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Otero Letter 1
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Otero Letter 2
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Discovered by Allen Barra
in 1998
and reproduced here with his permission.
Transciption provided by Mark Dworkin. |
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Discovered by Chuck Hornung
in 2001
and reproduced here with his permission.
Published in True West, Vol. 48, No. 8. |
Direct Primary League of
New Mexico
MIGUEL A. OTERO, Chairman
Santa Fe, New Mexico
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August 17th, 1940
OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN
Mr. Watson Reed,
1232 Holly Street
DENVER, Colorado
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| Dear Mr. Reed: |
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Dear Old Friend, |
| I have been sick for
several months and have not been out of the house for nearly six months,
much of the time confined to my bed and room. |
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It was good to hear from
you and learn all is well in Albuquerque. |
| Yes, I knew Wyatt Earp and
his brothers and Doc Holliday when they were all in Dodge City, Kansas,
but I never followed up his life when he went to Tombstone, Arizona.
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Yes, I knew Wyatt Earp. I
knew him to be a gentleman and he held a reputation of being an excellent
law officer. I knew the Earp brothers first in Kansas, but did not see
much of them after that time. My father knew them best. I knew Doc
Holliday at Las Vegas and told that adventure in My Life on the Frontier,
Vol. 1.
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I tried to help them in their quest to stay in New Mexico
following the Tombstone trouble. The Lake book you mentioned did not
relate the matter, Earp and Holliday and some others stayed in Albuquerque
a couple of weeks while Sheldon and the
powers of the Santa Fe and Wells Fargo tried to work out some
kind of arrangement.
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Earp stayed at Jaffa's home and the other boys were around town.
Jaffa gave Earp an overcoat from his store, Earp's had been ruined in a
fight with the Cow-boys. I remember that cold wind even today. I do not
remember that the boys had much money.
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Father sent me to see to the comfort of the Earp posse because
his railroad supported the boys. Earp had a long meeting with the
president of Wells Fargo, but I can not say about the direction of the
talk.
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One afternoon I drove Earp and Jaffa to the river to see them
building the new bridge. Earp remarked how it reminded him of the big
bridge in Wichita.
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Some days later Earp and Holliday had a falling out at
Fat Charlie's one night. They were eating when Holliday said something
about Earp being a Jew boy. Something like Wyatt are you becoming a damn
Jew boy? Earp became angry and left. Charlie said that Holliday knew that
he had said it wrong, he never saw them together again. Jaffa told me
later that Earp's woman was a Jewess. Earp did mu-[illegible] when entering his house.
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Wells Fargo arranged safety in Colorado and the road gave them
passage to Trinidad. I remember that Blonger and Armijo kept watch over
the boys. I was able later, when governor, to reward Armijo for that favor
to my father. That is all I know about the Earps. |
| Quite recently I read a
book written on the life of Wyatt Earp. I borrowed it from a friend of
mine and found I found it very interesting. I forgot who wrote it. |
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| I would not and could not
take the time to write any stories other than My Memoirs, for I am not
strong enough to undertake it. My illness has pulled me down, when I left
the Canal Zone I weighed from 187 to 184 year in year out, now I weigh
about 90 pounds and am 81 years old, or will be next October 17th. |
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My health is not good at
present. I spend much time confined to my bed. |
| Wyatt Earp was always known
as a gentleman and an excellent law officer. I just telephoned my friend
and he says the author's name is Stuart N. Lake. You may be able to get it
at the library, I enjoyed the book very much. |
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| My latest book, "My
Nine Years as governor of the territory of New Mexico" will be out on
August 14th and I am exploring a prospectus. |
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I am glad you found my new
book of interest. My best to the Mrs. and season's greetings to all. |
| Very sincerely yours,
Miguel A. Otero,
354 Palace Avenue,
Santa Fe, N. M. P.O. Box No. 346 |
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Yours sincerely yours, |
