Ruby and the DMN

The impeccable Martha Moyer and Ray Gallagher make the case that Ruby fudged the truth regarding his whereabouts and movements on the morning of the assassination.
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=48697&relPageId=7

While I don't agree that they have correctly identified Ruby in a DP photo, I think the general gist of their argument has some legs.

But that's for another day. Right now, I want to zero in on one item: in Hall Ex 3, Ruby states when he went to Tony Zoppi's office that morning, Zoppi was (allegedly) out, but Ruby claimed there may have been a Mr Payne there who he identified as another employee of the DMN. 
http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/viewer/showDoc.do?docId=1137&relPageId=69

But as Martha and Ray note, the DNM had no employee by that name. 

But there were two lawyers named Robert B Payne in Dallas: Robert Benson Payne and Robert Blaine Payne (info courtesy James Richards). 

There was a Robert B Payne who have an oral interview for the 6th Floor Museum. 

Robert B. Payne
A Dallas lawyer, Payne was acquainted with some of the conservative Dallas businessmen who funded the anti-Kennedy ad in the Dallas Morning News. Payne visited Jack Ruby's apartment and met Ruby's sister following the Oswald shooting. Recorded December 18, 2001.

According to James, Robert Blaine Payne was "involved in the purchase of some 180 acres of raw land for the heirs of the Cabell family. Briggs Real Estate handled the sale. The associate in charge was Joseph P. Grinnan." Grinnan had been the one who collected all the money for the infamous ad and had a lot of the input into the wording of it.

RBP's obit states, "...He was known as a fierce advocate for his independent oil and gas clients. Throughout his 59 years of living in Dallas he was a member in several social and civic organizations, including BrookHollow Golf Club, The Dallas Petroleum Club, and was a great supporter of the fine arts in Dallas..."
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=robert-b-payne&pid=125836823

I think it's safe to say that Robert Blaine Payne was the one associate with the funders of the Black Border ad... which as we all know was published by the Dallas Morning News... and it may be that Payne was also a lawyer for the paper and spent a bit of time there. If so, it is not so surprising that Ruby would think he was employed by the paper.

Payne would have been well acquainted with the Hunts et al, and perhaps also with George De Morhenschildt through the Petroleum Club. It is possible too, the Hunts were among oil clients who did well from Payne's fierce advocacy. 

A side issue is whether or not Zoppi was in his office when Ruby went there. Zoppi has given at least 3 different accounts.

The bottom line is that Ruby had visited the Hunt offices a day or two prior to the assassination, had been reading Hunt propaganda and may have had a meeting with a lawyer associated with these extreme elements on the morning of the assassination. Moreover, that same lawyer visited Jack's apartment and met with Ruby's sister after Oswald was killed. This may all be innocent, but it does bear noting.