May 3 Friday – Thomas S. Fox for Albany Evening Union wrote to Sam inquiring about using the Kaolatype process [MTP].
Jeannette L. Gilder for The Critic wrote to Sam wishing to know “the truth of the case” about the P&P play with Elsie Leslie. She’d received a note from Edward House that he had signed a contract with you about the play. Who had the rights? [MTP].
May 2 Thursday – Daniel Whitford for Alexander & Green wrote to Sam [MTP]. “I do not think the reformation of the agreement with Mrs. Richardson should be delayed longer. I therefore enclose it to you. Do examine it carefully and if there is anything you wish explained bold it and let me know…. I judge from the tone of Mr. Frohman’s letter which I sent you that he was unable to make anything out of what Mr. House had written” [MTP].
May 1 Wednesday – Nineteen-year-old Therese Reichenberger wrote to thank Sam for his gracious answer to her prior letter. Sam reminded himself to “write her by & by” on the first page of her letter, and added a listing in his notebook of her Frankfurt address [MTNJ 3: 486&n16].
Reading in Volume 1 of The Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning, Sam noted his progress along the margin on p.225: “Begin here May 1/89” [Gribben 105]. (See Apr. 24, May 15)
May – In Hartford, Sam finished CY this month [Kaplan 293]. He also penned two paragraphs as a stock answer to editors as to the status of the Paige typesetter.
…we are hoping, & also expecting, that the Paige Compositor will be finished by the 15th of July. It will use moveable type, of the ordinary sort. By the manipulation of one person it will set type, & at the same time will automatically distribute, accurately space, and perfectly justify the lines.
April 30 Tuesday – In Hartford, Sam gave his signature this date to an unidentified person [MTP].
April 29 Monday – C.B. Baker wrote from Oakland, Nebr. to Sam:
Oh Mark! What an old selfish fraud you are! That “World” article was inspired by a provoked public. How you led [illegible word] that poor actor write his own play! Col. Sellers. John Raymond was one of a thousand victims. I am another. I took four of your books to a 2d hand book store yesterday. I see the people at last are “going for you” [MTP]. Note: obviously either a put-on or not a fan
April 28 Sunday – In Hartford, Sam sent regrets to Clarence W. Bowen, advising that “At the last moment I find myself obliged to remain at home,” and gave up his seat at the banquet for the Centennial Celebration in New York of Washington’s taking the oath of office [MTP]. See Apr. 8.
April 27 Saturday – Thomas S. Fox for Albany Evening Union wrote to Sam. Fox wanted to use the Kaolatype process “in a small local way,” not in the country at large [MTP]. Note: Whitmore had given him a $3,000 price to use the process in the U.S.
April 26 Friday – A. Bourne wrote a note to Sam decrying the same N.Y. World article, “A Book Canvasser’s Woes” (enclosed) “This outrageous twisting of fact…” Sam wrote on the env., “No, we can’t kill lies by denying their truth” [MTP].
Republican Club of New York sent Sam an engraved admission card to the club for a period of Apr. 26 to May 6, 1889 [MTP].
April 25 Thursday – Jennie A. Eustace from Elmira wrote from N.Y.C. asking Sam “to write a part in this new play which shall fit me — me and only me. And then I want you to insist on Mr. Frohman engaging me to play it” [MTP].
H.H. Kelsey, Graham Taylor, and J.B. Pierce wrote a postcard from Hartford to Sam asking for the return of a “subscription list” sent on Apr. 9. Sam wrote on the card, “Haven’t got it” [MTP].