Autograph Letter Signed

Prominent Chicago business figure and insurance executive, son of the Commonwealth Edison and People's Gas utilities president whose spectacular downfall during the Depression resulted in well-publicized trials for mail fraud and bankruptcy law violations from which both Insulls were acquitted. ALS, 2pp (single leaf), 7¼" X 10½", Geneva, IL, 31 August 1970. Addressed to William J. Crowley. Very good. Two original folds; light paper clip stain at upper left. Writing on his personal letterhead to an executive of Northern Illinois Gas Company -- which Insull senior's Commonwealth Edison created in 1954 to handle its gas interests -- Insull notes: "In one sense I won on the first play -- see first item on Side One. Otherwise, I note some doubt on my historical information. The late General Charles Gates Dawes was my authority. Please keep this as a souvenir of our very pleasant visit of a few weeks ago." Penned in Insull's large script in blue ballpoint and signed in full. However cryptic and intriguing the content, two items from that visit are present: Photocopies of two photographs of Insull with Crowley, both captioned in ink by Crowley, who dates them 29 July 1970. Also present is Insull's transmittal envelope. Lastly, also included is an 11½" X 7½" ornate stock certificate for the ill-fated Insull Utility Investments, Inc. firm -- one share of common stock issued to William J. Crowley and his wife on 29 January 1932. Very good. Original folds; inoffensive mounting trace on verso. William J. Crowley (1905-2003) served as Executive Vice President of Finance for Northern Illinois Gas Company.…