One friend reported that although Ruby always associated with Jewish people, he never exhibited great interest in religion.[A16-137] Ruby met Virginia Belasco, granddaughter of the prominent playwright and actor, David Belasco, in about 1936 at a dance at the Jewish community center in San Francisco. Miss Belasco stated that while a teenager she saw Ruby socially on several occasions between 1936 and 1941.[A16-138] The only other evidence concerning Ruby’s social activities while in San Francisco is his statement to his long-time girl friend, Alice Nichols of Dallas,[A16-139] that while in San Francisco he met the only other woman, Virginia Fitzgerald or Fitzsimmons, that he ever considered marrying.[A16-140]
Chicago (1937-43)
Jack Ruby stated that following his return to Chicago, he was unemployed for a considerable period.[A16-141] However, when his mother was admitted to Elgin State Hospital in 1937,[A16-142] she reported that he was employed as a “traveling salesman” apparently living away from home.[A16-143] Although there is conflicting evidence about his ability to earn a comfortable living,[A16-144] he apparently was able to maintain a normal existence[A16-145] and required no financial assistance from his family or friends. He continued to be a so-called “hustler,” scalping tickets and buying watches and other small items for resale at discount prices.[A16-146] One of his closest Chicago friends stated that Ruby’s sales and promotions were “shady” but “legitimate.”[A16-147]
Labor union activities.—Ruby reported that in “about 1937” he became active in Local 20467 of the Scrap Iron and Junk Handlers Union.[A16-148] At this time, his friend, attorney Leon Cooke, was the local’s financial secretary.[A16-149] Records provided by the Social Security Administration indicate that Ruby was employed by the union from late 1937 until early 1940;[A16-150] he worked as a union organizer and negotiated with employers on its behalf.[A16-151]
On December 8, 1939, the union’s president, John Martin, shot Cooke, who died of gunshot wounds on January 5, 1940; Martin was subsequently acquitted on the ground of self-defense.[A16-152] Although a Jack Rubenstein is mentioned in the minutes of a union meeting on February 2, 1940,[A16-153] and Ruby is reported to have said after Cooke’s death that he wanted to “take over” the union,[A16-154] the evidence indicates that Ruby was so upset by Cooke’s death that he was unable to devote himself further to union activities and left its employ.[A16-155] Ruby reported that after Cooke’s death he adopted the middle name “Leon,” which he used only infrequently, in memory of his friend.[A16-156]
Since Ruby was the ultimate source of all but one of these accounts,[A16-157] other descriptions of Ruby’s separation from the union cannot with certainty be deemed inaccurate. These reports indicated that Ruby might have been forced out of the union by a criminal group, or might have left because he lacked the emotional stability necessary for sucessful labor negotiations[A16-159] or because he felt he was not earning enough money with the union.[A16-160]
Although the AFL-CIO investigated the ethical practices of local 20467 in 1956, placed the local in trusteeship, and suspended Paul Dorfman, who succeeded Martin and Cooke, there is no evidence that Ruby’s union activities were connected with Chicago’s criminal element.[A16-161] Several longtime members of the union reported that it had a good reputation when Ruby was affiliated with it[A16-162] and employers who negotiated with it have given no indication that it had criminal connections.[A16-163]
Subsequent employment.—In 1941, Ruby and Harry Epstein organized the Spartan Novelty Co., a small firm that sold in various northeastern States small cedar chests containing candy and gambling devices known as punchboards.[A16-164] Earl Ruby and two of Jack Ruby’s friends, Martin Gimpel and Martin Shargol, were also associated in this venture. The group had no fixed addresses, living in hotels.[A16-165]
Late in 1941, Jack Ruby returned to Chicago, where he continued his punchboard business through the mails.[A16-166] Following the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, he and several friends decided to design and sell plaques commemorating the Day of Infamy. However, the venture was impeded by Ruby’s perfectionistic approach to details of design which resulted in numerous production delays.[A16-167] By the time Ruby’s copyrighted plaque [A16-168] was finally ready for sale, the market was flooded with similar items.[A16-169] At about this time, Ruby also sold busts of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.[A16-170] In late 1942 and 1943, Ruby was employed by the Globe Auto Glass Co.[A16-171] and Universal Sales Co.[A16-172]
Although one of Ruby’s acquaintances at this time described him as a cuckoo nut on the subject of patriotism,[A16-173] the evidence does not indicate that Ruby’s promotion of “Remember Pearl Harbor” plaques and Roosevelt busts was motivated by patriotic or political considerations. Rather, the sale of these items was, to Ruby, just another commercial venture, but he might also have considered these sales “a good thing.”[A16-174] Numerous friends reported that Ruby had no interest in political affairs during this period,[A16-175] although he greatly admired President Roosevelt.[A16-176]