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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XIV - Page 617« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Joseph Alexander Peterson)

Mr. Peterson.
making it into a private club. He wanted to do something different. We were successful across the street with our revue. He talked to us about putting the show up there, going 50-50 on a business basis with the club which we never received anything about.
Mr. Specter.
Did you ever enter into an agreement with Jack Ruby wherein you were to have a 50-50 interest in it?
Mr. Peterson.
Yes; this was written up with Vic Victorson, his attorney.
Mr. Specter.
Victorson?
Mr. Peterson.
Yes; Victor Victorson.
Mr. Specter.
How do you spell that?
Mr. Peterson.
Victorson.
Mr. Specter.
V-i-c-t-o-r-s-o-n?
Mr. Peterson.
Yes; the agreement was with him. It never held up though. We got nothing.
Mr. Specter.
You never received any interest in the club?
Mr. Peterson.
Not a thing.
Mr. Specter.
Did you ever endeavor to enforce that agreement?
Mr. Peterson.
Yes; the only thing we ever got out of it was through a loan. I think Brock borrowed $300 to go to New York on a business trip. That is all the money we received out of it.
Mr. Specter.
Did you ever try to make Jack Ruby live up to the agreement in any other way?
Mr. Peterson.
There was no use. Jack Ruby, in spite of our disagreements, he was kind of good natured in a way. The best thing to do was to bow out quietly.
Mr. Specter.
Did you first meet Jack Ruby in approximately September 1961, when you played "Sticks and Stones"?
Mr. Peterson.
About that time; a little before that he came up to visit us at the club.
Mr. Specter.
When was that?
Mr. Peterson.
September of 1960. Sometime around in there. He came up like a lot of club owners do. I think when we reopened the club he came up and visited us. We were introduced to him as Jack Ruby. That was all.
Mr. Specter.
After you terminated your business relationship with him when the show "Sticks and Stones" ended, how frequently, if at all, did you see him thereafter?
Mr. Peterson.
He came and visited us quite a lot at the Century Room. He would come in when he had guests, big-shot type of .thing, wanted to be recognized. He was very nice.
Mr. Specter.
Did you have a cordial relationship notwithstanding your prior difficulties?
Mr. Peterson.
Right; right. Like I say, it was best to keep everything on a hello-goodbye basis.
Mr. Specter.
How frequently did you see him after 1962?
Mr. Peterson.
Well, normally, like bump into him. It was only across the street. We were living at the Adolphus. Back and forth. It's hard to tell how many times.
Mr. Specter.
Did you ever have any more business dealings with him?
Mr. Peterson.
No; once we went into bankruptcy, Brock and I, and like when all friendship failed we went to Jack Ruby and he came through. He was real fine. Loaned us money. We paid him back.
Mr. Specter.
How much money did he loan you?
Mr. Peterson.
It wasn't exactly a loan. It was a thing, holding on costumes we had for the show. It was $400.
Mr. Specter.
To your knowledge did Jack Ruby have any association with any of the criminal elements?
Mr. Peterson.
Well, if you want to go by hearsay, yes; but actually I don't know of any. In fact he was in thicker with the police in Dallas than anybody else I knew of because they were always in his place.
Mr. Specter.
What hearsay are you referring to?
Mr. Peterson.
I am talking about any hearsay. Because of his character automatically people would take him as a thug.
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