March 26 Tuesday – Sam’s notebook: “10.30, Joan of Arc (Jules E[ckert] Goodman)” [NB 44 TS 7].

At 1410 W. 10th in N.Y.C., Sam wrote to Laura Fitch McQuiston (1863- 1935) in Fort Hancock, N.J. Sam extended his “deepest sympathy,” but he had “never had an experience which moved me to believe the living can communicate with the dead,” though he and Livy had and would continue to “experiment in the matter when the opportunity offered.”

I enclose a letter [not extant] which came this morning—the second from the same source. Mrs. Koller is a Missourian; & lately she discovered, by accident, that she was a remarkable hypnotiser. Her best subject is a Missouri girl, Miss White, who is to come here soon & sustain strictly scientific tests before professors at Columbia University. Mrs. Clemens & I intend to be present. And we shall ask the pair to come to our house do whatever things they can do. Meantime, if you think well of it, you might write her & arrange a meeting, telling her how it is by my suggestion & that I gave you her address. I like the note of honesty that is in her letter.

Sam related he’d been told within the past six months that Mrs. Piper was discredited—he thought it was Frederick Meyers, president of the London Psychical Research Society; the day before Sam had learned of Meyers’ death. Sam described Meyers as a “spiritualist…a very easily-convinced man.” He related visiting two mediums recommended by Meyers and Andrew Lang, “but they were quite transparent frauds.” After his signature Sam stood corrected on his last statement:

“Mrs. Clemens corrects me: One of those women was a fraud; the other not a fraud but only an innocent, well-meaning, driveling vacancy” [MTP].

Note: Charles M. McQuiston (1858-1900), West Point graduate was shot and killed at Bancoup, Philippines Sept. 15, 1900 after going insane and attacking his own troops. He was buried at Arlington and his headstone, along with Sam’s letter may be seen on the Arlington Cemetery website. It’s likely the strange circumstances surrounding McQuiston’s death led his wife to inquire to spiritualists. In his Mar. 28 followup letter to Laura, he gave Mrs. Koller’s name as Mrs. E.B. Koller.

Sam also wrote to nephew Samuel E. Moffett, passing along Dr. George Helmer’s idea that “a good word for Osteopathy” be said in the NY Journal “now and then, and sort of keep the matter stirring” [MTP]. Note: Sam had been involved in the passage of a bill to license Osteopathy.

A.S. Buchanan of Darlington, Ind. criticizing his article “Sitting in Darkness.” “Truly I had always thought you to be a Christian!…Were you ever judged insane? Be honest, truly how much money does the Devil give you for arraigning Christianity and missionary causes?” [MTP].