July 4, 1835 by Michael Ceraolo

 July 4, 1835

An actor sat down in his room

at Brown's Hotel in Philadelphia

and penned a letter to the President:

"You damn'd old Scoundrel

if you don't sign the pardon

of . . .De Ruiz & De Soto

I will cut your throat whilst you are sleeping"

He went on a little more in the same vein

and ended with "Your Master" and his signature

Later, after he had sobered up

and/or come down from his mania

he wrote to his director apologizing

for missing this day's performance

and for having written this and other letters

Thirty years later the actor's youngest son,

without any threatening letters beforehand,

shot and killed a different president