Schlesinger Library

(2)

So I was waiting untill she arrived she said that NY State drop her charge & that she had sign paper for Mass to Bring her back. And that you would try to get Judge to give her probation for her running away - I hope you can do it or what every you came to help her. You see Miss Water I been knowing her for 7 1/2 yrs

[Letterheaded paper]The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Massachusetts Defenders Committee 8 Beacon Street. Boston 02108

WILLIAM P HOMANS JR..CHAIRMAN WILLIAM C. FLANNAGAN, SECRETARY LARUE BROWN JOHN H. BURKE JR. EDWARD J. DUGGAN HERBERT B. EHRMANN RAYNOR M. GARDINER FRANK L. KOZOL LAURENCE H. LOUGEE MOST REV. ERIC F. MACKENZIE FREDERICK H. NORTON JR.

September 21, 1966

Dr. Miriam Van Waters 14 Clark Street Framingham, Mass.

Dear Dr. Van Waters:

I received your letter of September 14. Seldom does anyone express interest in the Defendants represented by this office.

I can assure you that I will do everything in my power to convince the judge that Mr. Hayes deserves another chance in society. At present, I do not have too much hope for Mr Hayes since this present trouble stems from an incident only a month after Mr. Hayes' release from an institution.

Thank you again for your courteous letter and your interest in this matter.

Very truly yours,

Paul V. Buckley

PVB: jmm

what I just wrote, huh, me who has spent half of my adult years in jails, as one judge put it as bluntly Miriam, I had to laugh though when I heard it coming from him, he put it so morbidly. I really never thought of it that way. Although you didnt quite condon what I wrote (in that bitter letter) I was deeply moved by your very clear understanding of my feelings at the time that I wrote it, that was believe it or not, around the tenth one that I wrote that I didnt tear up but the previous ones all wound up the same way, so I said to myself that if Im going to get a letter off to you, I might as well let this go through, this and this only is why you failed to hear from me prior to this. Ridiculous isnt it. I will be expecting you the last week of this month but if you cant make it, I will fully understand but in any event I really dont want you to put yourself out of your way, there are more things Im sure that are more important that command your attention than coming up here just to see me. It must be quite a feeling when your day is through Miriam. Knowing that you did your very best to help others as Christ did. You refuse to rest on any laurels. Its good getting the feel of writing to you every week and I feel so guilty when I couldnt get myself together and get a letter off to you as I should have done but believe me, I was so confused. God Bless you Miriam Your Friend always with Love Water E. Hayes

2.

went to court, I was informed that I had other charges placed against me. The charges were, contributing to the deliquence of a minor, & an unnatural act. I wasn't sure just what was what but I was told that if I saved the state the time & money that I would receive a five year sentence. If I tried to fight it I was informed that I would get the maximum of ten years for stealing the car. I knew that they could do this so I did indeed plead guilty. After pleading guilty with the promise of receiving no more than five years, the judge announced in the court - "Have you been promised anything by anyone at all here in this court room"? Naturally I had to say no. Then when I ever heard him read out the sentences to be served on & after one another & the amount of time I was getting. I was completely unable to believe my ears. The sentences handed down were 3 1/2 - 5 years for unnatural act to start after the 6-8 I was serving & 5-8 for using a car without

progress he has made.

Somebody had told me that at one time you were a Judge & although I did not know what type of Judge or at what city, I had guessed that it was a Californian City.

Most people who have worked with the courts of this Western State are far more interested in people, & life itself than most people of our home state of Mass. I dont undersand why this seems to be so but it is.

Are you a native of California? I remember you saying that you have lived in Framingham for a number of years.

I have enjoyed very much, the copy of Mass.and above Newsweek & so has a friend & inmate here at Walpole. I am enclosing it here in, so that you may allow somebody else to enjoy it as we have.