August 6 Saturday – In Lee, Mass. Sam wrote to his nephew Samuel E. Moffett now in Mr. Vernon, N.Y.
Yes, Clara has been in New York, but we keep it private because her health is in a wrecked condition & it is a damage to her to see anyone. She could not escape, here. She came up last Tuesday—being uneasy about Jean who is doing plenty well enough & doesn’t need her; so she & Katy returned to New York to-day. The two railway trips will do her a damage, sure.
Jean is full of bangs & bruises, both fore & aft, & has a leg in plaster of paris & will keep her bed for a fortnight, but she reads & writes & plays games & is having a pleasant time. / With love to you all / SLC / As regards one thing there is no doubt: being flung 50 feet along with a horse gave Jean’s system a stirring up which has very greatly improved her general health. At first her accident was regarded as a piece of ill luck. But the returns were not all in, then. Indeed, none but the Deity can tell what is good luck & what is bad before the returns are all in [MTP].
On or after this day Sam also wrote to Alice Hegan Rice, who had sent or given him samples of her forthcoming (1909) book, Mr. Opp, probably on her July 26 visit [MTP: Alice H. Rice, The Inky Way, 1940, p.76]. See Gribben 576.
Ralph W. Ashcroft for the Plasmon Co. wrote to Sam, heading it “CONFIDENTIAL”:
The Plasmon “freeze-out” was inaugurated yesterday, when all the company’s property, patent rights, etc., were hypothecated in favor of Mr. Hammond, despite cabled protest from the English Company.
Mr. Hammond is loaning the Company $10,000 for thirty days, and takes the Company’s note therefor, with all its property as collateral. If the note is not paid at maturity (and he does not expect it to be), he has announced (through Mr. Wheeler) that he will forclose on it, and assume sole ownership of the Company’s property. Due official notice of this will reach you presently” [Several more pages of plans and ideas were given, and suggestion that Mr. Rogers might want to pass upon the matter before Sam decided what to do [MTP].