November 9 Sunday – Sam’s Nov. 8 letter, “An Appeal Against Injudicious Swearing,” to the New York Sun ran on page six (see Nov. 8).

Frank Curtiss, president of the Sixth Avenue Horse-Car Co. began a letter to Sam he finished Nov. 12, and which ran in the Nov. 13, 1890 N.Y. World p,4 “Mark Twain Gains His Point”:

Dear Sir: Your public letter in a New York paper regarding treatment you received on our line from one of our conductors has come to our attention. We have investigated the matter and the conductor of the car admits the charges you make, except that his first remark was not intended for you. His excuse is that he had been annoyed by a drunken passenger until his patience was exhausted and was not in good humor when you boarded the car. There is no question but what a conductor is insulted many times to one insult he gives, yet this is no excuse, as he is there as conductor to take what the public may give. I mention this not as a business excuse, but as a charitable excuse.

We have taken the conductor off.

Had you made your complaint direct to the Company instead of to the public the result would have been the same, except that the conductor would not have gone from us with the brand you have placed upon him — “chicken thief,” &c. which we, a corporation think does him a great wrong. Yours respectfully, FRANK CURTISS, President [MTP].

William Mackay Laffan wrote a short note from N.Y. to Sam: “There is a busted conductor in this town and your letter did it. Great fun!” His planned gathering for Wednesday “wont come off” but Sam could “drop in, all the same” [MTP].