October 30 Wednesday – Sam’s notebook records a to-do list, some items crossed off as if completed:
3 seats orchestra, not further back than 6th row or 1st or second row of balcony to-morrow night
money.
Shaving soap.
Spectacles to Gildre
Miss Marborough
Bram Stoker 783 Mad. Av.
Mrs. Rogers
Post cards & envelopes.
Write Am. Exp. Portrait.
Harpers.
Sat matinee 4 (as above). (balcony preferable.) Also, that matinee; 2 seats for servants in balcony—separate. Pay all bills.
Bram come to lunch next Sunday. 4 in evening for Sans Gene next week—located as above [NB 44 TS 16]. Note: see insert ad for Madame Sans Gene. N.Y. Times, Oct. 30.
Sam made some political visitations; the New York Times, Oct. 31, p.2 reported on his movements and quoted him:
MARK TWAIN A BILLPOSTER.
———
With Justice Jerome He Says They Could “Paste Tammany.”
Mark Twain made a tour yesterday [Oct. 30] of the various anti-Tammany headquarters in the vicinity of Madison and Union Squares. He said he was seeking “light” and campaign literature. At the Citizens’ Union headquarters he said:
“Please give me anything you have ‘touchin’ on and appertainin’ to’ the antics of Tammany and the police regarding the billboards along Fourth Avenue.
“Give me a pail of paste, a pair of scissors—no, I mean a brush and a bundle of Low lithographs and I’ll cover every bit of Tammany paper along the tunnel,” said Mr. Clemens.
“Jerome would be the best assistant you could give me,” he continued. “He is an artist at pasting Tammany.”
The venerable humorist was evidently in earnest in his offer to take part in the billposters’ war with Tammany. He was informed, however, that President R. Fulton Cutting received yesterday a letter from Police Commissioner Murphy denying that any order has been sent out by the department directing the police to protect Tammany bill boards.
Note: a follow up article by the Times, Nov. 1, p.3 “Bill Posters’ War Ends,” disclosed Mark Twain’s offer to help paste over Tammany lithographs in the 4th Ave. subway would not be needed as the owner of the subway fence took them down over night and Sam did not show. William Travers Jerome was running for District Attorney; see Nov. 5 for election results.