Description:

Winston Churchill
London, England, January 21, 1920
Winston Churchill TLS on the Killing of a British Officer: "…it seems… difficult to conceive any motive… even on the assumption… that she was a German of Bolshevik spy…"
TLS
Fascinating Winston Churchill typewritten letter signed as Secretary of State for War and Air, London, England, January 21, 1920, addressed to Alfred Harmsworth, Lord Northcliffe. Signed "Winston S. Churchill" at conclusion with additional areas of corrections in his hand throughout, written in blue ink. Together with two carbon copies of letters to and from Lady Somerleyton, pertaining to the prevention of a decoration being given to Miss Wagner, who murdered a British officer. 2pp of a bifolium, 8" x 10",housed within a navy cloth presentation case, measuring 10" x 12.5" x 1.75" overall. Letter exhibits isolated staining at upper left corner, with small area of paper loss near the same; expected handling marks and letter folds present throughout. Otherwise, very good.

In full:

"I have had the case of Miss Wagner's decoration, to which you drew my attention in your letter of the 29th ultimo, closely investigated and I am satisfied that there is no scandal involved.

I understand that at the time of the murder of Captain Cromie, R. N., our Naval Attache at Petrograd, and the subsequent arrest of the personnel of the British Embassy, she was indefatigable in assisting to procure food for the Chaplain and other prisoners in the Peter and Paul fortress, frequently running great risks in so doing. Moreover, she greatly assisted in getting Captain Cromie's body to the British Church, which she herself prepared for burial.

With regard to the tragic death of Major Fawcett, my information is:-

1. That the Court had before it the evidence of two or three officers who were present in the saloon when the shooting took place.

2. That the evidence of Major Fawcett's servant was taken at the trial and that your correspondent was misinformed on that point.

3. That all the evidence was clear and consistent and conclusively proved that the shooting was accidental, and that the Court was unanimous in its finding.

Your correspondent's suggestion that the verdict of the Court was influenced by the alleged personal dislike of the President for the deceased hardly appears worth denial, but as a matter of fact I am informed that it is untrue that the President of the court 'very much disliked Major Fawcett'.

In conclusion I must say that it seems to me difficult to conceive any motive which could have actuated Miss Wagner, even on the assumption, which my information shows to be false, that she was a German or a Bolshevik spy, in killing a comparatively junior British officer in the presence of a number of witnesses."

Acting Captain Francis Newton Allen Crombie (1882-1918) was a distinguished British Royal Navy officer, military diplomat, and the de facto chief of British Intelligence operations in northern Russia for the British Naval Intelligence Division. In October of 1917 he became a naval attaché to the diplomatic staff of the British Embassy in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg), Russia, where he met his death while defending the British embassy premises. The attack on the embassy and Crombie's subsequent death was reported with intense indignation by the British news media, channeling outrage at the Bolsheviks "lawlessness".

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 10" x 12.5" x 1.75"
  • Medium: TLS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000