MESRINE Jacques (1936-1979) nicknamed public enemy number on - Lot 77

MESRINE Jacques (1936-1979) nicknamed public enemy number one. 8 L.A.S. to Jeanne Schneider, Fleury-Merogis prison, December 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19. 18 pp. folio, one letter illustrated with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. On December 10, he jokes about Jeanne's jealousy, but warns her: "I never completely belong to anyone []"; he comments on her book, which Laffont finds very good, and gives her the trifecta; on December 2, he advises her: "If you have another meeting with this judge, I would advise you to take a witness or make a recording of your conversation (sic), because this judge is a nasty woman []". He goes on to talk about a prisoner's hunger strike, giving his opinion: "It's real madness [] the guy is isolated and it's to protest, you bet the administration doesn't give a damn, especially at Fresnes []; on December 13, Mesrine, who is ill, writes about his plans to dismiss his lawyer Smadja etc. []. December 14, Mesrine is furious, the prison administration has spoiled his visiting room, he threatens "you're going to tell Boucher from Le Monde and Gilles from Libération that I'm going to write them an article on solitary confinement and its consequences []; on Wednesday December 15, this letter is illustrated with a nice drawing. He writes on a number of subjects, including recording techniques, adding: "On this subject, I'm a specialist, the Canadians know something about it []"; on December 16, he tells her that he has had some clarification on the visiting rooms and announces his good resolutions, such as reading, learning English, etc. Boredom is very present and "By dint of dreaming of destroying others, I risk destroying myself []"; on December 17, out of his mind after a provocation from the administration (his parcel containing a lobster had been removed), Mesrine wrote "I directly exposed my thoughts about Monteuil, I also wrote him a letter [] Now it's over, the war for war's sake. It's just 3 p.m. It's quite possible that I'll be sent to solitary for insults, because the word "en_ _ _ _" I signed. [] this time there will be a fight I won't go without a fight. []" he continues his letter, threatening and imagining all possible reprisals. After a pause, he resumes his letter to give instructions to Jeanne; on the 19th, he recounts the "abuses" he and his family have suffered, writing "I know this to be totally illegal, as a supervisor has no authority to ask such a thing of a free citizen []" and threatening "the first person to annoy me will get a spoon handle in the guts, the game is over []".