Mon, 27 Jan 1997 13:05:11 -0800
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Barb:
My colleague Mike Frank checked the Fuller letter and has no doubt that
it was written in early 1880, not 1870. Mike writes: "In the winter &
spring of 1880, Fuller was clearly encouraging Clemens to invest in a
whisky still being promoted by one Clinton Furbish (probably its
inventor). See: Fuller to SLC, 23 Feb 1880; SLC to Fuller, 24 Feb 1880;
Clinton Furbish to Fuller, 21 Apr 1880; SLC to Fuller, 22 Apr 1880. This
seems to be just one of the unprofitable investments Fuller brought to
SLC. I find no further mention of it through 1882."
The letter is new to us, but from its tone and content it seems genuine.
It is not listed in _Union Catalog of Clemens Letters_.
Do you have a copy of the 1923 story on the Harbaugh estate auction, and
if so, could you FAX us a copy? The FAX number of the Mark Twain
Project is (510) 642-6349.
Thanks.
Ken Sanderson
Mark Twain Project
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