April 21 Friday – At 21 Fifth Ave. in N.Y.C. Sam wrote to H.H. Rogers.

Dear H. H. / I was going to wait, that day, but the sky, up the river, began to loom so black that I rushed away to escape the storm. It wasn’t much of a success. I got 40% of it.

Baker beats the band!—Thus far. Each of the band has inspected the case—& decided it—from one or another of 13 points of view, but Baker’s battery works the whole 13. It is my opinion that there is nothing quite so delightful elsewhere in all the literature of dialectics as his naïve picture of the repentant harlot cleansing the American Board’s unsanitary feet with Standard Oil & tears, & wiping them with the hair which he hasn’t got.

I believe it would not be improper for Mr. Rockefeller to kill Baker—certainly not immoral. In fact this is a corrective which ought always to be applied to one’s over-zealous friends, wherever caught. I think it is St. Paul who says, “Oh, damn the over-zealous friend.”

Presently I will send the Baker clipping to Joe, but not yet—I want to study it.

I am making note of the fact that the yacht goes into commission May 1. Also, that you will drop in, when well & strong, & assault 451. Good—then I will arrange so that you can get a box for $4—(a bottle of champagne goes with every box.)

I’m getting well & strong in my crippled back—my man can best all the osteopaths & all the masseurs, & give them odds in the game. Yours (not much tainted but not wholly disinfected) / [MTHHR 584-5]. Note: Source notes add several important facts: “Evidence in MTP indicates that it is extremely unlikely the ‘over-zealous friend’ Clemens mentions was W.H. Baker of Fairhaven, but no relevant comment by anyone named Baker has been found in contemporary periodicals.” A stronger contender was Ray Stannard Baker (1870-1946; pseud. David Grayson), muckraking journalist with Ida Tarbell and Lincoln Steffens at McClure’s (from 1898) and in 1906 formed The American Magazine with the pair. Some Congregational Church ministers had denounced the American Board of Foreign Missions for taking a donation of $100,000 from John D. Rockefeller. Rogers had defended Rockefeller and how he had accumulated his wealth.

Isabel Lyon’s journal # 2: “Treatment Paid. / Mr. Clemens worked all day— / Miss Nesmith arrived” [MTP TS 15]. Note: Miss Mabel Nesmith, a friend of Jean’s. Swedish Count C. Lewenhaupt gave Sam osteopathic treatments.

Ralph W. Ashcroft wrote on Koy-Lo Co. letterhead to Sam.

I enclose a literal copy of letter received this morning from [John T.] Lewis. He is evidently wearing the insoles upside down, If he cannot change the plates back again, I will have to get a new pair.

Mr. Stanchfield was in on Wednesday, and I will find out to-morrow on what terms, if any, we can get control of this insole. …[he wrote an anecdote of a rheumatism sufferer helped by the insoles]

Mr. Stanchfield remarked that Butters was willing to make some sort of a settlement, but that Wheeler was preventing him from doing so until his (Wheeler’s) return to New York. I suppose Wheeler has told Butters he can settle with you and Stanchfield much more cheaply than Butters can settle with a California law firm. I may be able to find out what is the maximum amount that Butters is willing to pay…then when Wheeler comes along and offers about half the amount, we will know how to handle him [MTP]. Note: John T. Lewis of Elmira suffered from arthritis; the insoles were sent to test their efficacy; Ashcroft was attempting to gain the rights to manufacture them, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Harold Wheeler.