(Testimony of Bernard William , Accompanied By Weissman)
Mr. Jenner.
In any of these negotiations that were carried on by you or your associates, was the name Jack Ruby ever mentioned as having any possible interest whatsoever in any of those groups?
Mr. Weissman.
Never.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you hear of the name Jack Ruby or Jack Rubenstein up to--- at anytime prior to November 24, 1963?
Mr. Weissman.
No; never.
Mr. Jenner.
And do you have any information or any knowledge or any notion or feeling that Larrie Schmidt or any of your associates knew of or had any association with Jack Ruby or otherwise known as Jack Rubenstein?
Mr. Weissman.
I think I can state pretty emphatically no.
Mr. Jenner.
Were there any communications of any kind or character, written notes, telephone calls, or otherwise, that you know about or knew about then to or from Jack Ruby?
Mr. Weissman.
Never.
Mr. Jenner.
When did you first hear of the name Jack Ruby?
Mr. Weissman.
I think he shot Oswald some time in the afternoon or the morning---since Bill and I had. neither a radio or TV in the apartment---we were in the apartment all day.
Mr. Jenner.
All day that Sunday?
Mr. Weissman.
Yes; we had heard about it that night.
Mr. Jenner.
That is the 24th of November 1963?
Mr. Weissman.
If that is when Oswald was shot.
Mr. Jenner.
And you first became aware of Oswald being shot the night or evening of the 24th?
Mr. Weissman.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
That Sunday?
Mr. Weissman.
Yes. I don't recall exactly how. I think Larrie telephoned us, and told us that.
Mr. Jenner.
This is the first time we have mentioned the name Oswald. Had you ever heard the name Lee Harvey Oswald prior to your going to Dallas?
Mr. Weissman.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you hear of the name Lee Harvey Oswald at any time prior to November 22, 1963?
Mr. Weissman.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
Was the name ever mentioned in your presence?
Mr. Weissman.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
I take it from what you have said that you did not know a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Mr. Weissman.
No.
Mr. Jenner.
When did you first hear the name Lee Harvey Oswald?
Mr. Weissman.
We were sitting in a bar, right after President Kennedy's assassination.
Mr. Jenner.
This was the 22d of November 1963?
Mr. Weissman.
Yes; it was Bill Burley, myself, and Larrie. We had made we were to meet Larrie and Joe Grinnan at the Ducharme Club.
Mr. Jenner.
For what meal?
Mr. Weissman.
For luncheon. We were supposed to meet him at 12:30 or 1 o'clock, I forget which--about 1 o'clock. And I had a 12:30 on the button, as a matter of fact--I had an appointment to sell a carpet out in the Garland section of Texas--it was a 2:30 appointment. And I was in a hurry to get to meet Larrie and finish the lunch, and whatever business they wanted to talk about I didn't know. So I looked at my watch. I remember specifically it was 12:30, because at that time Bill had been driving my car. He had quit the carpet company and was looking for another job. He had looked at a franchise arrangement for insecticides. He picked me up. He was waiting for me from 10 after 12 to 12:30. We got into the car. I am a great news bug. So I turned the radio on, looking for a news station. And they had---at that time, as I turned the radio on, the announcer said, "There has been a rumor that President Kennedy has been shot." So we didn't believe it. It was just a little too far out to believe.
And after several minutes, it began to take on some substance about the
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