Scarce ALS in pencil in Spanish, signed “Francisco Villa,” one page, 8.5 x 11, personal letterhead, November 20, 1919. A quietly threatening letter to “Sr. Gerente," manager of the Alvarado Mining and Milling Company, reminding him of protection money due, in part (translated): “You will remember that working under the best possible faith I told Mr. McQuatters the sum of $ 20,000.00 (twenty-thousand dollars). Last month I sent him a letter in El Paso charging him that and he hasn't paid. You Sir have the influence to see to it that this money is put into the hands of Mr. Federico Jaccobby sometime during this month or otherwise our agreement is broken, proving to Mr. McQuatters that the functioning of his mines depends upon the protection I have given him.” Intersecting folds (one vertical fold passing through a single letter of the signature), scattered creases, and a few edge chips, otherwise fine condition.
Following his unsuccessful military campaign at Celaya and the American incursion, Villa's influence began to wane, and by the end of 1915, he had returned to his life as a guerilla leader in the mountains of Chihuahua. In 1918, he was hired as security for A.J. McQuatters, mining magnate and president of the Alvarado Mining and Milling Company in Parral, Chihuahua, who had recently bought nearly seven million acres of land from the Mexican Government from which to mine gold, silver, copper, and lead. Still highly respected and powerful in Chihuahua, Villa gently flexes his muscle in this letter to McQuatters’s manager, reminding him of the money owed for keeping his mines secure. Boasting a large, bold signature, this is an extraordinary letter from the revered Mexican revolutionary. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$75.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
We use cookies on this site to improve your experience. By using this site, you accept our use of cookies. To learn more, please see our Privacy Policy.
