROM
TO
TITLE
we
WOODS, GEORGE
BRAVERMAN, HAROLD
DOCUMENT INFORMATION
DATE
PAGES
08121164
2
SUBJECTS
TONAHILL, JOE
DOCUMENT TYPE
CLASSIFICATION
RESTRICTIONS
CURRENT STATUS
DATE OF LAST REVIEW
OPENING CRITERIA
PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT
u
OPEN IN FULL
0
I I
COMMENTS
P. 1 - 2i BOX 1 6
[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

Records of the John F. Ketmedy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
LAW 0FFIC~S
POTTER. WooDs, LYNCH A:;,!-7300
GEOROE E. WOOC5
~61-4686
RAYMO N D J . LYNCH
ROBERT E. Or: MASCIO
CHARLOTTE.). BRINKMA "'
21 August, 1964
Mr. Harold Braverman
c/o Anti-Defamation Le

xr.~o
Records of the John F. Kem1edy Assassination Collection: Key Persons Files
j
. ...
Mr. Harry Braverman
21 August, 1964
Page Two
It must be clearly understood this communication to you by myself
on this subject matter, and the entire contents of this letter, are
to be treated by you as personal and confident~al; you ore not to disclose
the cont:mts hereof to any person or persons without my
express and formal permission. It is my present concern, as it
was on this occasion to which I have just made reference, that the
efforts of all concerned should be first directed in the interest of
Jack Ruby, a defendant under death sentence in the criminal case
then and presently on upp~al . If you or your organiz-tion feel that
I am unduly restrictive, I would appreciat he immediate return
of this communication.
G:::W:sm
~"~P¥