Mr. Griffin.

Will you state for the reporter here your full name.

Mr. Aycox.

James Thomas Aycox.

Mr. Griffin.

What is your address?

Mr. Aycox.

2819 Hibernia.

Mr. Griffin.

Do you know Jack Ruby?

Mr. Aycox.

I know him.

Mr. Griffin.

How did you first happen to meet Jack Ruby?

Mr. Aycox.

Well, I went out to his club and played. The first night we went out there to play, his sister was running the place.

Mr. Griffin.

Is that the Vegas Club?

Mr. Aycox.

Vegas Club, and she had to have an operation the first night I played with another band. We just played one night.
The next night, about a week later, we got a steady job there, and she had to have an operation, and she told us he would be taking over and handling both clubs until she got out of the hospital, and for us to follow his orders, and that is how I met him.
One night he came out before she went to the hospital, and she introduced me to him, and then he came out and emceed the show.
We had a show on Friday and Saturday nights at the Vegas Club and he come out and emceed the show.

Mr. Griffin.

What kind of shows did he have at the Vegas Club on Friday and Saturdays?

Mr. Aycox.

Just a rock-and-roll. Different artists come from other clubs, recording artists around town come out and did three or four numbers, tap dance and sing.

Mr. Griffin.

Did they have any stripteasers at the Vegas Club?

Mr. Aycox.

No.

Mr. Griffin.

How long did you work at the Vegas Club?

Mr. Aycox.

Let me see, it was 2 or 3 weeks before this came up.

Mr. Griffin.

Do you remember when you quit working at the Vegas?

Mr. Aycox.

Well, it was.in the wintertime. It was kind of cold. I don't recall the date, but I think it was in November, I believe.

Mr. Griffin.

Was it before or after President Kennedy was shot?

Mr. Aycox.

It was before.

Mr. Griffin.

How long before President Kennedy was shot?

Mr. Aycox.

Well, it was about, maybe 3 or 4 days, or a week, or something like that.

Mr. Griffin.

How did you happen to quit?

Mr. Aycox.

Well, things weren't going right out there. I couldn't get along with the band. He had told me to do one thing, and the guy that was playing there before I was, but we were playing mechanical all night. He would never say anything to the artists and tell them we will be here again and what time we would open. Mr. Ruby came out on Sunday and would drill us, and he wouldn't want us to play mechanical all night.

Mr. Griffin.

What do you mean by mechanical?

Mr. Aycox.

That is playing and not singing.

Mr. Griffin.

He wanted you to put on a little performance?

Mr. Aycox.

That's right, and tell some kind of jokes, plug for the club. So this guy was the pianoplayer with the band before I started, and when the other band left, he stayed and taken over the band.

Mr. Griffin.

Did you replace the Joe Johnson band?

Mr. Aycox.

That's right.

Mr. Griffin.

What was the name of the band that you were in?

Mr. Aycox.

I don't really know what the name of this band was. I played with Leonard Wood. He was the band leader.

Mr. Griffin.

Did you play in the band called the Players?

Mr. Aycox.

That is the name.

Mr. Griffin.

Leonard Wood then replaced Joe Johnson?

Mr. Aycox.

But he was working with Joe first. Then after Joe left, he stayed to take over.

Mr. Griffin.

Is Leonard the pianoplayer?

Mr. Aycox.

Leonard is the pianoplayer.