Bl000t dot In Lungs Kills Him Insisted to the End He Was Not a Part Of Any Conspiracy ' By Richard Harwood Washington Post Staff Writer Jack Ruby, the most cele- brated executioner of 'the decade, . died of a massive blood clot yesterday at the Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. He was, in his own troubled mind, "just a nobody from the ghettoes of Chicago" until Nov. 24, 1963. On that day, be- fore a television audience of - tens of millions, he murdered Lee Harvey Oswald who had 48 hours earlier, the Warren Commission later concluded, assassinated President John F. Kennedy in the streets of Dal- las. By his bizarre act, Ruby secured for himself a dubious place in American history and made more credible the un- proved hypothesis that the President's murder was the product of a conspiracy. Dies While Asleep Ruby's death at 10:30 a.m. yesterday was more serene than the 55 years of his life. He was asleep when he stopped breathing in-the same hospital in which both Os- wald and President Kennedy died. The cancer that riddled his body and put him beyond Associated Press m e d i c a l salvation was dis- Jack Ruby at his 1965 sanity trial. Another picture, A3. covered Dec. 9, when he was taken to the hospital from the *Dallas County Jail. He was so ravaged by the disease that he looked, one of his lawyers said, like "a man of 80 years." In his last weeks he was in- coherent much of the time and was tortured, his brother Earl reported, by the delusion that millions of American Jews were being executed in retal- iation for his impulsive act of

violence against Oswald. seedy, after-hours ciuo, fumy 'I Hear Them Screaming' tried for a place In the sun. Ruby insisted as he had insist- He changed his name from ed since Nov. 24, 1963, that he He was told by his brother, was not part of any conspiracy, "That is not true, Jack. It is Rubenstein to Ruby, ingrati- ated himself with policemen that Oswald was a total not true." stranger, and that he acted "Don't tell me! Don't. tell and newspaper reporters and became protective, in his own out of motives he himself me!" the stricken man re- ( could not explain. plied. "I hear them screaming fashion, of the girls who worked in his club. The Warren Commission from the b a s rtur e n t every agreed with Ruby's stody. But night." On at least 15 occasions, he beat up people who offended that was not the unanimous He • had i reaction. Profound doubts 1 his s him and customers who got out of line. Once, the War- arose and the belief that Ruby Ain agina and Oswald were joined in a sago, h ren Commission discovered, he pistol-whipped a man se- conspiracy gained wide cur- fN verely. On another occasion, rency, especially .overseas. he threw a customer down In his statement to the War- the stairs at his club. ren Commission, Ruby said, For all that, he desperately "All I did was walk down wished to "be liked," to have there, down to the bottom of had trserted (from the 'Czarist the ramp (below the police army in Russia in 1898, and an "class" and distinction, to prove something to himself station) and that's when the illiterate, mentally disturbed and to the world. That, in any incident happened—at the bot- mother. case, is how his family, his tom of the ramp. . . . It hap- friends, and his lawyers ex- pened in such a blur that . • . His whole childhood had a lbefore I knew it I was on nightmarish quality. He grew plained him. His murder of Oswald, he declared, was in- the ground. The officers had up in a dilapidated Jewish- ' tended as much as anything me on the ground.. .. I cant Italian neighborhood, where to "show the world that Jews recall what happened from the little boys became street-fight- have guts." time I came to the bottom of • the ramp until the police- of- ers to survive. He also said at the time that he had great admiration for, ficers had me on the ground." His sister, Eva, called him Elmer Gertz, one of Ruby's "Sparky" because of his quick Kennedy and deep sympathy d) for his widow and children. unpai dlawyers, said he was 'temper and his brawling hab- satisfied that this was a faith its. By the time he was 10, Whatever his motives, he made his history on Nov. 24,' ful account of what happene . said his brother Earl, "he was "When he shot Oswald," said always getting into fights and 1963. A little before 11 a.m. he went to a telegraph office Gertz in Chicago yesterday, winnin' em." His father, in "he was in a blackout. H those years, drank heavily near the Dallas police head- quarters to send $25 to a strip- knew he shot Oswald, but he worked rarely, and not infre- had no real memory of the quently assaulted his wife with teaser down on her luck in Fort Worth. experience." his fists. She was later con- One of Ruby's last requests' fined to a mental institution. From there he walked to the 'basement of the city jail, was to be given a new lie When Ruby was 12, welfare detector test to prove his authorities placed him in a where a large crowd of report- ers and policemen were as- story. But it was denied., In- foster hoae, although he later stead, Ruby made a tape re- rejoined his parents and got cording in which, according an eighth grade education be- to his brother, he said: "I'm lore he quit school. embled to witness Oswald's not hiding anything. I'm not - • Thereafter he lived by his protecting anybody. There is :writs on the streets, as a ped- ransfer to another jail. Ruby slipped through the nothing to hide, no one to pro- s idler, a ticket scalper and odd- tect. Believe me." As for :jobs boy. During the Depres- n•owd and faced Oswald from Oswald, he "had never known - "sion he sold newspapers in distance of only a few feet him or seem him before." San Francisco, and later re- as he came through an office Blood Clot in Lungs , turned to Chicago as an or- doorway. ganizer for the Junkyard Dead in 2 Hours At the hospital yesterday, Workers Union. Dr. Earl Rose, the Dallas Ruby was drafted in 1941 Ruby darted forward and County health examiner, said at the age of 30, was trained fired one shot into Oswald's the blood clot that took Ruby's as an aircraft mechanic, but stomach from a ,38 caliber life was in his lungs, and may never left the United States. Colt revolver. The time was have been brought on by his After he was mustered out, his 12:20 p.m. Within less than two cancerous condition. I sister Eva invited him to hours Oswald was dead and "Cancer robs the body of come to Dallas as her partner Ruby was in a jail cell. energy and vitality," he said. in the nightclub business. In the aftermath, of that "This led him to be bedridden. They opened twoanailiteaae - Ca- incredible moment, Ruby was Tumors themselves may pre- joints, one of them, "The convicted of murder in 1964 dispose to cloth. He developed rousel," which RulesL lisatylged and was sentenced to death in a blood clot in the leg . . until his rendeziklus ,sofith Lee the electric chair. But last This breaks loose and travels Harvey ()raid., ysoilie base- October his conviction was and causes death." ment of tixe Dtpas police sta- overturned and a second trial Dr. Rose and Dr. Eugene tion mo thhn three years was scheduled for February Frankel, who treated Ruby at ago. of this year in Wichita Falls, the hospital, said his cancer Sou lace in Sun Texas. was so widespread it prob- In the days before his death, ably could not have been ae•-/' "As the entrepreneur. . in a stopped, even if there had not i Warren Report and the re- been a clot. port's critics. The autopsy findings Whalen is the author of showed extensive tumor in- "The Founding Father: The volvement of both lungs and Story of Joseph P. Kennedy." the regional lymph nodes," In a companion editorial, said Dr. Rose. "The tumor had the Post called for a meticu- traveled to his liver." lous reexamination of the dis- Dr. Frankel said, "Yesterday puted findings" of the War- he was quite comfortable. In ren Report. the evening there was some increase in shortness of N .Y . Court Blocks Sale breath, bringing up the ques- tion of a condition change. He Of Oswald Recording received oxygen. NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (UPI) "This morning, he awoke, State Supreme Court Justice had his bath and seemed very Samuel H. Hofstadter blocked jovial and comfortable. He ordered eggs for breakfast. He sale today of a long-playing had a seizure this morning be- recorded interview with Lee tween 9:10 and 9:12 a.m. (CST) Harvey Oswald, pending a de- and was not responsive after cision on who owns the origi- that." nal tape. Since Dec. 9, Ruby had lost The Information Council of 20 pounds, the doctors said. America bought the interview When he died, 20 persons, with Oswald, made three including members of his fam- months before he assassinated ily, were at his bedside. President Kennedy, from Wil- He will be buried in Chi- liam K. Stuckey of Evanston, cago. Ill., for $6500 on Oct. 21, 1964. uckey, a New Orleans news- Belli Calls Ruby's Death paper reporter and radio com- mentator, conducted the 40- Ultimate Shame of Dalla minute interview Aug. 17, 1963. Special to The Witehingion Post - The record was to have been PARIS, Jan. 3—Melvin Bell released today but a stay who defended Jack Ruby at hi as granted by Hofstadter at murder trial called Ruby' he petition of the Information death "the ultimate shame o Council. Defendants in the Dallas." suit were Audio Fidelity Rec- "That poor little son of ords, Inc., Trught Records and bitch," Belli said. "Those god four individuals, including Au- dam Texans. They never gay brey Mahew, author of a book titled "World's Tribute to John ,him a chance." , Art- Belli is vacationing F. Kennedy in Mptaiiii Europe. The flashy 59-year-ol lawyer said: "It was bad enough the wa they tried him. It was wors the way they let him die.' Dallas brags about its hos pitals and its great medic treatment. And there th world's most famous prisone under a 24-hour suicide watc was dying of cancer. "And they didn't do any thing, they didn't even examin him until it was too late. Th incompetency is incredible." 2d-Assassin Theory Cited, New Probe Urged NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (AP) The Saturday Evening Post published today a copyright article by Richard J. Whalen concluding that there is cir- cumstantial evidence to sup- port the theory of a second assassin in the shooting of President Kennedy. The article, in the Jan. 14 issue distributed today, re- views the assassination, the Sfr3.41, Photo © 14 The fanti The A Ins Ilnierl ago 33°6 Jilin ogs ptitu Oswald grintaciig after being Ole aY J ack u y i tae a as pa 21 Arian. RUBY —F 6244,44-, „&e._ swa d s Slayer, Dies of C Weeri/J-'f40447 RUBY—From Page Al Ruby, Oswald's Slayer, Dies of Cancer

had deserted from the Czarist out of motives he himself army in Russia in 1898, and an out of line. Once, the War- could not explain. ren Commission discovered, The Warren Commission illiterate, mentally disturbed he pistol-whipped a man se- agreed with Ruby's stody. But mother. 'verely. On another occasion, that was not the unanimous His whole childhood had a -he threw a customer down reaction, Profound doubts nightmarish quality. He grew 'the stairs at his club. arose and the belief that Ruby up in a dilifpidated Jewish- -* For all that, he desperately and Oswald were joined in a ;wished to "be liked," to have conspiracy gained wide cur- Italian neighborhood, where "class" and distinction, to rency, especially overseas. little boys became street-fight- prove something to himself In his statement to the War- ers to survive. and to the world. That, in any ren Commission, Ruby said, His sister, Eva, called him case, is how his family, his "All I did was walk down "Sparky" because of his quick friends, and his lawyers ex- there, down to the bottom of temper and his brawling hab- plained him. His murder of the ramp (below the police its. By the time he was 10, •Oswald, he declared, was in- station) and that's when the said his brother Earl, "he was tended as much as anything incident happened—at the bot- always getting into fights and to "show the world that Jews tom of the ramp. . . . It hap- winnin' em." His father, in have guts." pened in such a blur that . . those years, drank heavily • He also said at the time that before I knew it I was on worked rarely, and not infre- .he had great admiration for the ground, The officers had quently assaulted his wife with 'Kennedy and deep sympathy me on. the ground. . . . I can t his fists. She was later con- for his widow and children. recall what happened from the - fined to a mental institution. Whatever his motives, he time I came to the bottom of When Ruby was 12, welfare made his history on Nov. 24, the ramp until the police of- authorities placed him in a ;1963. A little before 11 a.m. ficers had me on the ground." foster home, although he later -he went to a telegraph office Elmer Gertz, one of Ruby's _rejoined his parents and got :near the Dallas police head- unpai dlawyers, said he was .an eighth grade education be- entailers to send $25 to a strip- satisfied that this was a faith- fore he quit school. teaser down on her luck in ful account of what happened. Thereafter he lived by his •Fort Worth. "When he shot Oswald," said wits on the streets, as a ped- •• From there he walked to the Gertz in Chicago yesterday, Aler, a ticket scalper and odd. •basement of the city jail, I "he was in a blackout. He Jobs boy. During the Depres. 'where a large crowd of report- knew he shot Oswald, but hej :sion he sold newspapers in - ers and policemen were as- had no real memory of the -San Francisco, and later re experience." :turned to Chicago as an or sembled to witness Oswald's : One of Ruby's last requests -ganizer for the Junkyard was to be given a new lie :,Workers Union. transfer to another jail. detector test to prove his Ruby was drafted in 1941 Ruby slipped through the story. But it was denied. In- at the age of 30, was trained crowd and faced Oswald from stead, Ruby made a tape re- as an aircraft mechanic, but a distance of only a few feet cording in which, according -never left the United States. as he came through an office to his brother, he said: "I'm After he was mustered out, his doorway. not hiding anything. I'm not -sister Eva invited him to protecting anybody. There is -come to Dallas as her partner Dead in 2 Hours nothing to hide, no one to pro- 4n the nightclub business. Ruby darted forward and tect. Believe me." As for ;,They opened two striptease fired one shot into Oswald's Oswald, he "had never known -joints. one of them. "The Ca- stomach from a .38 caliber him or seem him before." _rousel," which Ruby managed Colt revolver. The time was Blood Clot in Lungs until his rendezvous with Lee 12:20 p.m. Within less than two .Harvey Oswald in the base- hours Oswald was dead and At the hospital yesterday, ment of the Dallas police sta- Ruby was in a jail cell. Dr. Earl Rose, the Dallas ..tion more than three years In the aftermath, of that County health examiner, said ,ago. incredible moment, Ruby was the blood clot that took Ruby's life was in his lungs, and may .;Sought Place in Sun convicted of murder in 1964 and was sentenced to death in have been brought on by his As the entrepreneur in the electric chair. But last cancerous condition. seedy, after-hours club, Ruby October his conviction was "Cancer robs the body of -tried for a place in the sun. overturned and a second trial energy and vitality," he said. :11e changed his name from was scheduled for February "This led him to be bedridden •Rubenstein to Ruby, ingrati- of this year in Wichita Falls, Tumors themselves may pre .,ated himself with policemen dispose to cloth. He developec Texas. . and newspaper reporters and In the days before his death, a blood clot in the leg became protective, in his own Ruby insisted as he had insist- This breaks loose and travel: fashion, of the girls who ed since Nov. 24, 1963, that he and causes death." worked in his club. was not part of any conspiracy, Dr. Rose and Dr. Eugene On at least 15 occasions, he that Oswald was a total Frankel, who treated Ruby a the hospital, said his cance be-at up people who offended stranger, and that he acted him and customers who got was so widespread it prol ably could not have bee AsmssowssammesswilMI Photo g 1963 by The Dallas Times and Bob Jackson The famous picture of Lee Harvey Oswald grimacing after being shot by Jack Ruby in the Dallas police station. stopped, even if there had not Warren Report and the re- been a clot. port's critics. "The autopsy findings Whalen is the author of showed extensive tumor in- "The Founding Father: The volvement of both lungs and Story of Joseph P. Kennedy." the regional lymph nodes," In a companion editorial, said Dr. Rose. "The tumor had the Post called for a meticu- traveled to his liver." lous reexamination of the dis- Dr. Frankel said, "Yesterday puted findings" of the War- he was quite comfortable. In ren Report. the evening there was some increase in shortness of N.Y. Court Blocks Sale breath, bringing up the ques- tion of a condition change. He Of Oswald Recording received oxygen. NEW YORK; Jan. 3 (UPI) "This morning, he awoke, State Supreme Court Justice had his bath and seemed very Samuel H. Hofstadter blocked jovial and comfortable. He ordered eggs for breakfast. He sale today of a long-playing had a seizure this morning be- recorded interview with Lee tween 9:10 and 9:12 a.m. (CST) Harvey Oswald, pending a de- and was not responsive after cision on who owns the origi- that." nal tape. Since Dec. 9, Ruby had lost The Information Council of 20 pounds, the doctors said. America bought the interview When he died, 20 persons, with Oswald, made three including members of his fam- months before he assassinated ily, were at his bedside. President Kennedy, from Wil- He will be buried in Chi- liam K. Stuckey of Evanston, cago. Ill., for $6500 on Oct, 21, 1964. Stuckey, a New Orleans news- Belli Calls Ruby's Death paper reporter and radio com- mentator, conducted the 40- Ultimate Shame of Dallas minute interview Aug. 17, 1963. spectra to The Washington Poat The record was to have been PARIS, Jan. 3—Melvin Belli released today but a stay who defended Jack Ruby at his was granted by Hofstadter at murder trial called Ruby's the petition of the Information death "the ultimate shame of Council. Defendants in the Dallas." suit were Audio Fidelity Rec- "That poor little son of a ords, Inc., Trught Records and bitch," Belli said. "Those god- four individuals, including Au- darn Texans. They never gave brey Mahew, author of a book him a chance." titled "World's Tribute to John Belli is vacationing in P. Kennedy in Metallic Art." Europe. The flashy 59-year-old lawyer said: "It was bad enough the way they tried him. It was worse the way they let him die." Dallas brags about its hos- pitals and its great medical treatment. And there the world's most famous prisoner, under a 24-hour suicide watch, was dying of cancer. "And they didn't do any- t. thing, they didn't even examine J him until it was too late. The incompetency is incredible." d d-Assassin Theory -1 5 Cited, New Probe Urged NEW YORK, Jan. 3 (AP) The Saturday Evening Post published today a copyright article by Richard X. Whalen concluding that there is cir- cumstantial evidence to sup- port the theory of a second assassin in the shooting of President Kennedy. The article, in the Jan. 14 issue distributed today, re- views the assassination, the