Description:

Jack Ruby
n.p., September, 1965
Incredible Jack Ruby Display of Original Artwork and Artifacts, Directly from His Jailor!
Archive
A superb collection of items related to the incarceration of Jack Ruby following his shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald, all professionally and handsomely presented on sturdy, linen-bound foam core mat by Ruby's jailor, Ervin "Sonny" Cawthon, Jr. The display measures 24.25" x 28.5" and is ideal for display. Fine condition, accompanied by two signed copies of Letters of Authenticity by Sonny Cawthon, as well as a separate matted signature.

Sonny Cawthon (1937-?) was a Deputy in the Dallas Police Force and the occasional guard of Jack Ruby while the latter was imprisoned and on suicide watch following a second attempt by putting his finger in a light socket. Cawthon stood in for Ruby's regular guards for three shifts, during which he and Ruby talked at length.

Cawthon's personal narrative about Ruby deserves attention in and of itself, and offers an insider's look into the personality of Ruby as a man who just escaped death row. The narrative is typed and framed along with the artifacts and reads, in part: "…It was September 1965. Jack was convicted and sentenced to death in the electric chair. The conviction had just been overturned and a new trial was pending. With live TV there was no question in my mind about his guilt. I carried those thoughts to his cell…This was my first personal contact with him and it was not what I expected. With all the stories I heard I expected to see a scraggly looking tough guy with a bad attitude. Instead, in front of me was a clean-cut guy sitting erect in his chair. He was clean-shaven and had a fresh haircut. He greeted me pleasantly and flashed a smile….I thought, for a guy surely facing another death sentence, he sure seems calm and at peace. A few minutes later a jail trustee delivered two breakfast trays. We chatted as we ate. He was as inquisitive about me as I was about him. Like most people, I was curious to know what was running through his mind when he shot Oswald. After breakfast I asked 'Jack, why did you shoot Lee Harvey Oswald?' His head tilted down as he closed his eyes. He stayed that way for a very long minute then lifted it and said 'I loved the President and the First Lady so much, I couldn't stand the thought of Jackie having to come back to Dallas for a trial.' His eyes welled up…As the day passed we had many pleasant conversations where he learned a lot about me, while I learned almost nothing about him…On the table he kept paper, pencils, and a ruler. Each day was the same. He ate his meals at the table and when the chatting was done he either took a nap or worked on his drawings. His line drawings were very detailed…On one shift he autographed this newly completed drawing and gave it to me."

At the center of the display is the drawing mentioned, measuring 8" x 10" (sight), finely accomplished in the matter Cawthon describes and signed to him at middle, adding date "Sept, 1965."

Also included in the display is Cawthon's personally-owned Deputy Sheriff badge, patch and name tag, well-used handcuffs and key, and a signature on a card along with photographic images of Ruby, Oswald and others, each with a typed explanation beneath.

Jack Ruby (1911-1967) was a Dallas nightclub owner with a storied past who is best known as the murderer of John F. Kennedy's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Ruby shot Oswald on November 24, 1963, as Oswald was being transferred to the county jail. Many people still to this day believe that Ruby could have killed Oswald in an attempt to cover up a larger plot to assassinate Kennedy. Unfortunately for historians and conspiracy theorists alike, in September 1964 the Warren Commission concluded that Ruby acted alone in killing Oswald, shooting him on impulse, and out of grief over Kennedy's assassination. Ruby died in prison on January 3, 1967 of cancer, without providing any further clarifications to the tragic incident.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 24.25" x 28.5"
  • Medium: Archive

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