July 1 Monday – In Elmira Sam wrote to his brother Orion Clemens and sent him complaints about Charles Webster, whom he had no more use for:

Read it & forward to Pamela. If she answers, I would rather she should do it under cover to you. I have never hated any creature with a hundred thousandth fraction of the hatred which I bear that human louse, Webster.

Sam also confided that Theodore Crane had been “very close to death three times since we arrived” [MTP]. Note. Crane died two days later.

Sam also wrote to his sister Pamela Moffett explaining that he loved her daughter Annie Webster dearly but called Charles Webster “not a man, but a hog.” Then he wished to drop that subject.

We want you to make a visit when we get back to Hartford; & we should have asked you to come with Sam & Mary, but it could not be…. For we are all growing old, we live wide apart, & we may never have a chance to meet again.

We arrived here at the farm 18 days ago [June 13], & since then have been absorbed & unconscious of the outside world; for death is on the threshold, & many times (this morning, for one) we thought he had entered. Mr. Crane can hardly last many days; he is very weak, & begs pitifully for release. Lovingly Your brother / Sam [MTP].

H.L. Bunce for U.S. Bank wrote to Sam advising him they’d received from J. Langdon & Co., Elmira, a check for $3,000 placed to Sam’s credit [MTP].

July 1-10 Wednesday – In Elmira sometime during this period, Sam wrote a long letter to an unidentified person explaining aspects of the Paige typesetter, and deferred to a demonstration to take place on July 15 [MTP].