Description:

WYATT EARP AND JOSEPHINE "JOSIE" EARP
JOSEPHINE MARCUS "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. Fine content A.L.S. "Mrs. E." and"Earp", with holograph envelope addressed by her but bearing the signature and return address of her husband WYATT EARP (1848-1929), 7+pp. 4to., Vidal, Ca., Apr. 12, 1927, to the Earps' private secretary, confidante and Wyatt Earp's biographer, John H. Flood. Josie writes concerning an unauthorized biography of Earp Tombstone, An Iliad of the Southwest by Walter Burns and soon to be published by Doubleday. Her husband Wyatt had given Burns a great deal of personal information believing the author was writing a biography of Doc Holliday, not knowing that the information was in fact intended to be used in a biography of Earp himself and from which the Earps would not earn a penny. In part: "...Mr. E. did not think that any man could stoop to do such a thing...he slipped into Tombstone and got what information he could, and a pack of lies, too, and in a sneaking way he made Wyatt the hero. It is a very plain case of theft...it must be stopped at once...Tell Burns in the letter that Wyatt is very much disappointed...he must leave Wyatt's name out entirely...we can be protected too if it takes every cent we have...Just as [actor William S.] Hart said he stole the story of Billy the Kid too...Try and find out Rex Beach's address. Perhaps we can put him to write the story...I think he [Burns] will die hard...every once in a while he will put a kind of threat in [his letters] thinking he will scare Wyatt...we will make old Burns hop around some. See what Hart says first...". The entire last page of the letter reveals Josie's panic as she urges Flood to take immediate action, contact Hart, send his response by express, and triple-seal his envelopes. The transmittal envelope is addressed by Josie, but the verso is in the hand of Wyatt Earp: "W. S. Earp Vidal Calif". with five silver wax seals. Fine condition. Burns book was indeed published in 1927, and saw widespread sales. It is widely considered the first fair and evenly-balanced biography of Earp.

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

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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