July 30, 1928 1. First I would execute a straight warranty deed and bill of sale covering the studio and contents to Great Falls for $1.00 and other good and valuable considerations. This conveyance is wholly made as a gift to the City of Great Falls in order to carry out the well known wish of my husband, the late Charles M. Russell that his studio and his collection of Indian and Cowboy curios and relics might become the property of the City where he lived so many years and might be maintained by the city as a part of the Charles M. Russell Memorial Park and the grantee, however, does accept said gift and agrees to maintain the same. The love of his old city and neighbors and his thousands of friends should compel them all to see to it that Charlie’s wish is carried out. It is a matter of sentiment alone that is prompting and carrying out the whole movement. That sen- timent and their love back of it for Charlie is the sole foundation of the Russell Memorial and I certainly ought to be permitted to have the records show that this is a gift and not a sale. All the city wants is the property and this conveyance should satisfy them and it should also please them because they know it is what Charlie wanted me to do and the way he wanted it done. 2. I will make and execute another straight warranty deed for $20,000. conveying the other three lots to the city for that sum, a plain sale. July 30, 1928 In the event that I cannot have Charlie’s wishes gratified I will submit and sign the deed and write a letter stating: (a) Charlie’s wishes. (b) My wish to carry out Charlie’s wishes. (c) My regret that I signed an agreement to sell what I wanted to give. (d) I am asking the city when accepting the deed which I am delivering in accordance with the terms of the written agreement I signed to please put it on their official minutes that on my part at least, even though the deed speaks otherwise, nevertheless in signing and deliver- ing it I will always consider the conveyance of the studio and its contents as a gift made in accordance with Charlie’s wishes. (e) I would like the city to please receive and file this letter in their vaults with the deed. July 30, 1928 The contract is signed, it is binding and en- forceable so its terms must be carried out as written unless by consent of the parties it may be modified. There is only one feature I desire changed in the written agreement and this is a matter of sentiment on my part and does not actually change in the smallest degree the end desired by all. I want Great Falls to have the prop- erty. I have agreed to sell it to them for $20,000. When I signed that agreement and donated one-fifth on my Fourth Avenue property I thought it would be re- corded as the gift Charlie wanted Great Falls to accept which is the studio and its contents. I want to make the gift and regret I signed an instrument to sell what I want to give. The other three lots are fairly worth $20,000. [Transcript by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2012-10-02]