[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
JFK SUBCOMMITTEE HEARING
TUESDAY, MAY 18, 1978
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS,
JOHN F. KENNEDY SUBCOMMITTEE,
Washington, D.C.
The subcommittee met at 9 :25 a.m., pursuant to notice, in room 1310, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Richardson J. Preyer (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Present: Representatives Preyer (presiding), Dodd, Fithian, and Sawyer.
Also present: G. Cornwell, J. Hornbeck, J. McDonald, A. Purdy, J. Wolf, II. Shapiro, E. Berning, T. Hutton, M. Ewing, A. Taylor, R. Morrison, L. Svendsen, D. Billings, and W.H. Cross.

Mr. PREYER - The committee will come to order. The Chair will ask Ms. Berning, the clerk of the committee, to read the record those members officially designated to be on the subcommittee today.
Ms. BERNING - Mr. Chairman, you, Mr. Thone, Mrs. Burke, Mr. Sawyer, and Mr. Dodd are regular members of the Kennedy Subcommittee. There will not be any substitutions today.
Mr. PREYER - Thank you. On the basis of information obtained by the committee, the committee believes that the evidence or testimony may tend to defame, degrade, or incriminate people. Since our rules of the House and the committee require such hearings to be in executive session, the Chair will entertain a motion at this time that today's hearing and 1 subsequent day of hearings be held in executive session.
Mr. SAWYER - I so move.
Mr. PREYER - The clerk will call the roll.
Ms. BERNING - Mr. Preyer.
Mr. PREYER - Aye.
Ms. BERNING - Mr. Thone.
Mr. THONE - [No response.]
Ms. BERNING - Mrs. Burke.
Mrs. BURKE - [No response.]
Ms. BERNING - Mr. Sawyer.
Mr. SAWYER - Aye.
Ms. BERNING - Mr. Dodd.
Mr. DODD - Aye.
Ms. BERNING - Three ayes, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. PREYER - Very well, the meeting is closed and all unauthorized personnel will leave the room. Our witness today is Irwin Weiner. Mr. Weiner, I will ask if you will come forward and be sworn. Do you solemnly swear the evidence you are about to give before this subcommittee will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God.?
Mr. WEINER - I do.

TESTIMONY OF IRWIN WEINER
Mr. PREYER - Thank you. I understand, Mr. Weiner, that you have been given a copy of the rules of the committee.
Mr. WEINER - Yes; I have. Mr. PREYER At this time I will give a brief statement concerning the subject of the investigation. It is something we do for each witness. H. Res. 222 mandates the committee to conduct a full and complete investigation and study of the circumstances surrounding the assassination and death of President John F. Kennedy, including determining whether the existing laws of the United States concerning the protection of the President and the investigatory jurisdiction and capability of agencies and departments are adequate in their provisions and enforcement and whether there was full disclosure of evidence and among agencies and departments of the U.S. Government and whether any evidence or information not in the possession of an agency or department would have been of assistance in investigating the assassination; and why such information was not provided or collected by that agency or department; and to make recommendations to the House, if the select committee deems it appropriate, for the amendment of existing legislation or enactment of new legislation. The Chair recognizes Mr. Wolf to begin the questioning.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, you have been given 'a copy of the committee rules. The committee rules provide that you are entitled to representation by an attorney. Are you aware of that fact?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; I am.
Mr. WOLF - You do not have an attorney today. Do you waive your right to an attorney?
Mr. WEINER - I waive my right to an attorney now.
Mr. WOLF - What is your current residence.?
Mr. WEINER - My residence?.
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - 7163 Carol Court, Niles,, Ill.
Mr. WOLF - That is your residence address?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - What is your current business address ? Mr. WEISER. 1010 South State Street,, Chicago, Ill.
Mr. WOLF - Are you affiliated with a firm ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - What is the name? Mr. WEISER. American Bonding Agency.
Mr. WOLF - In what capacity are you affiliated with that firm?
Mr. WEINER - I am president.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, the first area of questions will concern your relationship with Jack Ruby. For the committee members this is listed on tab 2 of the briefing book. When was the first time you met Jack Ruby, Mr. Weiner.?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. I don't remember. I went to school with his brother, Earl. Jack was a little older than I was. I might have met Jack Ruby four or five times in my life.
Mr. WOLF - What is the first time you recall ?
Mr. WEINER - I can't recall.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know him in high school ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Did you meet him prior to 1960 which was the election of President Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - Oh, yes.
Mr. WOLF - Did you meet him prior to 1950?
Mr. WEINER - It could have been.
Mr. WOLF - Do you recall--
Mr. WEINER - I would say I met him probably in the 1930's.
Mr. WOLF - What were the circumstances of your first meeting?
Mr. WEINER - It was An older brother of a friend of mine, not even a good friend. Somebody I knew.
Mr. WOLF - You are speaking of Earl ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - You met Earl in high school ?.
Mr. WEINER - Right.
Mr. WOLF - Were you friendly with Earl ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Did you meet other members of the Ruby family ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think I did.
Mr. WOLF - Were you ever to the Ruby house ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't believe I was.
Mr. WOLF - How much older than yourself was Jack Ruby?
Mr. WEINER - I don't have any idea. I know he was a few years older.
Mr. WOLF - You testified that you believe you met him four or five times in total, is that correct?
Mr. WEINER - Probably.
Mr. WOLF - What meetings with Jack Ruby do you remember?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember any of them.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know you met him four or five times?
Mr. WEINER - I am assuming I met him four or five times. I saw him with his brother, spoke to him a few times. I am only going back-- you are talking about 30-some years or 40 years.
Mr. WOLF - All your contacts with Jack Ruby were during the 1930's?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - When were your other contacts with Jack Ruby?
Mr. WEINER - He called me up one time.
Mr. WOLF - When was that?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. It was in the sixties, prior to the assassination of the President.
Mr. WOLF - How much prior to the assassination ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't have any idea.
Mr. WOLF - You do recollect that call ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. I recollect that call because I have had a lot of problems because of that call.
Mr. WOLF - Was that call on October 26, 1963 ?
Mr. WEINER - It could have been.
Mr. WOLF - One month prior to the assassination ?
Mr. WEINER - It could have been.
Mr. WOLF - At what time previous to that call do you recollect seeing Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - Maybe 10 or 15 years prior to that.
Mr. WOLF - Ten or fifteen years prior to the call ?
Mr. WEINER - Correct.
Mr. WOLF - Why do you characterize yourself as having a lot of trouble concerning that call ?
Mr. WEINER - I tell you what problem I have and the reason for my ttitude. Evidently as a result of this call an agent called my house.
Mr. WOLF - FBI agent ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. An FBI agent called my house and spoke to my daughter. It was right after Oswald was killed. He spoke to my daughter and asked where I was. I was in Florida at the time. She didn't know where I was. She had just come in from school. She told the agent she didn't know where I was but expected to hear from me. called the next day. She was shaking with fright because the agent had told her he wanted to talk to me about the assassination of the President. As a result of that, anytime anybody came and talked to me I dismissed them.
Mr. WOLF - The FBI did contact you regarding that call ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. I never spoke to them about it.
Mr. WOLF - The reason you are not speaking--
Mr. WEINER - Is because of the way they mistreated my daughter.
Mr. WOLF - Did they mistreat your daughter ?
Mr. WEINER - That is the extent of it. They scared her to death.
Mr. WOLF - You felt you should not speak to the FBI about the assassination of President Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - You are 100 percent right.
Mr. WOLF - Did anybody else ever contact you regarding that call ?
Mr. WEINER - Newspaper people. I refused to speak to them. A couple of your investigators.
Mr. WOLF - You refused to speak to our investigators; is that correct ?
Mr. WEINER - Right.
Mr. WOLF - What was discussed during that phone call ?
Mr. WEINER - Jack Ruby called me. Evidently he had a nightclub in Dallas, Tex. He had a striptease night, one night a week he had an amateur striptease. Some union that was affiliated with entertainers had stopped him. They asked him to stop because the amateur entertainers were not members of the union. He stopped and another competitor of his opened up. He called me and wanted to know if I would write a bond. He was looking to get an injunction. The lawyer told him if he got an injunction he would have to put up a bond. He asked me if I would do that and I told him no. Then he told me he was going to file a lawsuit. That was the extent of our conversation. It was just in relation to that. I never heard from him since and I have never heard from him prior to that.
Mr. WOLF - You had no contact with him prior to that time ?
Mr. WEINER - Absolutely no.
Mr. WOLF - How did Jack Ruby come to call you ?
Mr. WEINER - Through his brother. That was my business, writing bonds. I don't have any idea.
Mr. WOLF - Why did you refuse to write the bond that. he requested ?
Mr. WEINER - I didn't have the authority to write it.
Mr. WOLF - Did you direct him to somebody who did ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Your testimony was that was the business you were in at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - I still am.
Mr. WOLF - Why do you say you had no authority to write a bond ?
Mr. WEINER - If I remember correctly I don't think the company was authorized to do business in Texas. I just didn't want to get involved in it. There was no way I could do it.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever refer him to somebody in Texas ?. Could you have referred him to somebody in Texas ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know anybody in Texas who would write a bond.
Mr. WOLF - You don't do business with any firm in Texas ?
Mr. WEINER - Not that I know of.
Mr. WOLF - What else was discussed during that conversation ?
Mr. WEINER - That is all that was discussed.
Mr. WOLF - And that conversation, do you recollect how long it lasted ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't have any idea.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ask Jack Ruby about other people he may have contacted regarding that bond ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Is your knowledge of Jack Ruby's problems concerning the labor dispute solely from that conversation ?
Mr. WEINER - That is the only conversation I had with him.
Mr. WOLF - Have you read in the public domain since that time about Jack Ruby's labor problems ?
Mr. WEINER -
Mr. WOLF - You were not aware from any other source of the difficulties Jack Ruby has had concerning--
Mr. WEINER - I read about his problems, you know, after that. Other than that, no.
Mr. WOLF - What was the amount of the bond that Jack Ruby was seeking ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember that. When he started talking to me all I did was look to get rid of him. I didn't want to have anything with it. I was just being courteous.
Mr. WOLF - You had no contacts for 15 years previous to that call with Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - I never had contact with Jack Ruby, never socially. Never went with him anywhere, never broke bread with him, never had anything to do with Jack Ruby at any time in my life.
Mr. WOLF - What was the contact 15 years prior to that phone call with Jack Ruby ? Mr. WEINER How the hell do I know.
Mr. WOLF - You testified
Mr. WEINER - I am just guessing. It could have been 30 years before. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - What other contact with Jack Ruby do you remember ? Mr. WEINER I didn't have any contacts with him.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever meet with him ?
Mr. WEINER - I told you I never met with him, never had coffee with him, never went to his house, never had lengthy conversation with him that I remember.
Mr. WOLF - Except that one phone call ?
Mr. WEINER - Except that one phone call.
Mr. WOLF - As far as you know Jack Ruby called you because of the relationship that you had with his brother, Earl ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know if that was it. I am just guessing.
Mr. WOLF - Were any other individuals discussed during that phone call ? Did Jack Ruby mention the name of any other people ?
Mr. WEINER - No, he did not. He might have mentioned a lawyer. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - His lawyer ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Did Jack Ruby ask you for any further help after you told him you could not write the bond ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember if he did or not.
Mr. WOLF - Did you refer Jack Ruby to any other people ?
Mr. WEINER - No, I did not.
Mr. WOLF - The termination of your conversation was that you could not help Jack Ruby and you knew of no individuals who could ?
Mr. WEINER - Right.
Mr. WOLF - Did Jack Ruby reveal any of his further plans to you ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever call Jack Ruby?
Mr. WEINER - No. I might have called, I might have returned a phone call. Maybe I wasn't at home. I don't remember the relationship of the call. It might have been I received the call and when I came a nswered the call. I never called him.
Mr. WOLF - You don't recall if you had been referred to Jack Ruby by anybody that Jack Ruby mentioned ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Michael Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - I sure do.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know Mr. Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - I know Mr. Shore all my life, a boyhood friend of mine. Still is.
Mr. WOLF - Do you have business with Mr. Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - Right now I have.
Mr. WOLF - During the period of time 1960-63 did you have business with Mr. Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - What is your business with Mr. Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - Bringing products in from Japan.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Shore is a close friend of yours ?.
Mr. WEINER - Very close friend of mine.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever discussed with Mr. Shore the Jack Ruby phone call to yourself?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Has Mr. Shore ever discussed with you Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - What has he told you ?
Mr. WEINER - He said that he arranged with Earl to try to get him some legal help in--there was an attorney in San Francisco that I think Michael Shore knew and Earl wanted to hire him, I forget his name.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Shore indicate anything else to you about Jack Ruby?.
Mr. WEINER - That is about it.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Shore ever discuss with you Jack Ruby calling him concerning the American Guild of Variety Artists?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - He never discussed that with you ?
Mr. WEINER -
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever told anybody that Jack Ruby's phone call to you did not involve a labor dispute ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever told anybody that the phone call to you was not involving national security?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Who did you tell that to ?
Mr. WEINER - To the FBI.
Mr. WOLF - When did you tell that to the FBI ?.
Mr. WEINER - A fellow called me, wanted to see me and I refused to see him.
Mr. WOLF - At any time this year did you ever speak to a reporter who inquired about that phone call ?
Mr. WEINER - I might hAve.
Mr. WOLF - Do you recall telling. that reporter that the phone call did not involve a labor dispute wIth Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - I might have. I might have told him anything. I might have just--a reporter I remember called me from Washington twice. I might have told him anything.
Mr. WOLF - What you told that reporter would be inaccurate ?
Mr. WEINER - I would say it was inaccurate. It was not under oath.
Mr. WOLF - Correct. So if you told that reporter that the Jack Ruby phone call to you did not involve a labor dispute that would be incorrect ?
Mr. WEINER - That is right.
Mr. WOLF - What was your personal reaction to the call when Jack Ruby called you ? Were you surprised to hear from him ?
Mr. WEINER - Very much so.
Mr. WOLF - Did you remember who he was?
Mr. WEINER - Oh, sure.
Mr. WOLF - He did not have to identify himself to you ?
Mr. WEINER -
Mr. WOLF - Did you actually do anything as a result of that phone call ?
Mr. WEINER - Not a thing.
Mr. WOLF - Did you tell anybody else about that phone call
Mr. WEINER - I told a lot of people about it.
Mr. WOLF - What did you tell them ?
Mr. WEINER - I told them just what I am telling you.
Mr. WOLF - Who did you tell about that phone call
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - You told a lot of people, you testified.
Mr. WEINER - I told a lot to people, to make sure I tell you the truth. I am sure I spoke to somebody about it but I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - You don't remember any name
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember one name.
Mr. WOLF - Who was your business partner
Mr. WEINER - Louis Volin. I don't remember whether I told him or not.
Mr. WOLF - You testified that your daughter answered the phone call from the FBI ?
Mr. WEINER - Right.
Mr. WOLF - Did you explain to her why the FBI called you
Mr. WEINER - I told her not to be concerned, that I didn't have anything to do with anything like that.
Mr. WOLF - Did you tell her Jack Ruby had called you about labor problems ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I didn't discuss it with her.
Mr. WOLF - Why did you not tell your daughter that that was the explanation for the phone call ?
Mr. WEINER - I probably didn't think she would understand it. don't know whether I did or not.
Mr. WOLF - How old was your daughter at that time
Mr. WEINER - Maybe 16.
Mr. WOLF - What is your daughter's name
Mr. WEINER - Susan.
Mr. WOLF - Where does she live now
Mr. WEINER - I am not going to tell you.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Chairman, I would ask you to direct the witness to answer that question. It is important to be able corroborate part of this witness' testimony. It may be necessary for the committee to interview Mr. Weiner's daughter.
Mr. PREYER - Mr. Weiner, the committee certainly has no intention of harassing your daughter.
Mr. WEINER - Submit a list of questions and I will submit it to my daughter and I will have her answer. I don't want anyone to bother her. My daughter is a very nervous girl under a doctor's care and I don't want anybody to harass her. She is under psychiatric care. Submit a list of questions. I will submit them to my daughter and my daughter will answer them.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Chairman, I think it may be necessary for the committee staff investigators perhaps, not necessarily but perhaps, to interview Mr. Weiner's daughter, to have an assessment of the credibility of both Mr. Weiner and his daughter regarding the phone call.
Mr. PREYER - Mr. Weiner, the committee is not interested in trying to scare your daughter or harass her in 'any way. It would be agreeable with the committee, if we should find it necessary to contact her, if we could make the contact through you, first ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; you could, absolutely.
Mr. WOLF - If we attempt to make that contact you will in fact put us in touch with your daughter at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - I will cooperate with you 100 percent.
Mr. WOLF - Concerning the phone call you received from Mike Shore regarding getting an attorney for Jack Ruby--
Mr. WEINER - I didn't receive the phone call. I spoke to him in person.
Mr. WOLF - Where was that?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. It is a long time ago.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - When ?
Mr. WOLF - Approximately how long after Ruby shot Oswald was it ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. The next time I saw him--in those years I would see him on trips in California or if he came to Chicago. I don't remember when or how it was. It was just conversation.
Mr. WOLF - Did he ask you for any suggestions regarding representation of Jack Ruby-?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Chairman, I think at this point that it is appropriate for committee members to ask questions concerning Mr. Weiner's knowledge of Jack Ruby and the phone call that was placed on October 22.
Mr. PREYER - Are there any questions of the committee or do you prefer to wait until the staff has completed its questions ?
Mr. DODD - I would just as soon wait.
Mr. PREYER - There will be no questions from the committee members at this time.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, have you ever been to Cuba ?.
Mr. WEINER - Have I been to Cuba ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - When were you in Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - In 1958 or 1959.
Mr. WOLF - Was that one trip you are referring to ?
Mr. WEINER - I made a few trips there.
Mr. WOLF - What was the purpose of your trips to Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - One or two just for pleasure. Another trip I made was--I guess they were all pleasure.
Mr. WOLF - You have never been to Cuba on a business trip ?
Mr. WEINER - Not that I remember.
Mr. WOLF - About how many times did you go to Cuba for pleasure ?
Mr. WEINER - Maybe three or four.
Mr. WOLF - Were those all during the 1959, 1959 period ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Were you ever in Cuba after Fidel Castro took over, which was January 1, 1959 ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - When you were in Cuba who did you visit ?
Mr. WEINER - Whom did I visit ? There was a friend of mine that worked in one of the casinos there, his name was Sam off. I visited him.
Mr. WOLF - Which casino did he work in ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Did you visit anybody else on those trips ?
Mr. WEINER - Not that I remember.
Mr. WOLF - Did you go by yourself or with other individuals ?
Mr. WEINER - I went with somebody else.
Mr. WOLF - Who else did you go with ?
Mr. WEINER - A fellow by the name of Felix Alderisio.
Mr. WOLF - Was he traveling for pleasure ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. As far as I know he was.
Mr. WOLF - On how many of your trips did you accompany Mr. Alderisio ?
Mr. WEINER - I think all of them. I am not sure. It has been a long time ago.
Mr. WOLF - At what hotels did you stay at when you visited Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - The Nacionale. I don't remember the other names.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Mike McLaney ?
Mr. WEINER - NO.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever see Jack Ruby on any of your trips to Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - NO.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever meet anybody in Cuba who said he had met Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Lewis McWillie ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I don't.
Mr. WOLF - Do you recall traveling to Cuba with Allen Dorfman ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Was he on all of your trips ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; he was.
Mr. WOLF - He was on all of your trips ?
Mr. WEINER - No; he was on one trip.
Mr. WOLF - Which trip was that ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember but there were four of us on that trip.
Mr. WOLF - Were the other individuals Stewart Hopps and Charles Bray ?
Mr. WEINER - Right.
Mr. WOLF - What was the purpose of that trip ?
Mr. WEINER - It was an insurance trip. I think we had formed a cornpany in Nassau, insurance company in Nassau, and I think Stewart Hopps was friendly with the ex-President of Cuba that was involved with him in an insurance deal. We went to deal with him. It was a relation with insurance at Stewart Hopps' suggestion.
Mr. WOLF - What was your relationship with Mr. Dorfman ?
Mr. WEINER - My relationship at the time ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - We were involved in an insurance deal.
Mr. WOLF - Was the name of the insurance company the Intercontinental Insurance & Surety Co ?
Mr. WEINER - I think it was.
Mr. WOLF - Where was that company incorporated at the time of your trip to Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - I think it was a Panamanian company or Mexican company.
Mr. WOLF - Was it ever a Cuban company ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - The charter from that other company was transferred from Panama to Nassau ?
Mr. WEINER - I think that the company was officed in Nassau and it was a Panamanian company.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know ,Mr. Dominick Bartone
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Was one of the individuals you met with on that trip to Cuba, Mr. Louis Botifoll ?
Mr. WEINER - On the trip to Cuba
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - You met with him on that trip to Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - I met a Cuban attorney. I don't remember his name but that could be. If he was president of the Latin American bar that was the attorney.
Mr. WOLF - What did you discuss with him ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever had any dealings with him ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did he ever discuss any officials of the Cuban Government with you ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember if he did or not.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know any of any political or law enforcement individuals in Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I didn't.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Santos Trafficante
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Have you met Mr. Trafficante ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - When were your meetings with Mr. Trafficante?
Mr. WEINER - I met him at a club in Cuba.
Mr. WOLF - What club was that ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember the name of the club. It was an outdoor casnio and nightclub.
Mr. WOLF - Do you remember what trip to Cuba this was on that you met Mr. Trafficante ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I don't.
Mr. WOLF - What other meetings did you have with Mr. Trafficante ?
Mr. WEINER - I met him in Florida.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - About 1963.
Mr. WOLF - Was that prior to or subsequent to the assassination of President Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - Prior.
Mr. WOLF - How much prior was it ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know.
Mr. WOLF - How do you recollect it was prior to the assassination
Mr. WEINER - Well, I am just guessing. When was the assassination ?
Mr. WOLF - November 1963.
Mr. WEINER - It could have been before or after, I don't know.
Mr. WOLF - Where did you meet Mr. Trafficante?
Mr. WEINER - At the Fountainebleau Hotel. Mr. WOLF Were you staying there ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - How long were you in Miami on that trip ?
Mr. WEINER - I had a legal matter in Miami.
Mr. WOLF - What was the legal matter?
Mr. WEINER - I was indicteD in Miami Fla.
Mr. WOLF - What was the indictment for ?
Mr. WEINER - The indictment was for extortion.
Mr. WOLF - Why did you meet with Mr. Trafficante at that time?
Mr. WEINER - He was friendly with my associate who also was indicted.
Mr. WOLF - Who was your associate ?
Mr. WEINER - Felix Alderisio.
Mr. WOLF - What was discussed in the meeting with MR. Trafficante?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. Just, trivialities.
Mr. WOLF - What other meetings did you have with Mr. Trafficante
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. It was just about that time the only meeting I remember.
Mr. WOLF - Was there more than one meeting at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - lie would come to see my friend.
Mr. WOLF - How long were you in Miami during that trip ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't, know. I think we had a 10-day trial before a jury. I was in Washington, too. The attorneys came from Washington.
Mr. WOLF - Who else was present at your meetings with Mr. Trafficante besides yourself and Mr. Alderisio ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - When you met Mr. Trafficante in Cuba who else was present at that meeting ?
Mr. WEINER - Nightclub full of people,.
Mr. WOLF - Did you speak to Mr. Trafficante at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - Did I ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - Apparently I did.
Mr. WOLF - Was anybody else in on the conversation ?
Mr. WEINER - I never had anything to really discuss with Mr. Trafficante.
Mr. WOLF - How were you first introduced to Mr. Trafficante
Mr. WEINER - By Felix Alderisio.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - At this time in Cuba.
Mr. WOLF - In 1959 ?
Mr. WEINER - 1959, 1960, yes.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any interest in Cuban gambling
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever stated that for your services to Mr. Trafficante you were given an interest in a Cuban gambling casino? Did you ever state that? Mr. WEINER I might have.
Mr. WOLF - If you stated that, is it your testimony that that is incorrect ?
Mr. WEINER - That is right.
Mr. WOLF - You never had any interest in any Cuban gambling casino ?
Mr. WEINER - Absolutely none.
Mr. WOLF - Did you state you lost a fortune in Cuba .?
Mr. WEINER - I might have.
Mr. WOLF - If you stated that, was that correct ?.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you lose any money as a consequence of Fidel Castro's takeover ?
Mr. WEINER - Not one penny.
Mr. WOLF - Have you had any other meetings with Mr. Trafficante aside from the two you have told us ?.
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember if I did or not.
Mr. WOLF - Have you spoken to Mr. Trafficante over the telephone ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - When was your most recent contact with Mr. Trafficante ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. In the last year.
Mr. WOLF - What prompted that conversation ?
Mr. WEINER - Some kind of bail bond.
Mr. WOLF - He talked to you concerning a bail bond ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. He thought he would need it and that was the end of it.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Trafficante discuss with you his holdings in Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I never discussed anything personal with Mr. Trafficante.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Trafficante during your meetings in 1963 ever discuss the political situation in the United States ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. John Roselli ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - You never heard of Roselli ?
Mr. WEINER - Sure, I have seen him too.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever spoken to him over the telephone ?.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know Mr. Sam Giancana?.
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - IIave you ever met with Mr. Giancana ?
Mr. WEINER - Sure.
Mr. WOLF - When did you first meet Mr. Giancana ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Approximately when ? 1940's, 1950's ?
Mr. WEINER - It could have been 1940 s.
Mr. WOLF - What were the circumstances of your first meeting that
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember ever meeting him for any particular---I just knew who he was.
Mr. WOLF - Who introduced you to Mr. Giancana ?
Mr. WEINER - It could have been Mr. Alderisio.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have business dealings with Mr. Alderisio ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - What were they ?
Mr. WEINER - We were partners in some real estate at one time. We were partners involved in a shortening corporation.
Mr. WOLF - What period of time were you involved with Mr. Alderisio?
Mr. WEINER - I have known Mr. Alderisio since I was 13 years old.
Mr. WOLF - What period of time were you partners with Mr. Alderisio in business ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. You mean the years in question ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - I was partners with him in 1956 to 1960.
Mr. WOLF - What corporation were you partners in ?
Mr. WEINER - A corporation called Twin Food Products.
Mr. WOLF - Are there any other corporations you were partners in with Mr. Alderisio ?
Mr. WEINER - I am trying to think. We were involved in a real estate transaction. I don't remember any other companies being involved.
Mr. WOLF - When were you involved in a real estate transaction ?
Mr. WEINER - Around the 1960's.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any business dealings with Mr. Giancana ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Giancana ever ask you to obtain bonds for any of his associates ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so. No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. James Fratianno ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever met with him ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - When did you meet with him ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. The last time ? I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - What meetings with him do you recall ?
Mr. WEINER - I am just trying to think. I met him in California.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Approximately when ?
Mr. WEINER - Ten years, fifteen years ago. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - What was your most recent meeting with him ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember that either. I don't remember when I met him.
Mr. WOLF - The only meeting with him you recall was in California ?
Mr. WEINER - I know I met him a few times. I met him in Las Vegas.
Mr. WOLF - How were you introduced to him ?
Mr. WEINER - Through Felix Alderisio who was a friend of his.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know him socially ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any business dealings with him ?
Mr. WEINER - Never.
Mr. WOLF - Did he ever discuss Giancana and Mr. Roselli with you ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Norman Rothman ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever been in Dallas, Tex. ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Were you ever in Dallas, Tex. in 1960 through 1963 ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so, no.
Mr. WOLF - What was the most recent time you were in Dallas, Tex. ?
Mr. WEINER - In the 1970'S, 1971 I think.
Mr. WOLF - What was the purpose of your trip to Dallas at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - A friend of mine has a business there, a fellow by the the name of Sol Aman.
Mr. WOLF - What business was he in ?
Mr. WEINER - He manufactures cooking machines.
Mr. WOLF - What was the purpose of your visit ?
Mr. WEINER - He owed me some money. He called me up and said he had it. I went and met him in Dallas and got it.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Joe Civello ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever heard that name before ?
Mr. WEINER - Offhand, no.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Joseph Campisi ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever heard that name before ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - What other business dealings have you had in Dallas aside from the ones you have told us about so far ?
Mr. WEINER - I am trying to think. I don't think I had any.
Mr. WOLF - Are you familiar with a club in Dallas called the Dallas Cabana ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - One of your business associates is Mr. Sol Schwartz, is that correct ?
Mr. WEINER - Right. No--yes. At one time we were involved in an agency.
Mr. WOLF - What was the name of that agency ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't even remember that.
Mr. WOLF - Was that Summit Fidelity and Surety Co. ?
Mr. WEINER - We were involved in that agency, that is an insurance company. It was Summit Fidelity Insurance Agency of Illinois, I think was the name. It was an Illinois corporation.
Mr. WOLF - Are you aware if Mr. Schwartz had any financial involvement with Dallas Cabana ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know about that. I don't know what Dallas Cabana is.
Mr. WOLF - Apart from the Jack Ruby phone call to you concerning his labor problems, were you familiar with the Carousel Club at all ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did Jack Ruby mention during that phone call the labor union with which he was experiencing difficulties ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember that. He might have.
Mr. WOLF - Would it refresh your recollection if I said it was AGVA, American Guild of Variety Artists?
Mr. WEINER - It could have been.
Mr. WOLF - Have you heard that name before?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever had any dealings with that union?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Are you familiar at all with AGVA.'s general procedures in 1963?
Mr. WEINER - Who?
Mr. WOLF - AGVA.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know any AGVA officers or representatives?
Mr. WEINER - Not at all.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Johnny Gattanas?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - G-a-t-t-a-n-a-s.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. James Henry Dolan?
Mr. WEINER - Wait. James Henry Dolan?
Mr. WOLF - D-o-l-a-n.
Mr. WEINER - I know a fellow by the name of Dolan.
Mr. WOLF - Which Mr. Dolan do you know?
Mr. WEINER - A big fellow about 6 feet tall.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know him?
Mr. WEINER - I have taken him out on bond.
Mr. WOLF - When was that?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. That was maybe 15, 9,0 years ago.
Mr. WOLF - Where was he from?
Mr. WEINER - From Chicago.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any subsequent dealings with Mr. Dolan?
Mr. WEINER - Not that I know of, other than take him out on bond whenever that was.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Ernest Fast?
Mr. WEINER - NO.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Alfred Kapper?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Jimmy Allegretti?
Mr. WEINER - Mr. who?
Mr. WOLF - Jimmy Allegretti?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; I knew him.
Mr. WOLF - He is a friend of yours you grew up with?
Mr. WEINER - I think I knew him all my life.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any business dealings with him?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Chairman, I think at this time it is appropriate for committee members to ask any questions they desire concerning the areas we have questioned on so far.
Mr. PREYER - Do you have any questions?
Mr. DODD - No.
Mr. PREYER - I think we will wait until you have completed all your questions.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, during your discussions with Mr. Trafficante in Miami you testified that you discussed your pending indictment with Mr. Trafficante.
Mr. WEINER - Probably.
Mr. WOLF - Did you discuss the fact that Mr. Trafficante was also under investigation in conjunction with your indictment ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember discussing that. As a result of my-- no; not that I know of.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Angelo Bruno ?
Mr. WEINER - The name does not strike a responsive chord in me.
Mr. WOLF - Concerning your discussions with Mr. Shore and his obtaining legal representation for Jack Ruby was that discussion in Los Angeles or Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Was that discussion within 1 month, 2 months, or 3 months after Ruby shot Oswald ?
Mr. WEINER - The last discussion I bad with Mr. Shore was prior to my coming here. I told him why I was coming here. He reiterated that he had helped Earl Ruby obtain legal counsel or he was instrumental in helping him, whatever it was, or he knew the attorney. I don't remember. This was just 2 days ago, 3 days ago.
Mr. WOLF - You have no recollection of how soon after Ruby shot Oswald that discussion was ?
Mr. WEINER - No. It had to be after that happened. I met Mr. Shore and discussed it with him, keeping abreast of what had happened to him.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Phillip Bosco ?
Mr. WEINER - Who ?
Mr. WOLF - Phillip Boseo, B-o-s-e-o.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - During 1970 did you ever meet Paul Roland Jones ?
Mr. WEINER - Paul who ?
Mr. WOLF - Roland Jones ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever heard that name before ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Paul Labriola ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; I have heard that name.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Labriola ?
Mr. WEINER - I took him on bond.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - It had to be in the 1940's.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever had any dealing with him subsequent to that time ?
Mr. WEINER - No; and I am not looking forward to having any dealings with him.
Mr. WOLF - But you have had no dealings with Mr. Labriola subsequent to the 1940's ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - What about Mr. James Weinberg ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know him ?
Mr. WEINER - Just took him out on bond.
Mr. WOLF - Was that the same time as Mr. Labriola ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. They were always in trouble.
Mr. WOLF - Did anybody specifically that you recall refer you to them ?
Mr. WEINER - No. Somebody would have to refer them to me.
Mr. WOLF - When they first approached you--
Mr. WEINER - It could have been through an attorney.
Mr. WOLF - Are you familiar at all with a move in late 1940's from Chicago of individuals who were allegedly involved in organized crime ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Carlos Marcello ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever heard that name before ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever spoken with him
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever spoken with anybody who has stated he is a representative of Mr. Marcello ?
Mr. WEINER - Not that I know of.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever met with Jimmy Hoffa .?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - What were the circumstances of your first meeting.?
Mr. WEINER - Writing a bond for the Teamsters International under the Landrum-Griffin Act.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - It would be around 1959.
Mr. WOLF - Who else was present at that meeting ?
Mr. WEINER - Probably Allen Doffman.
Mr. WOLF - Who introduced you to Mr. Hoffa ?
Mr. WEINER - Allen Dorfman.
Mr. WOLF - What was discussed at that meeting .?
Mr. WEINER - Getting a bond placed. He was having a problem.
Mr. WOLF - Was it one bond ?
Mr. WEINER - It was a bond that covered the international. It covered each officer of each local that represented, that was a member of the Teamsters International.
Mr. WOLF - Was Mr. Bianca present at that meeting?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know if he was present at that meeting.
Mr. WOLF - Did you also have dealings with Mr Bianca ? Do you know him ?
Mr. WEINER - Very well.
Mr. WOLF - How did you know him ?
Mr. WEINER - Bianca was an attorney, president of the Summit Fidelity Insurance Co. that I did business with.
Mr. WOLF - Alien Dorfman introduced you to Jimmy
Mr. WEINER - Right.
Mr. WOLF - What was the outcome of that meeting? Did your company in fact write a bond ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - What corporation was that ?.
Mr. WEINER - What corporation did write the bond ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes. What corporation were you affiliated with at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - We started out with the Illinois. Then I took the business over, myself.
Mr. WOLF - You incorporated your own agency
Mr. WEINER - I think I formed another agency called Titan Management Corp.
Mr. WOLF - Did that management corporation take over all the Teamster pension bonding at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - I received the commissions as a result of writing that bond in that agency.
Mr. WOLF - Approximately how much did you receive in commissions ?
Mr. WEINER - A couple hundred thousand dollars I guess.
Mr. WOLF - Was that for the year 1959 ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. It was for the placement of that bond, the period that I had anything to do with it.
Mr. WOLF - Did your corporation continue to write bonds for the Teamsters ?
Mr. WEINER - The corporation was .lust formed for the purpose of handling that.
Mr. WOLF - Just for that one ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Did you have any other organization or agency which placed bonds for local Teamsters ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Subsequent to 1959 what was the next time you met with Jimmy Hoffa ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. It was all As a result of these placements of the bonds. I think I wrote a bail bond for him at one time. I think I wrote a bail bond for him in Chicago.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - When he was indicted in Chicago. I think I wrote bail bond for him.
Mr. WOLF - From the period 1959 through 1970 did you continue to write bonds for the Teamsters Pension Fund
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Was this the only bond they placed
Mr. WEINER - This was a 3-year bond and I had something to do with it for about 18 months.
Mr. WOLF - What terminated your involvement?
Mr. WEINER - They just went elsewhere and the interpretation of the Labor Department had changed. Originally it was a faithful performance bond. Then it became an honesty bond. A faithful performance bond sort of guarantees judgment, also. When they changed their interpretation any company could write the bonos and they had no need for my services.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Paul Dorfman?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - How long have you known Paul Doffman?
Mr. WEINER - Since I was a little boy.
Mr. WOLF - Did Paul Dorfman ever discuss his relationship with Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Subsequent to Ruby shooting Oswald, did Paul Dorfman ever discuss Jack Ruby with you ?
Mr. WEINER - No, never.
Mr. WOLF - You never discussed your phone call with Jack Ruby with Paul Dorfman ?
Mr. WEINER - Not that I remember.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have business lunches with Paul Dorfman
Mr. WEINER - I met his son Allen through Paul.
Mr. WOLF - Are you familiar with the Waste Handling Union Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know Paul Dorfman was president of that union in late 1940's ?
Mr. WEINER - Could have been. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Are you aware 0ú how Mr. Dorfman came to be president of that union ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - What other meetings with Mr. Hoffa subsequent to 1959 meeting did you have ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think I had any meetings with him after that.
Mr. WOLF - That was your only meeting ?
Mr. WEINER - I had a few meetings in relationship to the placement of the bond. We might. have met 10 or 15 times. we met in Detroit, Washington, and Chicago. After the placement of the bond I never and after writing the bail bond when he was incarcerated in the penitentiary.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever meet Irving Davidson ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. I might have.
Mr. WOLF - Is that name familiar with you ?
Mr. WEINER - It doesn't ring a bell.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Hank Greenspun ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever meet with Mr. Hoffa, Mr. Davidson, and Mr. Greenspun ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember meeting, I don't believe I ever met Mr. Greenspun. I don't know if I met Mr. Davidson or not. Under no circumstances did I ever meet Mr. Hoffa other than arranging the bond or bonds for him.
Mr. WOLF - During what period of time were your organizations active in placing bonds for local Teamster pension funds ?
Mr. WEINER - Probably from 1960 to 1963.
Mr. WOLF - 1960 to 1963 ? Mr. Weiner Right.
Mr. WOLF - During that period of time how often would you say you met with Jimmy Hoffa ?
Mr. WEINER - Once I placed the bond I had no reason to meet with him.
Mr. WOLF - How often did you meet with Mr. Allen Dorfman during that period of time ?
Mr. WEINER - Allen is a friend of mine. I can meet with him any time.
Mr. WOLF - Did you have business dealings with Mr. Dorfman apart from the placement of the Teamster Pension Fund bonds ?
Mr. WEINER - Not really. no.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever discuss with Mr. Dorfman Jimmy Hoffa's relationship with Bobby Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - don't think so, no.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever discuss with Mr. Hoffa his attitude toward Bobby Kennedy ? Mr. WEINER No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever discuss with Mr. Dorfman his attitude toward the Kennedy administration?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know if I ever discussed it with him. No; I don't believe so. Mr WOLF. Did you ever discuss with Mr. Hoffa his attitude toward the Kennedy administration ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Are you aware of what the attitude of Mr. Hoffa was toward Bobby Kennedy and the Kennedy administration?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think he approved of him. I don't think he very happy with him.
Mr. WOLF - How were you made aware of that fact ?
Mr. WEINER - Just by what I read, the fact that Kennedy had formed a Hoffa squad and Hoffa went to the penitentiary.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Dorfman was one of your closest friends and you never discussed this fact ?
Mr. WEINER - I said he was a close friend.
Mr. WOLF - But you never discussed his attitude----
Mr. WEINER - I don't know if I did or not.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever hear discussions at all with any individual concerning the assassination of Bobby Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - No; other than what I have read, just common knowledge.
Mr. WOLF - Common, knowledge of what ?
Mr. WEINER - After the assassination of Bobby Kennedy.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever hear discussions with any individual concerning the assassination of President Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - Not, really.
Mr. WOLF - Are you aware of any bonds that the Teamsters Union placed in Dallas, Tex. through your organizations ?
Mr. WEINER - I wouldn't know about that. You mean if we wrote for Texas locals ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - It is very possible at that particular time, very possible.
Mr. WOLF - What would you say the aggregate number of bonds you wrote for the Teamster pension locals was ?
Mr. WEINER - There are a thousand locals approximately and I might have wrote the bonds for 60 or 70 percent of them.
Mr. WOLF - What would you say your total commission for writing those bonds was ?
Mr. WEINER - The total I received ?
Mr. WOLF - The total that your company received ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. There were two phases to the bonding of it. At one time we were accepting commissions from a group of companies and the commissions went into a bank account that guaranteed a loan to another insurance company and that insurance company defaulted and the bank took the commissions that were known as an earned basis. They took those commissions to pay off the loan and after that--the last 18 months is when I arranged for another group of companies to write the bond and I got all of the commissions. I don't remember what was involved.
Mr. WOLF - This is your best estimate of.-
Mr. WEINER - The $200,000 that I received.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever tell Jimmy Hoffa that the Kennedy administration was pressuring you to not write bonds for Teamsters officers or unions ?
Mr. WEINER - I might have said that.
Mr. WOLF - What was Mr. Hoffa's reaction ?
Mr. WEINER - I am sure he wasn't too happy about it. I don't remember it. I might have said "you can expect it."
Mr. WOLF - Was the administration in fact pressuring you not to write bonds ?
Mr. WEINER - I believe it was.
Mr. WOLF - Who in the administration was pressuring you ?
Mr. WEINER - A man called me, I believe, a fellow by the name of Wally Sheridan at that particular time. I started to talk with him, about the bonds over the telephone and I refused to talk to him.
Mr. WOLF - What kinds of pressure was it ?
Mr. WEINER - With the companies, companies and newspaper pressure.
Mr. WOLF - When was that phone call from Mr. Sheridan ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember it.
Mr. WOLF - What type of pressure did he allegedly put on the companies if they continued to write bonds ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. They would get in touch with the companies and ask a lot of questions and the companies didn't want to be, didn't like to be questioned. That was a form. of pressure. There was a lot of newspaper publicity about it. Some companies shied away.
Mr. WOLF - You discussed this with Mr. Hoffa ?
Mr. WEINER - At the time, yes.
Mr. WOLF - Are you aware of what activities Jack Ruby engaged in while he was in Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know why Jack Ruby moved from Chicago to Dallas ?
Mr. WEINER - I have no idea.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know, in Chicago, Mr. ,Sol Polk ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Dave Yaras .9
Mr. WEINER - I know him, yes.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know Mr. Yaras ?
Mr. WEINER - I have known him all my life. I have known him since I was a boy.
Mr. WOLF - Is he a personal friend of yours ? Mr. WEISER. I was friendly with him. I knew him.
Mr. WOLF - Did you have anything to do with Mr. Yaras .?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you see Mr. Yaras when you were in Miami during your indictment? Mr. WEISER. 1 don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - Did you see Mr. Yaras in Miami at any other time
Mr. WEINER - Probably.
Mr. WOLF - Who did you meet with in conjunction with Mr. Yaras in Miami ?
Mr. WEINER - It was an attorney friend of mine who has since passed away, Mr. Brodkin.
Mr. WOLF - What was the occasion of that meeting? Mr. WEISER. My wife and he and his wife went to Florida. Mr. Yaras lived in Florida and we went out to dinner together.
Mr. WOLF - At what time in Florida ? Mr. WEISER. That would be in the early fifties, mid-fifties.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Lennie Patrick ?.
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know Mr. Patrick?
Mr. WEINER - I know him the same way, in the same neighborhood, since I was a kid.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any business dealings with Mr. Patrick ? Mr. WEISER. No.
Mr. WOLF - How often did you meet with Mr. Patrick ?
Mr. WEINER - I met with Mr. Patrick, it would be accidentally.
Mr. WOLF - Frequently ? Not frequently ? Once a year ?
Mr. WEINER - I never met with him. I never had a planned meeting with him. It would be just like running into him at a restaurant.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know if Mr. Jack Ruby knew Mr. Patrick
Mr. WEINER - I have no idea.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Barney Baker? Mr. WEISER. Yes.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know Mr. Baker? Mr. WEISER. I know him through working for Allen Dorfman.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Dorfman introduce you to Mr. Baker?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember who introduced me to him. I think Paul Dorfman introduced me to Mr. Baker.
Mr. WOLF - What period of time was that?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know.
Mr. WOLF - How often have you met with Mr. Baker ?
Mr. WEINER - I never met with Mr. Baker, a premeditated meeting. Never met with him.
Mr. WOLF - Were you ever at any meeting that anybody else arranged with Mr. Baker ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever have any business dealings with Mr. Baker
Mr. WEINER - No; I haven't.
Mr. WOLF - Do You know if Jack Ruby knew Mr. Baker ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't have any idea.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever heard that Jack Ruby called Mr. Baker ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know that either.
Mr. WOLF - No one has ever informed you that Jack Ruby telephoned Mr. Baker ?
Mr. WEINER - No; nobody has. Wait a minute. That same newspaper man asked me about Barney Baker.
Mr. WOLF - What was your response ?
Mr. WEINER - My response was the same as it is now.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Louis Kutner ?
Mr. WEINER - No, Kutner ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - That attorney in Chicago ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - I don't think I know him. Years ago I might have done some business for him in relation to a bond.
Mr. WOLF - Do you remember what the bond was or who it was for ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Dusty Miller ?
Mr. WEINER - I met Mr. Dusty Miller.
Mr. WOLF - How did you meet Mr. Miller ?
Mr. WEINER - It was in relation to the Teamster bond.
Mr. WOLF - In 1959 ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - Who introduced you to Mr. Miller ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. It could have been--I don't know. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - What business dealings have you had with Mr. Miller ?
Mr. WEINER - None.
Mr. WOLF - Did you talk to Mr. Miller concerning the placement of a bond ?
Mr. WEINER - Probably at the time.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever discuss with Mr. Miller the problems Jimmy Hoffa was having with the Kennedy administration ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I just knew him superficially.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Miller ever discuss with you Edward Grady Partin ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you ever meet Mr. Partin ?
Mr. WEINER - If I am not mistaken, Mr. Partin was from Florida. I think I had written a bond where Mr. Partin was an officer and I think there was a money discrepancy, that they were accusing Mr. Partin of taking some money, but I never heard any more. I got some letters from some attorney% if I remember correctly, either representing the union or the rank and file complaints about Mr. Partin.
Mr. WOLF - When was that ?
Mr. WEINER - That would have to be when I had the Teamster bond.
Mr. WOLF - Have you ever met with Mr. Partin ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't believe I did.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Russell Matthews ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. David Elatkin ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Harry Hall, also known as Harry Haller ?
Mr. WEINER - I think I do.
Mr. WOLF - How do you know Mr. Hailer ?
Mr. WEINER - I think I met him, it was in relation I think I met him through one of the members of the Pension board, Teamster pension board. I don't remember. The name sounds familiar.
Mr. WOLF - What were the circumstances of that meeting ?
Mr. WEINER - Just a casual meeting.
Mr. WOLF - Did you say Teamster pension board ?
Mr. WEINER - Pension fund.
Mr. WOLF - Who on the pension board introduced him ?
Mr. WEINER - I think it was a member from Ohio. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - What conversations do you recall you have had with Mr. Haller ?
Mr. WEINER - I never had any previous conversations other than general conversations, if that is the same fellow.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Lawrence Meyers ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Ms. Jean West ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Known as Jean Aase ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. James Braden ?
Mr. WEINER - Who ?
Mr. WOLF - James Braden ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Where were you when President Kennedy was assassinated on November 22 ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember whether I was in Chicago or Florida. I could have been in Florida at the time.
Mr. WOLF - What were you doing in Florida at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - Probably preparing for my legal matter with the attorneys.
Mr. WOLF - Were you in Miami during the funeral of President Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember if I was.
Mr. WOLF - When you were in Cuba and you saw Mr. Trafficante at the casino, did you see Mr. Trafficante at any other time while you were in Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - I saw him in Florida.
Mr. WOLF - Did you see Mr. Trafficante any other time in Cuba ?.
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did you know Mr. Trafficante had been in prison while he was in Cuba ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Trafficante ever discuss that fact with you ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, going back to your placement of the Teamster pension bonds--
Mr. WEINER - It was for every union employee or officer that had access to Teamster funds or property that belonged to the local union or international.
Mr. WOLF - That was an outgrowth of the Landrum-Griffin Act ?
Mr. WEINER - That was the result of the Landrum-Griffin Act.
Mr. WOLF - It was September 14:, 1959, that the act passed ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember that.
Mr. WOLF - You were in business with Mr. Allen Dorfman prior to the passage of that act ?
Mr. WEINER - I was what ?
Mr. WOLF - You were in business with Mr. Allen Dorfman prior to the passage of that act ?
Mr. WEINER - As a matter of fact I wasn't in business with him at that time. It was Sol Schwartz.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Allen Dorfman personally introduced you to Mr. Jimmy Hoffa; is that correct ?
Mr. WEINER - Correct. It could have been Paul Dorfman who introduced me to Jimmy Hoffa.
Mr. WOLF - How shortly after passage of that act did you first meet with Jimmy Hoffa ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember. When they needed the placement of the bonds.
Mr. WOLF - Could it have been September 17, which would be 3 days after passage of the act ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't have any idea of the date.
Mr. WOLF - Is it possible it was September 17 ?
Mr. WEINER - It is possible. It could be any date in that area. I don't remember when.
Mr. WOLF - How did Mr. DoFfman choose you to place the bond that was necessary pursuant to that act ?
Mr. WEINER - Because I was in the bond business and I knew him and he introduced me to his son, Sol Schwartz, and we got together to try to place a bond. Apparently Mr. Hoffa contacted him.
Mr. WOLF - You testified that your company wrote bonds for approximately 18 months.
Mr. WEINER - In a group of companies.
Mr. WOLF - That you were affiliated with.
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. WOLF - And would Central Casualty Co. be one of the companies ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; Central Casualty. United Benefit Fire, and the Oxford Agency.
Mr. WOLF - Oxford Agency ?
Mr. WEINER - The Oxford Agency is the agency that eventually got the commissions.
Mr. WOLF - Was Cosmopolitan Insurance Co. one of them ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't think so.
Mr. WOLF - What was Weiner-Volin Insurance Co. ?
Mr. WEINER - That is an insurance agency.
Mr. WOLF - Was that one of the companies ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. That is my partner and myself.
Mr. WOLF - After 18 months what were the chances that your corporation would no longer be writing bonds ?
Mr. WEINER - I forgot what happened at the end of the 18-month period. It seemed that one of the companies--in order to write that bond you had to be qualified on the Federal list. It seemed one of the lead companies--for some reason or other, because of interpretation the financial statement by the Treasury Department it had taken them off the list and they had to put another group of companies together. I arranged for the second group of companies.
Mr. WOLF - Are you affiliated with the second group of companies ?
Mr. WEINER - Just in the capacity of an agent placing the business.
Mr. WOLF - How much were you paid to arrange for the second group of companies to write business ?
Mr. WEINER - A couple of hundred thousand dollars I think, if I remember correctly, in that area.
Mr. WOLF - Who were the primary officers of that second group of companies ?
Mr. WEINER - The second group of companies was one company. It was called Resolute Insurance Co. out of Hartford, Conn. They just reinsured with Lloyds. That was the extent of it.
Mr. WOLF - Who were the individuals in Resolute Insurance Co. ?
Mr. WEINER - A fellow by the name of Lou Morganstern who has since passed away. He was the president and owner.
Mr. WOLF - On the day of President Kennedy's assassination do you recall how you first heard the news ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - You don't remember whether or not you were in Chicago or Miami at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - Where I was ? I don't remember how I got the news.
Mr. WOLF - Who was the first person you spoke to when you heard President Kennedy was assassinated ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't understand.
Mr. WOLF - It was shocking. Most people remember where they were.
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember where I was at that time. I could have been in Florida.
Mr. WOLF - What was your reaction upon hearing the news ?
Mr. WEINER - Surprised, shocked, felt bad about it, the same as any other citizen would.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Ellis Gruber ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, you have stated that your one business dealing you recall in Dallas was with Mr. Sol Aman; is that correct ? What was the nature of business you had with Mr. Aman ?
Mr. WEINER - With Aman ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - He was in the building of cooking machines.
Mr. WOLF - How did you first come in contact with him ?
Mr. WEINER - With Mr. Aman ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - I met him in Chicago.
Mr. WOLF - Who introduced you ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember how I met him.
Mr. WOLF - What type of bonds or business did you do with him ?
Mr. WEINER - Did I do with him ?
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - I had loaned him some money. As a matter of fact, he was in an executive placement, he had an executive placement business and I had 25 percent of it.
Mr. WOLF - How much money did you loan him ?
Mr. WEINER - The loan was actually a default on a loan that I guaranteed at the bank for him. It was not a loan. He defaulted on a fund that I had paid off and that he was responsible for and then at a later date he called me and paid me the money.
Mr. WOLF - He had a loan to the bank and you paid his loan to the bank ?
Mr. WEINER - I had guaranteed his loan at the bank.
Mr. WOLF - How did you come to guarantee his loan to the bank ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - Had you known Mr. Aman before this ?
Mr. WEINER - Oh, sure. I wouldn't do it for a stranger.
Mr. WOLF - How did you first come to meet him ?
Mr. WEINER - I believe it was through an attorney by the name of Albert Shephard.
Mr. WOLF - Where is that attorney located ?
Mr. WEINER - Right now he is in Los Angeles practicing law.
Mr. WOLF - How much money was the loan for ?
Mr. WEINER - I think I .guaranteed a $35,000 loan and I think I paid about $15; something like that.
Mr. WOLF - What business dealings had you had with the insurance agent in Los Angeles prior to that ?
Mr. WEINER - He was an attorney here first. He was an attorney in Chicago. You asked me where he was at right now. I said Los Angeles.
Mr. WOLF - He was an attorney in Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - Sure.
Mr. WOLF - That is why you guaranteed this loan ?
Mr. WEINER - I guaranteed it for two reasons. One, we were friendly, and, two, I was sort of in business with him at the time and making some money with him. So I guaranteed the loan.
Mr. WOLF - Have you had any other business dealings with individuals in Dallas ?
Mr. WEINER - Just with Aman.
Mr. WOLF - None other ?
Mr. WEINER - None other, that I know of.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know Mr. Nofio Pecora ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - In your discussions with Mr. Trafficante did he ever discuss with you the CIA plots against Fidel Castro ?.
Mr. WEINER - I never had any discussions with Mr. Trafficante other than how are you and things of that sort. Never got involved with him in any way.
Mr. WOLF - Did he ever discuss with you these plots ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Did Mr. Giancana ever discuss the plots with you ?
Mr. WEINER - Absolutely not.
Mr. WOLF - When did you first hear that Jack Ruby had shot Lee Harvey Oswald ?
Mr. WEINER - When did I first hear it
Mr. WOLF - Yes.
Mr. WEINER - When he did it.
Mr. WOLF - Where were you at that time
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember where I was at that time either. I could have been in Florida or Chicago. I had to be in Florida because when he shot Oswald, I had to be in Florida at the time.
Mr. WOLF - Why were you in Florida ?
Mr. WEINER - Because they called my daughter right after that.
Mr. WOLF - Your daughter called you in Florida ?
Mr. WEINER - She didn't know where I was at. I called her the following day. They might have called her the following day.
Mr. WOLF - What was your first reaction upon hearing Jack Ruby shot Oswald ?
Mr. WEINER - I didn't believe it. It was beyond my comprehension as to how or why.
Mr. WOLF - Did you speak to anybody about the fact that you k-new Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - I might have.
Mr. WOLF - Whom might you have spoken to ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't have any idea.
Mr. WOLF - Did you speak to Mr. Alderisio ?
Mr. WEINER - It could be. I don't know. I don't know if at that time knew who Jack Ruby was ?
Mr. WOLF - Did you speak to Mr. Trafficante?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know if anybody hired Jack Ruby to kill Oswald ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Do you know if anybody hired Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate President Kennedy ?
Mr. WEINER - I wouldn't know that either.
Mr. WOLF - To clarify the question I asked before, you answered the question concerning the Dallas Cabana Hotel, are you familiar with any financial arrangements for that hotel ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I am not.
Mr. WOLF - Are you aware of the Cabana Hotel in Atlanta ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - You never heard of that hotel ? Mr. WEINER . I might have but I don't remember hearing, it.
Mr. WOLF - Are you familiar with any financial arrangements for that hotel ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Chairman, that concludes the questioning we have of this witness. Any questions that the committee members desire to ask at this time will be appropriate.
Mr. PREYER - Mr. Weiner, you indicated that you talked to Mike Shore recently about his call from Ruby and that Ruby was asking him to get a lawyer for him in Los Angeles.
Mr. WEINER - No; I spoke to Mike Shore e days ago and told him I would be in Washington and I told him what for. In telling him that I evidently triggered his memory and he told me, he repeated what he had told me before, that he had helped arrange for the legal defense of Jack Ruby through Earl Ruby, his brother, who had come to him.
Mr. PREYER - Why would Ruby. need a lawyer in Los Angeles ?
Mr. WEINER - Eventually I think the lawyer he hired was from San Francisco. I think that that is the attorney that Michael Shore knows. I am trying to think of his name. He was getting a lot of publicity and writeups. He was sort of a flamboyant character. I can't think of his name but he was from San Francisco. He did I believe represent Ruby for a while and then withdrew, if I remember correctly.
Mr. PREYER - Was his name Melvin L. Belli ?
Mr. WEINER - That is his name.
Mr. PREYER - Ruby was trying to get Belli to represent him ?
Mr. WEINER - I think Michael Shore was instrumental. I believe he was, based on the conversation that I had with Michael Shore.
Mr. PREYER - Did Michael Shore give you any indication of why Ruby would hire a west coast lawyer for himself in Dallas ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know. If I would rationalize I would say that Earl Ruby probably heard of Melvin Belli and Michael Shore was friend of Earl Ruby's and evidently Michael Shore helped try t arrange for Belli to represent him. This is what I gather out of my conversation with Michael Shore.
Mr. PREYER - A month or a little more before the assassination of President Kennedy you received a call from Ruby as well as some of your friends, like Mike Shore, Barney Baker ?
Mr. WEINER - I never got a call from Barney Baker. I don't know if I received a call from Mike Shore at that time.
Mr. PREYER - Ruby did call a number of your friends ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know that either.
Mr. PREYER - There was no discussion between you and your friends about Ruby's problems ?
Mr. WEINER - No; after everything happened naturally when somebody would meet we would talk about it at that particular time but I don't remember any of my friends saying that Ruby called them.
Mr. PREYER - Mr. Fithian.
Mr. FITHIAN - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Weiner, when Mr. Ruby called you I believe you said in answer to the counsel's question that you recognized him, recognized his voice. I correct ?
Mr. WEINER - I didn't recognize his voice. He introduced himself over the phone. "This is Jack Ruby, Earl Ruby's brother." I am assuming that is what happened at the time. I never knew Jack Ruby well. I never knew him socially or in any possible way. Our paths never crossed other than the fact he was Earl Ruby's brother who was a friend of mine.
Mr. FITHIAN - Did you know him in Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. FITHIAN - How long before he called you on the labor problem did you say that you had known him in Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - I am assuming it was in the 1930's, late 1930's. Or a graduate from high school in 1934. It could have been prior to that.
Mr. FITHIAN - Did you ever know Ruby and Allen Dorfman to bea ssociated with one another, to be seen together ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I believe that based on conversations I had after that and as a matter of fact I told Allen I was coming here, I had met with him and told him I was coming here, he never led me to believe that lie knew Ruby or anything like that.
Mr. FITHIAN - Could you associate in your mind roughly--I know it has been a long time--can you associate in your mind roughly whether or not Ruby would have been in Chicago with the possibility of knowing or associating with Dorfman prior to Dorfman's difficulties which caused him to leave Chicago ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know that either. I have no way of knowing. Allen Dorfman was a young kid then, in his thirties. I think he is about 52 or 53. That would be a long time ago.
Mr. FITHIAN - Would you again explain to the committee why you think that Jack Ruby called you ? This seems to be a minor difficulty that he is in, a little labor problem.
Mr. WEINER - What he wanted to do with me was to try to get me-- evidently he wanted to get an injunction against the other club. If I remember correctly he would have to put up a bond with the court in order to do that.
Mr. FITHIAN - I understand that. It just seems a little difficult for me to grasp the argument that Ruby would have called you over this little difficulty or that Ruby would have tried to seek this fairly famous San Francisco lawyer.
Mr. WEINER - I didn't try to see him. His brother tried to see him as a result of Mike Shore. Mike Shore didn't know Jack Ruby. He knew Earl Ruby. Earl Ruby was looking to retain counsel to help his brother. It wasn't Jack Ruby that had any contact with Michael Shore. I don't believe Michael Shore even knew Jack Ruby.
Mr. FITHIAN - I guess my quandary still persists. Ruby's problems seemed so small.
Mr. WEINER - Wait a minute. I think we just got. mixed up a bit. The reason that Earl Ruby was looking to retain counsel for him is because he killed Oswald. When Earl Ruby got involved with Michael Shore was after the slaying of Oswald.
Mr. FITHIAN - I had to step out for a few minutes. I may have missed this. When Ruby called you, where were .you living at that time ?
Mr. WEINER - 7345 North Damen in Chicago.
Mr. FITHIAN - He called you fram Dallas ?
Mr. WEINER - I think he called me at my office or my home. I don't remember.
Mr. FITHIAN - He was calling from Dallas ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes; he called from Dallas.
Mr. FITHIAN - His difficulty was in Dallas ?
Mr. WEINER - He called me.
Mr. FITHIAN - Doesn't that strike you as being a little curious that for someone who had, 'by your description, such a very casual knowledge or acquaintance with you, hadn't seen you in 15 or 30 years perhaps, that he would: (a) know that you were in the business that you were in, in the bond business, and therefore were in a position to help him professionally; (b) know how to locate you; and (c) bothered to call somebody In Chicago when his little difficulty over an amateur stripper was in Dallas? That does not seem to be a very credible Story.
Mr. WEINER - I don't care whether it is credible or not. That is exactly what happened. It was not incredible for a man like Ruby to hiss Oswald too but he did. Nobody would have dreamed that he would.
Mr. FITHIAN - I guess what I am saying is, the difficulty I am having with the fact that he might have remembered.
Mr. WEINER - He might have called his brother for help and his brother might have referred him to me. He never called me since. The only phone call he ever placed with me was the one we are talking about.
Mr. FITHIAN - How well did you know Earl Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - I went to school with Earl Ruby. I knew him fairly well, the same as you know somebody you went to school with.
Mr. FITHIAN - Had you maintained a continuing relationship wit him or acquaintanceship with Earl Ruby after he went to school ?
Mr. WEINER - No. If I would see him we would talk.
Mr. FITHIAN - Where was Earl Ruby now during this period ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know.
Mr. FITHIAN - Was he in Chicago or San Francisco..?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know where he was. I don't know where Earl Ruby was.
Mr. FITHIAN - Do you know Earl Ruby better than Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - Sure. I didn't know Jack Ruby at all other than he was Earl's brother.
Mr. FITHIAN - I think those are all the questions I have.
Mr. PREYER - Mr. Dodd. Mr. DODD Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Weiner, did your daughter have occasion to be in your office in Chicago from time to time ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. DODD - It would have been impossible for Jack Ruby to have called your office at the time to try to reach you. He must have called your home.
Mr. WEINER - Jack Ruby never talked to my daughter.
Mr. DODD - He never talked to her at all ?
Mr. WEINER - No.
Mr. DODD - So it could have been either the home or his office ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember which number he called. You have the number of it.
Mr. WOLF - The phone number was SH 3-6865.
Mr. WEINER - That would be my home number.
Mr. DODD - Is your home phone number listed in the directory ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. DODD - What was your relationship to Earl Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - Just went to school with him and knew him. I had no relationship with him other than just knowing him and going to school with him.
Mr. DODD - I understand that from your testimony. I appreciate the relationship, however slight it may have been around 1963. Had you seen him recently, had you run into him ?
Mr. WEINER - No. As a matter of fact I think I bumped into him in the gym one time prior to that I believe. It was the first time I saw him for years and years. That had to be in the midfifties. That was the last time I saw him. I haven't seen him since, I don't think.
Mr. DODD - Did you inquire why Jack Ruby called you ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know.
Mr. DODD - So there was really no relationship, to speak of at all with Earl Ruby ? By your own testimony there was none with Jack Ruby, in fact even less with Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - Less with Jack Ruby, and I just knew Earl Ruby. I mean we were friendly.
Mr. DODD - Maybe you can appreciate my quandary. Why did a fellow living in Dallas, Tex., that you have not seen in years, have had no contact with, had minimal contact, and that is even exaggerating I think, with his brother, why did he pick up a phone and call you at home ?
Mr. WEINER - I haven't any idea. I am sure he made some phone calls, long distance phone calls, prior to calling me. Maybe from one of those--they have a record of that--maybe from that you could find out how he got to me.
Mr. DODD - What I am intrigued by is whether or not you would have been curious as to why he would have called you.
Mr. WEINER - No. I was not at all curious.
Mr. DODD - It did not surprise you ?
Mr. WEINER - No; because that was my business. My business was writing bonds. I would not be curious about anybody wanting a bond.
Mr. DODD - Calling you at home about writing a bond ?
Mr. WEINER - I got calls any hour of the day or night at home.
Mr. DODD - Was it common practice to get calls at home
Mr. WEINER - Sure. I got oodles of calls at home. If I was not in the office, the service would tell them to call my home.
Mr. DODD - In your testimony earlier you indicated you had not been entirely accurate to a reporter who called you recently asking you similar questions about a telephone conversation with Jack Ruby.
Mr. WEINER - I was as accurate as they were with me.
Mr. DODD - Are you saying in effect, Mr. Weiner, that you lied to the reporter ?
Mr. WEINER - Any time I can.
Mr. DODD - You talked to Mr. Shore in the last week ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes.
Mr. DODD - In your conversation with Mr. Shore in the last week did you discuss with him the alleged labor dispute that Jack Ruby was having at the time he made the phone conversation with you?
Mr. WEINER - No, I don't believe I did. I just told him I was coming. I don't remember if I did or not.
Mr. DODD - Why don't you take a couple of minutes and think
Mr. WEINER - If you want me to say I did I will say I did. I don't remember. Thinking about it would not help me. I don't remember what I said to him. I might have gone through the whole bit with him, but I don't remember if I did.
Mr. DODD - How long ago did you talk to Mr. Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - Three or four days ago.
Mr. DODD - How long was the phone conversation ? Mr. WINER. I don't know. There have been several phone conversations. It could have been short, it could have been long. I don't know.
Mr. DODD - The last 2 or 3 days there have been several phone conversations ?
Mr. WEINER - Since I got the subpena there have been several. It was not in relation to the subpena.
Mr. DODD - How many times have you talked to Mr. Shore ?
Mr. WEINER - When I received this subpena--let me see what day I received it--I got this on May 4. Since May 4 I would say I spoke to Mr. Shore maybe seven or eight times, which is not unusual.
Mr. DODD - Your testimony to me right now is that you can't remember wherever or not you talked about the alleged labor dispute that Jack Ruby called you about ?
Mr. WEINER - Right. I don't remember talking about that. I just remember talking about that I am coming here in relation to the Jack Ruby thing and that he told me, '"Yes, I tried to get him Melvin Belli."
Mr. DODD - Did you discuss the Ruby phone call to you at all in your
Mr. WEINER - I said I might have or I might not have. I talked to him about it before. I don't remember if I talked to him about this time.
Mr. DODD - Do you recall whether you told Mr. Shore what the substance of that conversation was ?
Mr. WEINER - Repeat that question again.
Mr. DODD - Do you recall telling Mr. Shore what the substance of the Ruby telephone call to you was ?
Mr. WEINER - On the last occasion ? I don't remember. If I did remember, if I did say it I would say I said it. I don't remember whether I said it or not because there would be nothing wrong in me discussing it with him, if I did. I am not trying to conceal anything. I just don't remember.
Mr. DODD - You don't remember ?
Mr. WEINER - No; I don't remember what I said to him at that particular time other than just telling him I am coming he re. I might have went through the whole bit with him but I don't remember doing it.
Mr. DODD - I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. PREYER - Thank you. You mentioned Jack Ruby called you at your home telephone. Do you recall what your business phone number was at that time in 1963 ?
Mr. WEINER - Yes. Harrison 427-4848, the same number.
Mr. PREYER - Did you have access to any other business phones at that time, any other business phone number she might have called you at ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember if I did or not. I am sure he would not call me at any other number either than those two numbers, at home or the bonding company.
Mr. PREYER - Thank you. Are there any further questions ?
Mr. DODD - Mr. Weiner, let me go back to that phone conversation. If I were to tell you that Jack Ruby made the phone call to you around noon on a Wednesday at your home, I presume you would not quarrel with that?
Mr. WEINER - I don't know if that is a fact or not.
Mr. DODD - Was there any record of a phone call to your office, the secretary or someone referring him to you at home ?
Mr. WEINER - I don't remember that either. I don't remember that. My recollection is that he called and I wasn't at the number that he called and I had called him back. That is my recollection.
Mr. DODD - Did Mr. Shore at any time ever discuss with you any phone conversation he had had with Jack Ruby around the same time that you received your phone call ?
Mr. WEINER - As far as I understood, Mr. Shore didn't know Jack Ruby.
Mr. DODD - So at no time at all has Mr. Shore ever said. anything to you about any phone conversation or phone call he ever received from Jack Ruby ?
Mr. WEINER - Right. He never said anything about that to me.
Mr. DODD - Mr. Weiner, I am going to state to you as a matter of fact that on October 25, 1963, at 10:09 a.m. in the morning Jack Ruby called Mike Shore at a New York City hotel and talked to him for 18 minutes. On October 26 at 10:17 in the morning Jack Ruby called Mike Shore in Los Angeles. On October 30, 1963, Jack Ruby sent Mike Shore a special delivery letter. On October 30, 1963, Jack Ruby called Mike Shore and spoke to him. On October 31, Jack Ruby. called Mike Shore and spoke to him again. Has Mr. Shore ever at any time at all told you of his conversations with Jack Ruby? Mr. WEINER I will tell you again, absolutely not.
Mr. DODD - I have no further questions, Mr. Chairman. Mr. PREYER Mr. Wolf.
Mr. WOLF - Mr. Weiner, if I could ask you one question. You stated Jack Ruby asked for a bond in conjunction with a proposed injunction concerning the labor problems he had. Did Ruby ask you for any help to deal with the labor problems he was having ? Mr. WEINER I don't remember. He might have. I don't remember.
Mr. WOLF - That is all, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. PREYER - If there are no further questions the committee will excuse Mr. Weiner at this time. Under our rules after completion of the questioning each witness is entitled to 5 minutes to say whatever he chooses to say or explain anything in his testimony that he wishes to explain further. So at this time we will make that offer to you if there is anything further you wish to say.
Mr. WEINER Goodby, gentlemen. That is all I am saying. Have agood day.
Mr. PREYER We will excuse Mr. Weiner at this time. Mr. Weiner, I will point out to you that, like all of our witnesses, you are under continuing subpena in this case.
Mr. WEINER - OK. I am available.
Mr. PREYER - The committee will recess for about 5 minutes. [A brief recess was taken.]