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Lot # 1055: "Catcher in the Rye" Letters from Mark Chapman to his Arresting Officer (4)

Starting Bid: $100.00

Bids: 2 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "2019 Winter Classic",
which ran from 1/4/2019 9:00 AM to
2/1/2019 10:00 PM



Incredible collection of (4) typed letters from Mark David Chapman to his arresting officer Steve Spiro. Each letter is typed and hand signed "Mark". Letters are complete and each are accompanied by their mailing envelopes with the Attica, NY return address. On 1/15/83 Mark Chapman interestingly wrote his arresting officer, Steve Spiro. In this short note, Chapman starts by thanking Spiro for "returning the form" and that "I'll not forget the first time we met..." He goes on to tell Spiro that he'd like to be his friend and was hoping that perhaps he could help him locate his copy of The Catcher In The Rye, that was taken from him on the night of his arrest. In the letter dated 1/28/83 Chapman thanks Spiro for writing him in prison and mentions that he saw an article in the newspaper that mentioned him and his station house. Chapman goes on to ask Spiro to re-read The Catcher In The Rye because "it will explain alot of what happened on the night of December 8." The third letter dated 3/10/83 Chapman asks Spiro about his family, children and even writes "How about a photo?" The letter once again drifts into The Catcher In The Rye and questions if he had read it yet. "I know this will help you further understand." Most interestingly, Chapman asks Spiro if he saw what he sent the New York Times in Feb. of 1981. "This further explains what happened on the night of Dec 8, 1980. I will let you decide whether Mr. Lennon was a phony or not." The fourth and final letter in this collection is dated May 31, 1983 and gets right to the point. All it says is "Read The Catcher in the Rye."

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