 Section 78 of Mark Twain in the New York Times, Part 6, 1910-1919. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, read by John Greenman. July 28, 1918, Spiritualism in Lawsuit, Case of Harper and Brothers Against Mitchell Kennerley over Copyright on Mark Twain's name. On the face of it, the suit of Harper and Brothers v. Mitchell Kennerley, publisher, involves a bald question of property right. But by indirection it involves also the questions whether spirit communication with a living is demonstrable, and whether there is a life hereafter. The riddle of the universe is about to be debated, not by theologians, but by lawyers. Harper and Brothers, publishers of the works of Samuel L. Clemens, and owners of a copyright on the pen name Mark Twain, base their action on the publication by Mitchell Kennerley of Jack Herron, a novel which, according to the introduction, was communicated to Mrs. Emily Grant Hutchings via the Ouija Board. There is no direct statement that Mark Twain's spirit dictated the book. He is not named as author, and on this technicality the attorneys for Mr. Kennerley might possibly seek to evade trial. The James N. Rosenberg, who has been retained by the defendant publishers, said the other day that the case would be tried on its merits. "'We will put the issue up to the Supreme Court,' he asserted. "'We will have a final ruling on immortality.'" Has the shade of Samuel Clemens any right to the use of a pseudonym he adopted in the flesh, and permitted his publishers to copyright? That claims have thee departed on the relics of their earthly pilgrimage. These are obvious issues in the suit, and if it is established, to the satisfaction of the court, that the spirit of Mark Twain did indeed communicate the novel, while the attorneys for the plaintive are upheld in their contention that said spirit had no right to market any literary commodities, except through the House of Harpers, owing to a contract made prior to his passing, by what mode of procedure can the disembodied be brought to book for such unbusinesslike, not to say immoral, conduct? William Marion Reedy of St. Louis, who had a part in making the work of Patience Worth, another Ouija board authoress, known to the material world, had a finger in this occult concoction, too. Lady Grant Hutchings had known Mr. Reedy for some time. She had contributed special articles to his magazine, The Mirror. But Mr. Reedy confesses he did not think much of her as a fiction writer. About three years ago she asked him to read some manuscript she had with her. He did, and he was surprised at its worth. At that time the novel, Jap Heron, was about half finished. Mrs. Hutchings said nothing to Mr. Reedy about how she had written it, but during the course of an evening at her home the Ouija board was produced, and Mrs. Hutchings and Mrs. Hayes, who sat with her during the readings, began to work with it. Either that or it was moved by the spirit controlling it. Mr. Reedy was surprised to find that he was reading a continuation of the unfinished manuscript he had recently seen. It was then he learned that Mark Twain was declared to be dictating the story. Mr. Reedy was in town the other day, and when he was asked whether he thought Jap Heron came up to Mark Twain's standard, he was in doubt. Parts of it are good, as typical of Mark Twain as I can remember from my early readings, he said, but other parts are sloppy, awfully sloppy and sweet and sentimental, usual bestseller stuff. Harper and Brothers assert in their petition that Jap Heron is far below the grade of anything Mark Twain wrote while alive, and that the circulation of the book would hurt his reputation. Among the points Harper and Brothers will present are the two books Mark Twain wrote, What His Man and The Mysterious Stranger, in which he asserted that there was no such thing as life after death. He refused to believe in a spirit world. He refused to be a spook. Judge or jury must weigh that fact. But it is possible that the Ouija board will be made to perform in court, and that the shade of Mark Twain, or what purports to be his spirit, will undertake to confound Mark Twain the unbeliever. That Mrs. Hutchings intends to get into communication with that very important witness is an assured point. In her introduction to the book she shows that she and Mark Twain are on the friendliest terms. He calls her Emily, and she calls him Mark. There is nothing spooky about their conversation. It does not smack of the spiritist cabinet. While the book was being revised, the Ouija board has occasion to chaff Mr. Hutchings, who was acting for his wife in secretarial capacity. Smoke up and cool off, old boy! The spook is reported as saying to Mr. Hutchings, Perhaps I should apologize. The last secretary I had used to wear an ice-soaked towel. The girls, Mrs. Hutchings and Mrs. Hayes, and old Mark together will make the riffle. Well, we will slow up. In my ambition I have been too eager. It is hard to explain how great a thing is the power to project my mentality through the clods of oblivion. I have so long sought for an opening. Be patient, please. I am not carping. I get Edwin's, Mr. Hutchings, position. We will be easy with the new saddle, so the nag won't run away. I heard Edwin's suggestion, and it is a good one. We will go straight through the story, beginning where we left off to-night. That was what I intended to do, but that second chapter nipped me. There is, of course, ground for doubt whether the testimony transmitted through a Ouija board will be accepted. The court may consider it incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial. But if it is admitted, the stenographer's transcript is likely to have a liveliness uncommon in court procedure. End of Section 78, July 28, 1918, Spiritualism in Lawsuit, read by John Greenman. Section 79 of Mark Twain in the New York Times, Part 6, 1910 through 1919. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain read by John Greenman. September 15, 1918. To Aid Artists Affected by War. An organization called the Artists War Service League is being founded here for the benefit of artists of all professions, who have been wounded or incapacitated during the war. Mark Twain's home in Reading Connecticut has been offered by his daughter, Madame Gabrilevich, as a convalescent home. The initial membership committee is composed of such artists as Rudyard Kipling, Enrico Caruso, Daniel C. French, and John Drew. Membership will be open not only to professional people, but to all lovers of the arts. End of Section 79, September 15, 1918. To Aid Artists Affected by War. Read by John Greenman. Section 80 of Mark Twain in the New York Times, Part 6, 1910 through 1919. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain read by John Greenman. October 25, 1918. Twain Home, A Rest Camp. Stormfield Estate to be a Retreat for Wounded Men. Stormfield, the estate at Reading Connecticut, which was the home of Mark Twain, has been given by his daughter, Clara Clemens, Madame Osip Gabrilevich, for the use of convalescent soldiers and sailors of the artistic professions. Madame Gabrilevich, though admitting that she had turned Stormfield over for the use of wounded men, would not discuss the subject further, saying that the affairs of the organization which was to control the estate were not yet complete. End of Section 80, October 25, 1918. Twain Home, A Rest Camp. Read by John Greenman. Section 81 of Mark Twain in the New York Times, Part 6, 1910 through 1919. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain read by John Greenman. October 7, 1918. Stormfield for a Home. Clara Clemens Gabrilevich Aids Artists War Service. Clara Clemens Gabrilevich has turned over Stormfield, the home of Mark Twain at Reading Connecticut, as a convalescent home in charge of the Artists War Service League, recently incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. The objects of this organization are similar to those of the American Friends of Musicians in France, except that it proposes to aid men of all the artistic professions in the service and their dependents, instead of confining itself to musicians alone. An honorary committee named for the purpose of stimulating membership now includes Rudyard Kipling, representing literature, Enrico Caruso Music, Daniel C. French, Sculpture, and John Drew, representing the drama. J. F. D. Lanier will be treasurer and Winslow, Lanier and Company, will act as bankers for the fund raised by the League. End of Section 81, November 7, 1918. Stormfield for a Home. Read by John Greenman. Section 82 of Mark Twain in the New York Times, Part 6. 1910-1919. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain read by John Greenman. December 23, 1919. Mark Twain's Home Sold. Hartford residents, built in 1870, wrote Huckleberry Finn there. Hartford, Connecticut, December 22. The Hartford Home of Samuel L. Clemens, Mark Twain, at 351 Farmington Avenue, where Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were written, was sold to-day by Richard M. Bissell president of the Hartford Fire Insurance Company, to J. J. and I. Ahern of this city. The house was built by Mr. Clemens in 1870, and until a few months ago was used as a private school. End of Section 82, December 23, 1910, Mark Twain's Home Sold. End. End of Mark Twain in the New York Times, Part 6. 1910-1919. Read by John Greenman.