Description:

Lindbergh Kidnapping
Hunterdon County, NJ, February 1935
Lindbergh Kidnapping Juror Robert Cravatt Official Pass & Letter from Prosecutor
Archive

A remarkable pairing of two items formerly owned by Robert Cravatt, a juror of the famed Lindbergh kidnapping and murder trial. Consisting of a courtroom admission pass and TLS from prosecutor Anthony M. Hauck, Jr. dated one day after the jury reached a verdict. Pass measures 4.5" x 3.5", headlined "Official Pass/ Hauptmann Trial" for the morning of Thursday, February 7, 1935, No. 115 and annotated in the upper left corner "Front Door OK". Exhibits minor tearing to the same, with expected edge wear and age toning throughout. Letter features flattened mailing folds and isolated blue marking near middle of text. Otherwise, very good to near fine.

Hauck's letter, dated February 14, 1935, reads in part:

"I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your fairness and courage in bringing in your verdict in the case of State of New Jersey vs. Bruno Richard Hauptmann.
I am certain that the entire world approved of the verdict, and I know that you have shown the world that Hunterdon County and the State of New Jersey still upholds the American idea of fairness and justice.
In the event that you are bothered… by cranks or others, do not be disturbed, but get in touch with me.
It has been a pleasure to be able to prosecute the case before you…."

In September 1934, a German-American carpenter named Richard Hauptmann was arrested for the abduction and murder of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., the 20-month-old son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh. After a trial that lasted from January 2 to February 13, 1935, he was convicted and ultimately sentenced to death. It was during this time that Robert Cravatt, a 28-year-old camp supervisor, gained notoriety for becoming the last juror to approve the motion for capital punishment.

Despite the conviction, Hauptmann continued to profess his innocence, but all appeals failed and he was executed via the electric chair at the New Jersey State Prison on April 3, 1936. The crime notoriously spurred Congress to pass the Federal Kidnapping Act, commonly called the "Lindbergh Law", which made transporting a kidnapping victim across state lines a federal crime.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: Archive

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

August 27, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000