June 23 Tuesday – In Port Elizabeth, S. Africa Sam wrote to his nephew, Samuel Moffett. He referred to a prior cable (not extant) by William Randolph Hearst, publisher of the San Francisco Examiner since 1887. Moffett was an editor on the paper, and no doubt Hearst wanted Sam to write about the political machinations in S. Africa concerning Jameson’s raid and the aftermath. Sam’s letter to his nephew is obviously a response to another letter not extant.

When Mr. Hearst’s first request reached me (for a cable-communication) the idea seemed good — was good, I am sure; but straightway came the second, changing it to a letter. That idea would have been good, too, if the situation had not been decaying so rapidly. It was plain to me that a letter would be too stale by the time it arrived; & I see now that I was right. Even in South Africa the incident is closed, the subject is dead today. Since I arrived in South Africa there has been no warrant for a letter — nothing but cablegrams could have had value.

Sam ended with a brief rundown of the family’s plans to sail for England in mid-July [MTP].

In the evening Sam gave his “At Home” (No. 2) performance to a full house at Town Hall. The talk was reviewed by the Port Elizabeth Telegraph on June 25 [Philippon 22].