Prodded by Larry's interest in the LA Times article and my inability to
retrieve such from interlibrary loan, I conducted a telephone interview
with Hamlin Hill this morning, author of _Mark Twain:  God's Fool_ who
referenced the LA Times story and a suicide note.

According to Hill, the LA Times reported that SLC had been reading the
biography of James Russell Lowell where the topic was mentioned and
he made the comment about placing a gun to his own head during the early
days in San Francisco.  Hill did not have the article in front of him,
but believes the LA Times further referenced a SLC notebook.

Hill also revealed that last week he sold his entire collection of Twain
books to a book dealer here in Texas. This collection included rare copies &
some original letters of Jean Clemens written in French to Marguerite
Schmidt; letters of Isabel Lyon and Ashcroft to biographer Archibold
Henderson; a 1912 Henderson biography  containing color photos; and
a total of approximately 250 books that Hill had collected throughout
his lifetime and while working on _God's Fool_.  Some are probably for
resale if anyone is interested.
Hill still has many back copies of American Literary Realism that
he may be willing to donate to Twain scholars.

Hill is retiring from teaching at the end of this year and said his
collection was something he had decided to part with.

One another note... Hamlin Hill didn't know who Mildred was either :)

Merry Christmas, Larry :)
Barb