AP: First-edition 'In Cold Blood' donated to WU

10/2/2012

TOPEKA (AP) — An autographed first-edition copy of "In Cold Blood"

that was given to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation employee by author

Truman Capote has been donated to Washburn University after it was found

at an estate sale.

Tom Averill, an English professor and writer in residence at

Washburn, donated the book to the university's Thomas Fox Averill Kansas

Studies Collection. It contains an inscription from Capote, who wrote

the book about the infamous 1959 killings of the Clutter family in

Holcomb, and is also signed by six Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents

and administrators who helped catch killers Richard Hickock and Perry

Smith.

The value of the book hasn't been determined, The Topeka Capital-Journal reported Sunday.

Averill said the Capote signature hasn't been authenticated by a

handwriting expert but "it matches really well" with a Capote signature

he has seen.

The book's inscription reads "For Maxine Manchester with best wishes, Truman Capote."

Manchester worked at the KBI from 1959 to 1967, but it is unclear if

she played any role in the Clutter investigation, the Capital-Journal

reported. A city directory from 1966 lists her as a stenographer at the

KBI.

At some point, the book belonged to Zula Bennington Green, who wrote columns for the newspaper for 55 years.