Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Friday Evening

Ruby is uncertain whether he went directly from his sister’s home to his apartment or to his club. While at least five witnesses believed they saw him on the third floor of police headquarters between 6 and 9 p.m., the Commission found it doubtful he was there before 11 p.m., as the descriptions of his appearance and the witness reliability were questionable. Ruby has denied being at police headquarters before approximately 11:15 p.m. He returned to his own apartment before 9 p.m., unsuccessfully tried to persuade Ralph Paul to attend synagogue services, and called his brother Hyman Rubenstein and sisters in Chicago, expressing distress about Dallas and considering selling his business. He attended services at Temple Shearith Israel, arriving near the end, where Rabbi Silverman noted Ruby appeared depressed. After services, he drove by night clubs, purchased kosher sandwiches and soft drinks intending to feed officers at police headquarters, and attempted to deliver food to KLIF radio station employees before heading downtown.

Third Floor of Police Headquarters

Ruby made his way to the third floor of the Dallas Police Department by about 11:30 p.m., where reporters gathered near the homicide bureau. Newsman John Rutledge described seeing Ruby flanked by two out-of-state reporters, walking rapidly, hunched over, and writing on a piece of paper. Detective Augustus M. Eberhardt recalled Ruby carrying a note pad and professing to be a translator for the Israeli press, while remarking on the tragedy for Dallas. Video tapes confirmed Ruby’s presence on the third floor when Chief Jesse E. Curry and District Attorney Henry M. Wade announced that Oswald would be shown to newsmen at a basement press conference. Ruby stated his original purpose was to locate a KLIF employee but was “carried away with the excitement of history.”