May 9, 1909 Sunday

May 9 Sunday — Sam recorded learning on May 9 or 10 of Lyon’s use of his funds to renovate her house, before his $1,500 loan:

About the 9th or 10th Paine & I started to New York on business, & Lounsbury drove us to the railway station. On the way, reference was made to the cost of the rehabilitation of Miss Lyon’s house—$1500, Lounsbury said—

“Fifteen hundred? Why, it cost thirty-five hundred!”

I said no, it couldn’t be so, because Miss Lyon had given me the exact figures a day or two before Christmas— a shade less than $1500—& had told me that the work was all finished & that that was the sum spent upon it.

But Lounsbury held his ground. He got out his deadly memorandum book, in which he sets down everything, & from it he furnished the figures, the names, & the dates, The dates showed that Miss Lyon had spent about $2,000 of my money on her house before I had offered to assist her with a loan. This was plain, simple, stark-naked theft.

I did not find Mr. Rogers at the Standard Oil, but I gave the figures to Miss Harrison, Mr. Rogers’s first secretary, & said I should intrude only this once upon the Investigation, but I would like to have these figures placed before Miss Watson. They probably made Miss Watson pretty sick—later it had that look. And they probably made Miss Lyon detest me—with a little Ashcroftian help in that direction; later it had that look. They gave the Ascrofts a most difficult nut to crack. We now have the evidence of Ashcroft’s attempts to crack it—attempts which sorrowfully failed. By & by I will exhibit those attempts, for they are interesting, So also is the letter to Mr. Rogers which accompanies them. If he saw the letter & Mr. Ashcroft’s abortive figures, he passed from this life knowing Miss Lyon for what she was—a pretty hardy & very deliberate thief.

If Mr. Rogers had lived he would have settled the case privately. It could still—even then—be settled privately if wisely handled, I put it into the hands of John B, Stanchfield.

I speak of it as a “case.” It was become that, by this time. Originally, it wasn’t a “case,” it was an inquiry; and inquiry instituted to satisfy Clara; an inquiry from which the Ashcrofts would emerge with characters pure and clean, white as snow, as I believed & proclaimed; an inquiry which would cover Clara with confusion & the Ashcrofts with glory.

But that stage had had its day, & was gone by. Things had happened—things like the Norfolk episode, which revealed Ashcroft as a very very small liar, sneak & swindler, & made me desire to get rid of him; also to get rid of the Ashcroft neighborship. So I had a “case.” Mr. Ashcroft must be invited to cancel the Mark Twain Company contract of March 13, & his wife must be invited to deed her house & ground back to me [MTP: L-A MS XVI].

In Redding, Conn. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Dear Mr. Rogers:

Lounsbury says the Ashcrofts have borrowed $1500 on the house & land I gave to Miss Lyon—this $1500 to be used in “squaring up with Mr. Clemens” & leaving them “free of indebtedness to him.”

It will hardly “square,” for the rehabilitations cost Miss Lyon more than $3,100.

If Ashcroft brings me the money he will probably want a receipt “in full of all claims” to date. In that case I will tell him to go & ask you for it, (and get it if he can), since this matter is in your hands, with full authority to act for me.

I’m coming down Tuesday to stay over night. If your tavern is closed I'll break in somewhere else. Wednesday I go to Deal Beach to discuss with the Colonel the proposition to let Collier have a cheap edition ($19) for 5 years, Collier to guarantee to sell so-many sets in that time. We began the discussion last Thursday. Collier exhibited telegrams (on a 5-year estimate) from all his general agents but ten, & the Colonel was visibly impressed. I am offering the Harpers half of the swag, but I want them to restore my guaranty of $25,000-per-annum for another 5 years. If we make the Collier-trade they can’t decline, I think.

I left four dollars laying around. Will Mrs. Rogers send part of it to me now & the rest when I come? / Ys ever / .... [MTHHR 663).

Sam also wrote a note to an unidentified person, thanking for a letter; text not available [MTP: Parke-Bernet catalog, 19 Feb. 1963, No. 2168 Item 47].

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