Courtroom sketch "At the Ruby Trial" by artist John Groth

Chicago native John August Groth (1908-88) covered the liberation of Paris during World War II as an artist correspondent for the Chicago Sun. He later covered both the Korean and Vietnam wars. In addition to his sketch work, Groth was a painter, book illustrator and served as the art director for Esquire magazine. His unique style technique is called "speed line," in which the artist uses a series of rough, unperfected lines.

In June 1977, the Dallas Public Library System acquired from Groth a total of 130 sketches made during the Jack Ruby trial for $7,500. The controversial purchase was opposed by two Dallas city council members who argued that municipal funds should not be used to acquire what they considered to be assassination-related "memorabilia." Councilman Bill Blackburn at the time cited this same reason for opposing that the City of Dallas purchase the empty Texas School Book Depository building. Later that year the building would be purchased by Dallas County as part of a bond package.  

This particular sketch was not part of that 1977 acquisition because Groth had previously sold (and dedicated) this drawing to an acquaintance, Richard deY Manning (1924-2013), a captain in the 17th Army Airborne during World War II who was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge in 1944-45. Interestingly, this is one of the few Groth sketches from the Ruby trial that was published in The Saturday Evening Post. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator