Miriam Van Waters Papers. Male Prisoner Correspondence, 1927-1971. Correspondence: K, 1954-1971. A-71, folder 600. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

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July 30, 1965

Dearest friend Miriam:

Your very nice letter of the 19th arrived in good time and cheered me plenty.

Brother Francis was in to visit last Sat., and I expect to see him tomorrow, the # 31st., when I hope to hear that all went well Sunday at the Outing. I hope that wonderful person from No. Grafton was able to attend - Certainly she's had more than share of trouble, she is putting up the good fight. Its INSPIRING....

For me, Dear Friend, time flies - getting so that I practically have to apportion the day for reading, study, exercise, two hours of chess, and during the day, for news & sports, I must average about three to four hours watching TV, although we are allowed to watch our choice of programs on TV until well into the night I'm usually asleep by 10:30 - like a log until 7:00.

One thing I'm very lax about -- and there is no excuse -- is letter writing, I think its because I keep saying to myself - I'll put off writing until tomorrow as I may have some good news - .... Of course it will come, I'll wait.

my faith is stromg as ever and I'm not wasting the waiting.

Very Much Love Always John

KERRIGAN

August 10, 1965

Dearest Friend Miriam

Yours of July 31 arrived in good time and I loved it. I can never thank you enough for quoting Togare. Oh how beautifully succinct.

Francis REALLY enjoyed the outing and all that went with it, Mary was just great,he said and everything went so well that he and his family couldn't have a better day anywhere.

I hope that as you read this you are back from a restful and pleasant week in Vermont.

(in the 1930's when the CCC camps were started both Jim and I - though at different times - were stationed in Bellows Falls, so we have an idea just how beautiful Vermont is.)

I recieved a nice letter from Jim saying he was immensely pleased with my statement I am not wasting the waiting , he said it goes for him too and I'm sure it does -- as you know, the SDG movement demands a lot of effort -- he and the rest of us must and will keep in mind that

[right-hand side]

'nothing good comes easy' you've gotta work for it. The group is getting much fine support and its chances for success keep increasing.....

Michael Coggins is an old friend who remembers you and your visits to Charlestown so well and has written about you in 'the Mentor' in the past, he is the barber for this section and was pleased to hear we correspond regularly. He sends his very warmest.

I've marked the 20th of the month as the day you go to Sharon by the Sea -- may the weather be perfect and the program a complete success.

[left-hand margin] I saw a couple of bus loads of kids leaving for Sharon on TV news yesterday noon.

[right-hand side] I forgot to mention in my last letter that Bill O'Halloran [left margin edit: has already] started preparations for his presentation in the Federal Court and with that kind of effort I am sure he'll have a strong argument when the hearing begins on Sept. 8th.....

[right] Very Much Love Always - John

[left] Kerrigan

Monday eve. aug. 23, 1965

Dearest Friend Miriam:

Your very beautiful letter arrived this morning -

This is just a hasty note, i'll write you over the coming week-end -

I will pass along to Michael your regards and message, as i see him regularly.

during the war, 1943-44 i visited Red Bank - i was in the Merchant Marine and that was a place we used to go to for ship loads of ammunition -

as i recall, the train station was very close to