December 31, 1922.
To the Subscribers to the Fund in Aid of the Publication of a Biography of John P. Altgeld, now in Preparation by Waldo R. Browne of Wyoming, N.Y.
A Fund in Aid of the Publication of a Biography of John P. Altgeld, formerly Governor of Illinois, was established as the result of a circular letter of mine dated September 20, 1921 to friends of Governor Altgeld. The late Joseph Martin of Chicago had in his will made a bequest of $2,000 to Waldo R. Browne and myself for the printing and publication of a life story of Altgeld to be prepared by us. Martin’s will being contested, I renounced as a legatee in order to qualify as a witness. This, however, was hardly more than a formality for I had already arranged with Mr. Browne for him to take the legacy and do the work. At the close of the litigation hardly more than half of the legacy remained. As this amount, delivered to Mr. Browne in securities of uncertain values, was too slight for the requisite authorship and the work incident to publication, I undertook to act as trustee for a supplementary fund. I take pleasure now in submitting my final report to each of the 152 subscribers to that Fund.
Total Subscriptions to December 31, 1922, ... $3,560.10
Payments to Waldo R. Browne on account, … 1,830.00
Balance in National Metropolitan Bank of Washington, D.C., to the credit of Louis F. Post, trustee, ... $1,680.10
An alphabetical list of the subscribers is herewith transmitted, identified as "Enclosure A, Dec. 31/22." Also copy of contract for preparation and publication of the Altgeld biography by Waldo R. Browne, identified as "Enclosure B, Dec. 31/22." Also report of progress by Waldo R. Browne to December 18, 1922, identified as "Enclosure C, Dec. 31/22."
With sincere appreciation,
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