[1] Lewistown, Montana, November 10, 1928. Mrs. Charles M. Russell, 725 Michigan ^B^oulevard, Pasadena, California. My Dear Mrs. Russell: I have no reasonable excuse for my delay in answering your letter of several months ago. I am very much ashamed that I have neglected you and the courtesies you have ex- tended. I have thought so many times that I would write you and then have failed to do so. I know it is not right and I am not trying to justify myself in any way only to admit that I have neglected a duty. In the mean time I have scoured this country for letters written by Charlie and, aside from the one I have, have been able to find just one other illustrated letter written by him. This was one written to Bart Noble and I have it in my poss- ession now. The one he wrote to me is pasted on cardboard and framed and I do not know if it could be used. However, at this late day if you can use them I will forward them to you. For a long time I have been thinking of a service I would like to render to Charlie which I think would establish him in his rightful position among the notable outstanding westerners. You know each state has a right to have a statue of two of its notable citizens places in Statuary Hall in the rotunda of our national capitol in Washington. Montana has chosen as yet but one of these, Colonel Wilber F. Sanders. The other I believe should be Charles M. Russell. My information is that a selection of these men so honored is mad by the State Legislature. Our next biennial legislative assembly meets in January and it might be poss- ible to have this Legislature name Charlie as its second candidate in the Hall of Fame at Washington. Through my efforts the Montana Rotarians endorsed the proposition and I am more that sure thousands of others who have lived here more than a few years would be delighted to see a statue of Charlie grace the group already placed in Statuary Hall. All the other characters in Statuary Hall are either soldiers or lawyers with the possible exception of Stephen Austin of Texas who was a notable frontiersman of the Lone Star State. It is of no use for me to go into long records of reasons why I believe Charlie would be a most fit person as Montana’s other representative. You know what is in my heart and these same reasons dwell in the hearts of thousands of others who knew him. 2. So if you are willing that I should proceed with this matter I will try to get it going by the time that the Legislature meets and during its session I will get the bill introduced and will use my most earnest effort to secure its enactment. I think it would be one of the greatest things that our state has done toward engraving the records and work of one of its citizens upon the minds of the whole world, for people from all over the world are in the rotunda of the Capitol at Washington. May I have a line from you regarding this matter so that if you approve it I may proceed with its furtherance. Again I beg your indulgence for my neglect and if you wish it will forward the two letters at once. Yours very truly, [signed] John B. Ritch [Transcribed by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2012-05-07]