November 10 Tuesday – Katharine I. Harrison wrote to Sam, responding to his Oct. 20 note enclosed with his letter to Rogers.

Dear Mr. Clemens:

I enclose a letter from Mr. Colby which I thought might be of interest. I have been trying to find out about Mrs. Custer’s claim, but cannot succeed in getting hold of Mr. Colby. I will follow it along and as soon as I get anything, send it along [MTHHR 242n3] Note: Colby responded that he doubted the assets of Webster & Co. would pay 35% of the debt, but at the very least 30%. (It actually paid 27.7%.)

H.H. Rogers wrote to Livy enclosing the Bliss-Harper contracts. If they met with her approval would she sign and return by early mail. He also provided a blank contract for her to keep [MTP].

Rogers also wrote to Sam, advising him of the contracts sent to Livy, and repeated what he wrote Livy, that he had “done the very best that I could under the circumstances.” He advised that he and John D. Archbold were going to the oil fields of Ohio and Indiana. He also expressed relief about McKinley winning the election and felt that politicians had been running the country “for a good many years” and it was time someone with “business sense should be exercised” and felt the country was “on the right track” [MTHHR 247-8]. Note: Rogers reportedly raised a fund of five million dollars to help with McKinley’s victory [n1].