Ruby, Jack (1911–1967)

Biographical Details

Jack Ruby was born Jack Rubenstein on March 25, 1911, in Chicago, Illinois. He was the fifth child of eight born to Joseph and Fannie Rubenstein. Ruby's father, Joseph Rubenstein, was born in Poland and [Page 862]was a carpenter by trade. He entered the United States in 1903 and joined the carpenters union in 1904. Ruby's mother, Fannie Rubenstein, also born in Poland, followed her husband to the United States in 1904.

Ruby reportedly completed the eighth grade at the age of 16 in 1927, before dropping out of school. From there, he returned to life on the streets of Chicago in his lower-class neighborhood, hustling and selling “scalped” tickets to various sporting events with his friends. Between 1933 and 1937, Ruby and several of his Chicago friends moved to Los Angeles and San Francisco in search of work, before returning to Chicago.

Ruby Moves to Dallas

Ruby moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1947, where he tried, without success, to manage several nightclubs and dance halls. Over the years, he entered into multiple partnership agreements with acquaintances, only to find that he was not making enough profit to pay his monthly rent and taxes. Ruby never married and earned barely enough money in his business ventures to support himself. From time to time he would borrow money from friends and other family members to make ends meet. Ruby was reported by many, especially his employees, to have a violent temper and resort to physical violence in matters of confrontation.

During his 16 years in Dallas, Ruby had several encounters with the Dallas Police Department. The Warren Commission that was set up after Ruby killed Oswald found that Ruby was arrested eight times between 1949 and November 24, 1963. The offenses and charges were minor in nature. Some charges were never filed, and Ruby was released on the same day, while others were either dismissed or resulted in a minimal monetary fine.

Ruby's Arrest

On November 24, 1963, Ruby was arrested one more time, joining Lee Harvey Oswald, accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, in the basement garage of the Dallas police headquarters. Just as Oswald was being moved from this location, Ruby shot and killed him. The killing was unintentionally broadcast on live television since the media were filming Oswald's transfer.

Ruby was subsequently tried for and convicted of the murder of Oswald. He was sent to prison, where he died of lung cancer on January 3, 1967, while awaiting a retrial. Little is known or written about his prison years other than that his cell was isolated from the rest of the prisoners and maintained with full-time security.

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