Description:

JACK RUBY HANDCUFFS AND POLYGRAPH MACHINE
An extraordinary pair of artifacts related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the personal lie detector machine owned by the Chief Criminal Deputy of Dallas County at the time of Kennedy's death, Det. Allan L. Sweatt (1917-1978), as well as Sweatt's handcuffs which were undoubtedly used to restrain Oswald murderer Jack Ruby.

Sweatt was positioned near the Sheriff's headquarters in Dealey Plaza observing the tail end of the President's motorcade when he heard the first of three gunshots. As the highest ranking lawman in the plaza, it became Sweatt's duty to coordinate the actions of detectives in the aftermath of the shooting, including seeking the shooter, detaining witnesses for questioning, safeguarding the crime scene where Oswald's shell casings were discovered, and dispatching the officers who would arrest Oswald. Sweatt, second in command to Dallas Sheriff Bill Decker, was also assigned to take custody of suspected assassin Lee Harvey Oswald just prior to Oswald's own murder. Sweatt was later quoted as saying that Lee Harvey Oswald was a $2000/month paid FBI informant, as reported by journalist Lonnie Hudkins to the Secret Service. Following Oswald's murder, Sweatt was charged with the custody of Jack Ruby. Sweatt's name entered the Warren Commission's proceedings when it was revealed that—at Sheriff Decker's personal request—Sweatt had acted as Jack Ruby's chaperone during his incarceration at the Dallas County Jail. Being experienced in the operation of a polygraph machine, Decker also appointed him to witness Jack Ruby's FBI-administered lie detector exam. According to Millard Sweatt, Jr. – a longtime senior attorney for the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank – his uncle Allan administered a 'dry run' polygraph exam to Ruby beforehand, the existence of which was never made public. The purpose of the preliminary test was, according to Millard Sweatt, Jr., to satisfy Sheriff Decker's curiosity about Oswald's murder, but also to settle Ruby's own fear of ‘flunking' the FBI's lie detector. It is believed that the polygraph machine offered here is the very one Sweatt used to administer Ruby's 'preemptive' polygraph exam. This polygraph machine, to be precise, a 'Cardio-Pneumo-Polygraph', was made by C. H. Stoelting Co., Chicago and is set into a 20 x 10 x 5.5 in. wood case. One original stylus and all adjustment knobs are present, as is the chest band, arm cuff, inflation bulbs, pneumatic tubing, etc. along with two spare rolls of paper.

Also present are Sweatt's handcuffs with key and leather case, operable, and undoubtedly used by Sweatt when transporting Ruby anywhere outside police headquarters or jail. The black leather case is blind stamped by maker Brauer Bros. Mfg. Co., St. Louis.

Also included in this lot is one of Allan Sweatt's original polygraph academy diplomas (1961), a polygraph academy group photograph, a check from Sweatt's wife to the polygraph academy, two original news articles regarding Sweatt's career as a noted polygraph examiner, a color portrait of Sweatt during his time as Chief Criminal Deputy of Dallas, and an archive of documents pertaining to Sweatt's relevance to the JFK assassination saga.

The polygraph has not been examined to determine if in working condition, but in appearance it is very good, as are the handcuffs and all documents. A fine opportunity to obtain Kennedy and Oswald murder relics.

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June 27, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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