Transcribed from the Original by JMU (John M. Ulmer)
United States Veterans Bureau
New Orleans, LA
1403 Cochran Building
Meridian, Mississippi
March 13, 1925
Office of District Manager
District # 6
Hibernia Bank Building
Mr. O. J. Foxworth
Columbia, Mississippi,
Sir:
I have just been informed that Jim Robbins, lately of Goss, Mississippi, decided to "GO WEST” about 5:45 p.m. on the afternoon of March 5, 1925. His sudden demise and departure had not been wholly unexpected in some quarters, and since a great many people in and around Goss thought that I would be the agent whom he would purchase his "TICKET TO THE HAPPY HUNTING GROUND", I will, with your permission, do a little explaining.
For public information, I will say that I left Goss on the morning of March 5th en route for Hattiesburg, Mississippi, arrived in Lumberton, Mississippi at 11:00 A.M., got in an automobile with Walter R. Ladner, and went directly to the Bass Pecan Farm. Here I purchased six pecan trees from old man Bass in person giving him a check for same. I boarded a North bound Southern train at 11:29 A. M. and arrived in Hattiesburg at 12:15 P.M. and ate my dinner at Michell’s restaurant, and, after spending a few minutes about town, I took a streetcar for the Mississippi Normal College. I interviewed 40 U.S. Veterans’ Bureau trainees, wrote up their records and returned to Hattiesburg about 5:30 P.M. At 8:10 P.M. I again boarded a North bound Southern train and arrived in Meridian, Mississippi at 11:25 P.M.
Trusting that you will, in an official capacity, thoroughly investigate my itinerary on March 5th, 1923, as given above, verifying each and every detail in so far as it is possible for you to do so. If you will not do this officially, then I will ask you to make the investigation as a friend or this will be great campaign "DOPE" if allowed to remain as it stands.
Someone is sure to say: "Hol Ellzey killed Jim Robbins.” To be perfectly frank with you, Hol Ellzey fully intended to kill him, but some "SON OF A GUN" beat him to it. However, I am sure you realize that if I had sent this person rejoicing on his way, everybody would have known who had been so kind to him.
Let it be said to the everlasting praise of the man who did it that he pulled a wicked, vicious trigger.