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Irwin Weiner, Rubys controller?


Guest Stephen Turner

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Guest Stephen Turner

One person Ruby was in phone contact with just prior to the assassiantion was Weiner, who enjoyed the reputation of the Chicago mobs favorite front man. Weiner had lost holdings in Havana including a major share in the Deauville Casino,and was currently under a federal indictment on a Florida fraud charge, he hated Castro like poison.

Years later Weiner was indicted on the grounds that he helped Jimmy Hoffa steal $millions from the Teamsters pension fund, but charges were eventially dropped following the shooting of a key Government witness (shot whilst his family were made to watch)

He was called before the Warren Commission to explain the multiple phone calls he took from Jack Ruby just before the assassination, he said "Ruby was a friend of mine, he called me, I talked to him. What I talked to him about was my own business. And I just dont want to, dont feel that I should discuss it with anyone. It has no relation, no bearing on anything." Astonishingly the Commission accepted Weiners answers, and never bothered to examine his criminal background, nor his extensive ties to the Mob. Equally astonishingly they concluded that it "Believes that the evidence does not establish a significant link between Ruby and organised crime.

Anybody got anything more on those phone calls. Steve.

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Steve,

I haven't seen Weiner's WC testimony, but I just read his HSCA testimony, which is quite interesting. He told the HSCA that he received only one phone call from Ruby, and it was about a labor dispute involving strippers. He said that he knew nothing about 5 phone calls that his "close friend" Mike Shore received from Ruby in October 1963. When told that the alleged nature of the call he got from Ruby wasn't credible, Weiner testified "I don't care whether it's credible or not."

Weiner testified that he had no interest whatsoever in any casino in Cuba, and didn't lose a penny in Cuba because of Castro. He said that when he told a reporter that he had lost a fortune in Cuba he was lying. He said that he lied to reporters "any chance I get."

Weiner says "I don't remember" time and again in his testimony. He couldn't remember where he was when JFK was assassinated, either Chicago or Florida. At one point he asked the HSCA when the assassination took place. He stated that he refused to talk to the FBI about the assassination, and the HSCA also mentioned that he refused to talk to its investigators.

http://jfkassassination.net/russ/m_j_russ/weiner.htm

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Just a bit of elaboration on Ron's reply - I cover Weiner in some detail in the first chapter of SWHT and

its interesting to note that the FBI contacted him shortly after the assassination about his Ruby contact.

He told them to shove off, he didn't want to talk to them...and they apparently left it at that.

More importantly, HSCA internal notes and research done in conjunction with his testimony indicate

that they caught him lieing on several points and actually challenged him on some, forcing him in some

cases to admit things...like his business interest in Cuba which he initially denied.

Having said that though, I'd say Ruby's LA contacts including his visitor and his call there on November

22 are probably closer to his actual "control" than the calls Weiner. I suspect that is where Ruby's

payoff originated.

-- Larry

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Guest Stephen Turner

Larry and Ron, thanks for the HSCA information. I shall dig out Weiners full W/C testimony. Sounds like he changed his mind on a lot from 1964, to the late 70s. Steve.

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In 1959, Weiner was president of the Illinois Agency of the Summit Fidelity and Surety Co. The office address was the same as the law firm of Herbert Lissner who in turn was close to Hoffa and Alan Dorfman.

Weiner also ran the American Bail Bond Co. in Chicago and was a major player in three meat shortening plants. Staff at these plants included Sam Battaglia and Marshall Caifano.

FWIW.

James

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To complement Jame's post, Weiner was a silent minor investor in the Deauville Hotel and Casino in Havana (it was that

investment that he tried to conceal from the HSCA). And of course there are a number of intersting names

also associated with the Deauville...John Martino worked there for the Roths who opened the establishment -

prior to his being imprisoned in Cuba.

Martino's co-workers included Louis McWillie and R. D. Matthews and of course Ruby made a rather mysterious visit

to McWillie there - which may have involved courier duties in an attempt to broker Trafficante out of prison...a long story that.

It was rumored that Weiner investment came from his being a friend of Trafficante, a major investor in the Deauville.

-- Larry

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Guest Stephen Turner
To complement Jame's post, Weiner was a silent minor investor in the Deauville Hotel and Casino in Havana (it was that

investment that he tried to conceal from the HSCA). And of course there are a number of intersting names

also associated with the Deauville...John Martino worked there for the Roths who opened the establishment -

prior to his being imprisoned in Cuba.

Martino's co-workers included Louis McWillie and R. D. Matthews and of course Ruby made a rather mysterious visit

to McWillie there - which may have involved courier duties in an attempt to broker Trafficante out of prison...a long story that.

It was rumored that Weiner investment came from his being a friend of Trafficante, a major investor in the Deauville.

-- Larry

Larry, is there any known linkage between the Deauville and Frank Caracci?

Rubys other regular phone contact was Nofio Pecora, a Marcello associate, with a history of international narcotics smuggling. He also ran a call-girl service out of New Orleans.

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Sorry Steve, nothing from me on Frank.....for me though Ruby's 1963 contacts with McWillie, his October call to Matthews wife,

his reported low profile trip to Vegas circa Nov 18 and the November visit from Gruber (LA) and November 22 call to Gruber

seem to be key elements of Ruby's involvement.

If anyone wants to do some solid background work, digging up more info on Gruber's history and associates in L.A. would be extremely valuable.

-- Larry

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