Pasadena, California. April 25, 1931. Mr. John B. Ritch, Lewistown, M o n t a n a. Dear Mr. Rich: The enclosed editorial will be of special interest to you because it was your love for Charlie that prompted you to start the bill which passed the legislature choosing Charlie to fill one of the two niches for Montana and you are one of the committee who is real- ly vitally interested in the success of the model chosen. I heard you had written an article for the Lewistown paper but I did not see it. I do not take any Montana papers so it is just clippings that friends send me that keep me posted and I may miss a great many arti- cles but I did receive two cuts of the chosen statue. They are so far removed from the Charlie Russell that you and I knew and want to remember that it is beyond my understanding how a committee that knew Charlie so well could have chosen the wizened, dwarfed, unfinished figure that the photograph shows. Until the last three years of his life, he was robust and strong, thick in chest and broad shouldered as you know. It would be a crime to have him placed for all time in the shrunken body he would have so hated. No one likes to be remem- bered in their crumbling days, especially a spirit like his. I am enclosing a copy of a letter which is really unjust. There has never been in my mind one moment, the thought of dictating who should make that model. My one and only thought has been that the model should be a fine piece of art and a likeness of Charlie. I did loan Mr. Lion photographs, Charlie’s hat and boots and I really feel I have a right to be interested in the model of Charlie without doing harm to any human. If another artist comes up and wants any of the material I have, I feel I am free to give him or her assistance as there is no one in the world who knows Charlie better than I. Mr. John B. Rich -2- It is a shame you were not well enough to have been in Great Falls at the time of choosing the statue. I feel your knowledge of art is much greater than some of the others as your life has led you to many places in the world. You most likely would have suggested that they delay the decision until a model from a master’s hand could have been chosen. As I understand from the papers, not one of the models there did justice to its subject which is proved by the choice. I didn’t know positively the day the selection was to be made until a few days before the time set and then there was no word from any one in authority which would indicate they thought I had the least right or interest in what was going on concerning Charlie. This letter is written with the hope that you are feeling well enough to give this matter some of your time and help in straightening it out so that it will be a credit to Montana and to Charlie. Sincerely, Encl. [Transcribed by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2012-12-06]