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County of Los Angeles Marshal of Municipal Courts JOE BOOKMAN MARSHAL LESLIE R. KEAYS ASSISTANT MARSHAL LAWRENCE M. PRICE CHIEF DEPUTY INSPECTOR 919 First St., San Fernando, Calif. Dear Mr. Carlen: I have received your letter and was very glad to hear from you, but sorry I have been ill. Your last sentence interested me, when you asked whether I was interested in buying painting or simply selling. I am definitely not interested in selling and I wasn't interested in [[strikethrough]] buying on [[/strikethrough]] buying until I got your letter and now I am curious as to what a good Thomas Moran, George Inness or a Winslow Homer would cost. If you have one would you let me know? I wrote to you and sent the picture to you this last time just to see if you tho't Hart actually painted it. I have read about him in the library here but I got this painting from the same source as the Pippin and since I have come to the conclusion that the Pippin is a forgery I am also skeptical of the Hart, and I wondered if you had ever seen a Hart and if this resembled his work. No, I am not a dealer, I am a Clerk in the Marshal's office and from time to time when I can afford it, and sometimes oftener, something comes over me and I have a desire to purchase a painting. Sincerely yours, M. Hickok M.Hickok.