Vol 3 Section 0390
quoted her brother’s letter she’d received on Mar. 15: “This has been a devilish winter here, & is not over yet;
but please God it may come to an end in time” [MTP]. Note: MTP gives Sam’s letter as ca. Mar. 12.
March 6 Tuesday – Jonas Henrick Kellgren Osteopath, billed £12.12.0 for Mar. 1 through Mar. 6 for Jean’s treatments [1900 Financial file MTP].
March 7 Wednesday – At 30 Wellington Court in London, England Sam wrote to John Y. MacAlister . The four paragraphs deal with prospective buying and selling Plasmon at a profit, and mixing it with Bovril. Samuel Bergheim is mentioned [MTP]. Note: Bovril is a trade name for a salty meat extract developed in 1870. Samuel Bergheim (d.1904) is identified as the managing director of the Plasmon Co., London [ MTHHR 442n2]. On Jan. 23 Bergheim had applied for a trademark in Victoria, Australia. for the name “Plasmon,” which reflects the rapidly expanding nature of the company.
Insert: Bovril advertisement:
March 8 Thursday – At 30 Wellington Court in London, England Sam wrote and declined an invitation to a festival by the City Liberal Club Chairman and Committee, London. Sam repeated the reason given to others during this period that his work could not presently be interrupted
[MTP: Christie’s East Catalog, 14 May 1997, Item 89].
Sam also replied to John Y. MacAlister (whose incoming letter is not extant) with more plans and prospects of founding an American syndicate to produce and sell Plasmon, previously called “Vienna Albumen.” Sam wanted to “lay the scheme before Mr. Rogers or Tatlock,” who would then receive dividend for “floating” the needed cash. Sam asked if there was a Berlin company, and if so, what was the capital? Sam added that he’d declined the invitation of the City Liberal Club, and that yes, he would like a box at the theatre; he would advise of a date “before long.” He closed with a mention of proof-reading and thinking the book should be called “The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg & Other Stories & Sketches.” In a PS he suggested bringing Lipton into the syndicate [MTP].
Notes: John Tatlock, Jr. of N.Y. Life, Ins.; Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton (1848-1931), Scotsman, self-made merchant who created the famous Lipton tea brand. Lipton failed five times to win the America’s Cup. See Mar. 9 to MacAlister.
March 9 Friday – At 30 Wellington Court in London, England Sam replied to Chester Sanders Lord (1850-1933), a founder of Lotos Club and managing editor of the N.Y. Sun since 1880. Evidently Lord invited him upon his return to America a banquet (Lord’s not extant).
I accept that Lotos complimentary dinner with loud & long-continued applause.
Our home-coming has no definite date, yet, because we do not know when we can get my daughter out of the doctor’s hands. That is what we are waiting for, & it may keep us here—will keep us here—until summer, I am afraid, & be too late in the season for dinners—the boys would all be out of town cooling off. However, Mr. Rogers will always know our sailing-date several weeks beforehand, & if he fails to telephone you I will discharge him [MTP]. Note: Sam enclosed a photo of himself by Pach Bros. N.Y.
Sam also wrote to John Y. MacAlister, again about mixing Bovril with Plasmon, and a correction on the cost of the former. He announced that John Tatlock of the New York Life, would reach London from Berlin in a week [MTP]. Note: Tatlock was one of the proposed investors in an American Company for the sale of Plasmon.
SLC used mourning border for most letters from Susy’s death on, then from Livy’s death on.