Description:

JOSEPHINE "JOSIE" EARP
(ca. 1861 - 1944) American actress and professional dancer, best known as the wife of Western lawman and gambler Wyatt Earp. Josie's first romance in Tombstone was with Wyatt's arch enemy, Sheriff Johnny Behan, whom she left when she discovered his philandering ways. By 1882, she had adopted the name of "Josephine Earp", although no official record of their marriage exists, and she was on the scene following the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Although their marriage was contentious, they shared a life of mining, operating saloons, and even worked as a gambling team. A fine mini-archive of material by Earp, including 2 A.L.S.'s, one A.L., two signed envelopes and a carbon copy of a letter from the Earp's business secretary and friend, John Flood. The subject of Josie's angry letters is author Walter Burns, then writing a unauthorized biography of Earp. Burns would become famous as one of the first authors to paint Wyatt Earp as a hero, but his 1927 book, Tombstone, An Iliad of the Southwest, incensed Earp. Burns had interviewed Earp under the pretense of writing a story about Doc Holliday, but used the material to publish the biography, costing Earp any possible profit from the sale of Flood's anticipated biography. Josie's first letter, 2pp. 4to. and signed "Earps", was sent to Flood on May 3, 1927 from Vidal, Ca. An incensed Josie writes, in part: "....it looks like they will go ahead with the story...I wanted them to know that bum tricked me when he wrote asking for information...He is a smooth article and thought he would get it all and give us the laugh. You must be careful what you write to them. I wonder what they mean by saying there is nothing which the Earp family would take exception to...Had a nice letter from a very prominent attorney...something regarding the Tombstone trouble. All seem to be writing to Wyatt...". Envelope signed "W. S. Earp" on verso. With another A.L.S. "Mrs. Earp", 3pp. 8vo., Vidal, May 4, 1927, on the same subject: "...I'm sorry you sent for manuscript as that is not what we want. You know as well as we do that he could not get the story , and as he told us the publisher wanted it badly...he went right away from us and wrote the story around Wyatt but of course he did not dare give it the title Wyatt Earp but did as near as he could. We must stop it in some way...Mr. E. not so well. He talks from the time of this letter that he will go right ahead or else he is running a great bluff...". With envelope signed "W. S. Earp". Also a mining-related A.L., unsigned, in part: "...Tell them to wire us a day before they leave...Mr. E. will meet them at the mine. Full of surveyors...", and a copy of Flood's T.L.S. to Josie, 3pp. 4to., Los Angeles, May 5, 1927, explaining that at the time of Earp's interview with Burns, his intention, along with that of actor William S. Hart, had been to "square" Earp in the eyes of history and give Burns access to Earp and various records. He concludes stating that it is his sincere belief that Burns' manuscript is the best one to date, and that no other biographer is available to do a comparable job. Near fine.

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October 9, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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