Mr. Kantor. Yes; I apparently walked right past him, because the first I was aware of Jack Ruby was that as I was walking, I was stopped momentarily by a tug on the back of my jacket. And I turned and saw Jack Ruby standing there. He had his hand extended. I very well remember my first thought. I thought, well, there is Jack Ruby. I had been away from Dallas 18 months and 1 day at that time, but it seemed just perfectly normal to see Jack Ruby standing there, because he was a known goer to events. And I had my mind full of many things.
My next reaction was to just turn and continue on my way. But he did have his hand out. And I took his hand and shook hands with him. He called me by name. And I said hello to him, I said, “Hello, Jack,” I guess. And he said, “Isn’t this a terrible thing?” I said, “Yes”; but I also knew it was no time for small talk, and I was most anxious to continue on up the stairway, because I was standing right at the base of the stairway.
Mr. Griffin. Were you inside the building or outside?
Mr. Kantor. I was inside the building, just immediately inside the building.
Mr. Griffin. Were the doors guarded?
Mr. Kantor. If there was a guard on the door, I don’t recall seeing one.
Mr. Griffin. Now, you do recall, however, that there was a guard at the entrance to the emergency area?
Mr. Kantor. There was at least one guard, yes—when I first got there.
Mr. Griffin. I see. Go ahead.
Mr. Kantor. A Dallas policeman. I am not sure how many Secret Service men or other guards there were. But I do remember this one man, because he let me in.