We cannot ask Alf Doten himself, but we can check his diaries:
In the 1960s, into the 1970s, author Walter Van Tilberg Clark heavily
edited the diaries of Alf Doten into three volumes with a total of 2,224 pages,
plus appendices and index, published by the University of Nevada Press. To
the great frustration of historians in Nevada, the published pages
represent perhaps a half of Doten's extensive files. From the entries about Twain,
below, I think it is doubtful that Doten was the jokester creating the bar
tab story. I also doubt that editor Clark omitted any mentions Doten made
of Twain. After reading all the Twain entries in the Index, I append those
I think you will agree make it highly unlikely that Doten gave enough time
and attention to Twain to bother with creating the bar tab story.
On Page 767 (Vol. 1), Doten wrote:
Sunday, March 6, 1864. Clear & peasant. rose late. AM I went to Creoss's
awhile. J.D. Winters introduced me to "Mark Twain" --had pleasant little
chat with him.... [no further mention that day of Twain.]
Then on March 4, Doten, who is living in the mining camp of Como, some
distance from Virginia City, writes: ...Evening stage brought a noted
correspondent of the Territorial Enterprise who writes under the"nomme de plume" of
"Mark Twain." His name is Samuel Clements. [sic]
The next mention is on page 830, (Vol 2) 1865: Sunday, April 9. ...Went to
Sutterleys -- took my portrait twice--small cards, and one big picture to
hang up in the gallery with Mark Twain and Dan DeQuille. [Sutterley's is a
photo emporium.]
Page 900 1866: "Mark Twain" (Sam Clemens) arrived this evening from
California. D. E. McCarthy, one of the former proprietors of the Enterprise came
with him.
There are other, later, mentions of Twain, but none pertinent to this
discussion.
Bob Stewart
Carson City
|