The Clarence Darrow Letters

Clarence Darrow to Ruby Darrow, January 28, 1903

Darrow represented the United Mine Workers in the arbitration of the anthracite strike in Pennsylvania, 1902-1903. In 1903 he declined to run for mayor of Chicago. Year from postmark on envelope. Before she married Clarence Darrow, Ruby Hamerstrom was an aspiring journalist who wrote using the pseudonym Ruby Stanleigh.

Click on the image to download as a PDF. A transcription of the letter is on the right.

In Court Room
Philadelphia

Jan 28th

Dearest Ruben

I am writing you a line in the court room surrounded by lawyers & miners & xx maggots of all sorts. I have been cross-questioning witnesses all day & am tired & I wish you were here & I could crawl into your arms & rest & sleep & feel better in the

morning. I am sure two weeks more will finish this & then I am going to try & see — Every day I get some telegram about running for mayor & I am driven distracted by the bother. I think within a few days I will tell them that I will not — for all the time there comes before me a vision of six months at some quiet lake in the north of England or in

Italy & with only you — & with it a chance to write a story — a long story — about you & Me & every body.

Well dearest I still love you — still love you — why don't you write — you always have time—

Your old woozy lover

Visual Description: Envelope, with Jan 29, 1903 Philadelphia postmark.

John Mitchell
Room 1106 Stevenson Building,
Indianapolis, Indiana

Miss Ruby Stanley
~~3749 Washington~~
3949 Washington
St Louis MO