October 1 Saturday – Francis Wayland, dean of Yale Law School wrote to Sam, agreeing with Sam that Charles W. Johnson should “spend the coming year in earning & saving money, so that he might come to us, if he chose, at the end of that time, with money enough in hand to prevent him from being wholly dependent on charity” [MTNJ 3: 300n2]. See Sept. 29 entry.
The Brooklyn Eagle on page 1 ran “ENGLISH AS SHE IS TAUGHT – An Ex-Teacher and a Mother Protests Against the System.” Sam’s piece stirred up some controversy about the failures of the schools and teachers. Some things never change.
A “Cash Statement,” a complete itemized account for Webster & Co. Through Oct. 1, 1887 reflected the firm took in $124,262.50 from Apr. 1886 to Oct. 1887; disbursements of $105,328.10, with profits for the period of $18,934.40 [MTNJ 3: 319n57; MTLTP 237n1]. The same statement listed the cost of production and advertising of Almira Hancock’s Reminiscences of Winfield Scott Hancock at $3,012.79; six other works had cost $7,238.24, but only one, the Biography of Reverend Henry Ward Beecher had bindery expenses at this point. Charles Webster’s pet project, the eleven-volume Library of American Literature edited by Edmund C. Stedman and Ellen Mackay Hutchinson had cost $9,692.74 to date [320n60]. Note: Sam later claimed this last work “secured the lingering suicide of Charles L. Webster and Company”[MTE 192].
Alfred P. Burbank wrote to Sam that he didn’t get his telegram until 10:30 p.m. last night and didn’t want to “rout you out of bed” so sent a night message explaining all the rooms at the Lotos were occupied but he could get a Glenham Hotel room next door in his own name; Sam wouldn’t have to register [MTP].
Albert Lawson for the Cincinnati Evening Telegram sent a form letter Sam asking for “a few words…what rules of line of conduct, in your opinion, has been the greatest benefit to you…” [MTP].
Check # Payee Amount [Notes]
3832 Patrick McAleer 400.00 Coachman
3833 Patrick McAleer 50.00
3834 John O’Neil 60.00 Gardener
3835 Aitkin Son & Co 24.00