FROMME LYNETTE: (1948- ) American Criminal, a member of the infamous Manson Family who was ...

FROMME LYNETTE: (1948- ) American Criminal, a member of the infamous Manson Family who was imprisoned for her attempted assassination of American President Gerald R. Ford in 1975. A.L.S., Red [being her name within the Manson Family], four pages, 4to, n.p. (Alderson, West Virginia), n.d. (‘Friday 1^st’ August 1980), to Nuel Melton Emmons. Fromme writes, in part, ‘You’re into portraying the people you write about as the people they are or however you think they are with whatever time you have to consider. I asked you to value our correspondence and treat it delicately, to take the time to go deeper and that you would have something worthwhile on your hands…..You show no trust in our judgement in what is good for ourselves….You’re in a hurry to get your pants down, get it over w/ & go on to something else. So go, man – I’m not going to hold you back…….I saw you, Mel, beyond the face, believe me – and you are, to me in some ways like a little boy so you won’t be winning me over to any ideas by calling me sweet names. I’m not mad Mel…..if I look depressed, it’s because a lot of people don’t treat themselves right and the warden has done me wrong. But I’m working it out……It’s crazy, Mel. If Blue (Sandra Good, a member of the Manson Family and close friend of Fromme) & C[harles] M[anson] want to do, they can. You read about Charlie back in 1969-70. I’m glad you will type that letter and make copies for us. Blue had asked me for a copy and I think CM would like one, as I would. I don’t expect those pictures to be good at all – I was not there but struggling w/ the warden & in the head of my officer who wanted to be sure you took only one……No, Mel, I don’t say “damn fool” to love. All my life I’ve seen people try to make or think foolish myself & others for loving and as I grew up, like everyone else growing up – I learned to hide love and think it silly until Charlie found me looking for him. Now, I just don’t use the word a lot. It’s easy to say……You mentioned $ and prestige in our visit not because you wanted no deceit but because we pulled it from you……Had we – (none of the three of us) – never mentioned it, you’d not be looking at it. That is one of the aspects (asset or liability depending upon where ones securities are banked) in being around us’. Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Fromme and signed by her with her initials (‘L.F.’) in the return address panel. VG

Nuel Melton Emmons (1927-2002) American photojournalist and biographer of Charles Manson.