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Sale 76
Manuscript Sale
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Photo |
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Lot 82 |
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Hiss, Alger (1904-1996) U.S. State Department official convicted of perjury in January 1950 regarding his dealings with Whittaker Chambers, who accused Hiss of membership in a communist espionage ring. His case came at a time of growing apprehension about the domestic influence of communism and seemed to lend substance to Senator Joseph R. McCarthy's sensational claims of communist infiltration into the State Department. The case also brought to national attention Richard M. Nixon, a first-term Republican congressman from California who was prominent in the investigation that led to the indictment of Hiss.
Long autograph letter signed, 2 ½ pages, 5 x 8 in., New York, May 11,1950. Hiss writes this unpublished letter to a friend (Reverend) Dr. (Walter) Bennett, a Princeton professor and minister, directly relating to his perjury conviction trial. In part: "…There are so many pressing matters to attend to in the immediate wake of the shock and bitter disappointment of the verdict that it just wasn't possible to write to you before we got away to the country for a couple of weeks with our eight year old son. Then after our return the time slipped by… as we worked at the innumerable chores involved in getting the appeal ready for next fall….Your message of courage and others like it have helped our moral a great deal. Man doesn't live for or by himself alone, but its good to have concrete evidence of that in times of stress. We are of good hope that the appellate court will correct the errors of last winter-- the delay in my reply has at least the merit that in the interim my legal research has fortified my confidence that the trial was replete with prejudicial legal error…"
A most interesting letter written by a man whom many historians believe was a victim of the McCarthy era. Whitaker Chambers, a former Communist Party member, testified against Hiss in front of the house Committee on Um-America Activities (HUAC). During his time in front of the committee, Chambers, an avowed communist, claimed that Hiss had been a secret member of the Communist Party while serving in his many government jobs, including as assistant to Stanley Hornbeck, the State Department's Political Advisor in Charge of Far Eastern Affairs. Among other official government duties, Hiss served as a member of the delegation to the Yalta nations, having had a hand in drawing up the U.N. Charter. He was chosen to carry the new U.N Charter back to Washington directly to president Truman for his signature, a great honor. Hiss vehemently denied that he was ever a member of the communist party under oath, but a federal grand jury indicted him for perjury when Chambers produced more evidence against him. He was also accused of espionage but could not be tried on that as the statute of limitations had expired. Hiss was convicted of two counts of perjury, lost his appeal (to which he refers in this letter) by two votes, and served 3 ½ years in Lewisburg Federal Prison. Justice William O. Douglas later wrote that if the case had been reviewed, "…in my view no Court at any time could possibly have sustained the conviction."
Included are two letters by his wife, Priscilla, related to his appeal and sentence, a 1954 Christmas card in the hand of Priscilla, and a letter from his lawyer, Chester Lane, dated March 20, 1952, to Dr. Bennett thanking him for encouragement and stating, "In these days, fighting a case with the overtones and passion and prejudice of the Hiss case is a rather lonely and unpopular business…" There is also a 1955 TLS from Justice Douglas to Dr. Bennett, thanking him for comments on a speech Douglas had given. Estimated Value $1,500 - 2,000
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| Unsold |
Lot 83 |
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Root, Elihu and Frank B. Kellogg. Root (1835-1947) and Kellogg (1856-1937) were both U.S. Secretary of State and Nobel Peace Prize winners, Root in 1912 and Kellogg in 1929. Waist-lenth portrait of Root signed on the mount, 9¾ x 12¾ in.; photo by Geo. Prince, 1902. Photo of Kellogg by Vandyk, London, inscribed to Charles L Ruby and signed on the mount, 16½ x 11¾ in. With a 1932 typed letter signed to Ruby; two small newspaper clippings at bottom. Also, eight 4½ x 2¾ in. cards, inscribed either "Sincerely yours" or "With sincere regards," and signed. Estimated Value $200 - 250
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| Unsold |
Lot 84 |
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U.S. Grant's Vice Presidents: Schuyler Colfax and Henry Wilson. Schuyler Colfax (1823-1885) was Vice President during Ulysses S. Grant's first term (1869-1873) and Henry Wilson was Vice President under Grant from 1873-1875 but died in office on Nov. 22, 1875; Grant served from Nov. 22, 1875 to Mar. 4, 1877 without a Vice President. Autograph letter signed in full by Colfax, one page, 5 x 8, "On R[ail] R[oad], on a Lecture tour," Mar. 16, 1882. To S.S. Obregon in New York about obtaining an autograph of Mr. Borie (Grant's Sec. of the Navy) and suggesting that he contact "General Grant, who resides across the river from you in New Jersey…if you enlist the aid of any of the General's numerous friends in Brooklyn or in New York." With a free franked envelope ("H. Wilson") with a Union cachet; good signature, smeared cancellation and torn left edge. Estimated Value $250 - 350
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| Unsold |
Lot 85 |
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[VPs and Governors] Huey Long, John Garner, Alfred Smith, Adlai Stevenson, & Alben Barkley. Collection of eleven items: Huey Long (1893-1935), a 4½ x 2¾ in. card signed as U.S. senator; John N. Garner (1868-1967), a 12 x 17 in. rolled photo signed as Vice President (to FDR), inscribed to Charles L. Ruby and dated March 5, '40; also, six 4½ x 2¾ in. cards signed "Jno N Garner"; Alfred E. Smith (1873-1944), 8 x 10 in. photo signed by the four-time Governor of New York and 1928 Democratic presidential candidate; Adlai E. Stevenson (1900-1965), 8 x 10 in. photo signed by the Governor of Illinois and Democratic presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956; and Alben W. Barkley (1877-1956), a 5¼ x 3½ in. with a vintage engraving of The Capitol, signed by Harry Truman's Vice President. Estimated Value $400 - 500
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| Unsold |
Lot 86 |
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Webster, Daniel (1782-1852) Statesman, senator, and famous orator. Free frank ("Danl Webster") as U.S. Senator, on tan envelope addressed to John M. Harvey in Virginia, with a red circular cancellation from Boston, Mass., July 27, n.y. Red pencil hand cancellation slightly affects Webster's last name. With Buttré engraving. Estimated Value $100 - 150
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| Realized
$72 |
Lot 87 |
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[Supreme Court] Justices Brandeis, Cardozo, Butler, Roberts, McReynolds, & Van Devanter. Collection of 18 items signed by six Supreme Court justices, including one promotional pamphlet from Princeton University Press about a biography of Justice Brandeis, signed on the cover by Brandeis; top fold is split. The remaining 17 items are 4½ x 2¾ in. cards, signed by Louis D. Brandeis (3); Benjamin N. Cardozo (3); Owen J. Roberts (4); Pierce Butler (2, both dated April 2, 1935); Willis Van Devanter (1, dated April 15, 1935); and J.C. McReynolds (4, with Jusice U.S. Supreme Court, April 1935). Estimated Value $500 - 600
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| Realized
$690 |
Lot 88 |
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[Supreme Court] Justices Hughes, Brandeis, Cardozo, Butler, Roberts, McReynolds, & Van Devanter. Charles E. Hughes photo signed, 7½ x 11 in. A distinguished photo by Harris & Ewing, in original folder. With 4½ x 2¾ in. cards signed by Louis D. Brandeis (1856-1941), the first Jewish Supreme Court justice; Benjamin N. Cardozo (1870-1938); Owen J. Roberts (1875-1955); Pierce Butler (1866-1939), dated April 2, 1935; Willis Van Devanter (1859-1941), dated April 15, 1935; and J.C. McReynolds (1862-1942), with "Justice U.S. Supreme Court, April 1935." Estimated Value $250 - 350
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| Realized
$288 |
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