To Charles L. Webster
20 June 1883 • Elmira, N.Y.
(MS: NPV, UCCL 01562)

Elmira, June 20/83.

Dear Charley—

All right. Tell Mr. Whitford about Duncan’s proposed suit. Tell him also that if I can be allowed to testify on my own behalf, I will go on the stand & point out each & every word in the printed interview that was actually uttered by me, & will show that 20 words will cover the whole; & I will swear that all the rest was the interviewer’s own—invented it himself. Then if Duncan Whitford lets Duncan know this, possibly he will drop his prosecution of me & strengthen his Times suit but by summoning me as a witness against the Times—a chance I should not be sorry to have.

Ys Truly

S L Clemens