Mr. Myron Clark,
    Assistant Clerk,
    Reprisa, Calif.
   
    Dear Sir,
   

I want to thank you for the nice letter you sent me in answer to the
letter I forwarded Mr. C.S. Neumiller in regard to my husband Walter J.
Collins (#12824).
   
It pleases me to know that Mr. Collins’ conduct has been so good and
that it is to his credit. You know, Mr. Clark, my husband is not a
criminal but he just made a great big mistake due to financial worries
and the prolonged illness of his dear mother.

I really believe he lost his mind temporarily as our debts began to
gather and he committed an act he otherwise never even would have
thought of. He is a good man and was a very good provider and it
certainly was a terrible hardship for me to be compelled to earn a
livelihood for our son and myself.

I am not very strong and my work tires me to the greatest extent but I
must trudge on hoping upon hope that they will let Mr. Collins return
to us and take the wheel as it were.

Isn’t there any hope of him being released before next Dec.?

You know, the judge who tried and convicted him is dead and gone and I
dislike to say anything against him but I really do not think he was
very fair.

One would think poor Mr. Collins were a murderer at the sentence imposed upon him which to my idea was unreasonable.

You will find Mr. Collins as I have always judged him, a good man.

Thanking you again for your nice, encouraging letter, I am