October 20 Tuesday – In London Sam wrote to Chatto & Windus about material (unspecified) he’d sent, asking them to “look it over & see if it will do.” After his signature, some clue as to what he’d sent:

This Diary is full of underscorings (for use on the platform) PAY NO ATTENTION TO THEM [MTP].

Sam also wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Yours of Oct. 8 [not extant] arrived last night. By George I am glad your patience is holding out. I should have been buried before this if I had had to conduct the negotiations with the Harpers. You tell me not to give up. All right, I won’t; at least I won’t until you think the time has come for it. You’ll be in a position to know.

      Also I’ll try not to worry over the Webster matters, though I perceive that there is formidable load of debt on me. It is bigger than I thought. When I left America I thought $40,000 would set me clear of debt; and it was my purpose to put in 200 nights on the platform in America and pay it off. But my trip has taught me that I am too old a wreck for such a job. I should break down almost at the start.

      I find, now, — or seem to find, per the statement sent me by Miss Harrison — that my debt was nearer $70,000 than $40,000. In which case, I need not dream of paying it. I never could manage it.

Sam had thought the assets from Webster & Co. would have retired half of the $80-90,000 debt [actually $79,704.80] but it only paid some 35% of it [actually 27.7%]. He also discussed Mrs. Custer’s claim and noted she’d been paid $547 of $1,800 owed. He also thought that Bainbridge Colby had allowed the Grants to enlarge their claim beyond the $700 he recalled owing. He also expressed relief that the Mt. Morris Bank and George Barrow had both declined to accept 50%, because he expected to be dead before he could ever pay them. As to the amount he felt Daniel Frohman owed him:

Colby will never collect the money that is owing to me by that Lyceum Theatre Jew. It has been lying in the Court’s hands for years. Just as soon as we are through with Colby, I would like Wilder to go for that money. Hubbell is that Jew’s lawyer. The two will make a fine fight. If Colby’s senior, Russell, were dead, Colby would be the head idiot of this century; and I wish Russell would die and give him a chance.

Looking forward to the US election on Nov. 5, Sam wrote if they elected William Jennings Bryan and his program of free silver, that he might wait and settle some of his debts on a more “economical basis.” Evidently Rogers had expressed support for the Republican candidate who never left his home in Canton, Ohio from the nominating convention to the election, William McKinley — for Sam asked,

Are you wanting this political fight to go against me?

Sam included a note to Katharine Harrison thanking her for the statement sent (probably enclosed in Rogers’ Oct. 8, and asked for verification that Mrs. Custer’s claim was $1,800. Did the Webster assets pay 35% of the debt? Also, he was very sorry he missed seeing her when she was in London. [MTHHR 241-2].

DeWitt Miller wrote to Sam on letterhead of The Union League of Philadelphia, asking about the lines for Susy’s headstone, “of which you made an adaptation” [MTP].