[D0211AAK], Letter from William Leslie Edison to John F Randolph, July 1902
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D0211AAK
Transcription
JOHN F. RANDOLPH, ORANGE, N. J. DEAR SIR: YOUR LETTER IN REGARDS TO THE MONEY OWED. MR. GILMORE RECEIVED. IN THE FIRST PLACE I AM NOT TRYING TO BLUFF HIM IN ANY MANNER OR SHAPE BUT SIMPLY TRYING NOT TO PAY HIM MORE THAN IS DUE HIM. WE HAD THE BOAT FOR EIGHT MONTHS AT A RENTAL OF $50.00 PER MONTH OR $400.00 HAVING PAID HIM $50.00 IN ADVANCE THAT LEAVE $375.00 WE LOST HIS EXTRA BOAT COSTING A $50.00 MAKING A TOTAL OF $425.00. THE REPAIRS WHICH I INSIST UPON BEING PAID AMOUNTS TO $50.00. THIS MAKES AN EXACT $375.00. AS FOR THE EXPENSE OF TAKING THE BOAT TO NEW YORK, I WILL NOT PAY AS WE HAD TO LEAVE THE OLD TUB AS WE COULD [NO?] NOT WORK HER AND I DID NOT AGREE TO DELIVER HER AT ANY SPECIAL POINT. THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF MONEY WE CAN AFFORD TO PAY HIM MONTHLY IS $25. WE ARE UNDER GREAT EXPENSE AND DO NOT SEE OUR WAY CLEAR TO PAY HIM AN OTHER DOLLAR FOR THE PRESENT ANYWAY. WE MAY BE ABLE TO PAY HIM, MORE [ILLEGIBLE OVERSTRUCK TEXT] WHEN THE WINTER SETS IN AS OUR ACTUAL EXPENSES WILL BE LESS. HAD I DESIRED I COULD HAVE PUT HIM OFF AND LET HIM SUE BUT I DID NOT THINK THAT THE CORRECT WAY TO PAY AN HONEST DEBT. NEVER WORRY ABOUT MY SENDING ANY MORE BILLS TO YOU OR FATHER, THIS HAS SHOWN ME EXACTLY WHAT I AM TO EXPECT. WE ARE MADE TO SUFFER FOR THE NEGLECT OF OTHERS AND HAVE TO BEAR ALL THE BLAME. EVERY LETTER THAT WE RECEIVE FROM YOU HAS SOMETHING UNPLEASANT TO SAY. LET MY FATHER GET OR GIVE ME A POSITION AND I WILL PAY THE FEW REMAINING BILLS I OWE. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIME THAT A BILL HAS BEEN CONTRACTED THAT WE DID NOT EXPECT TO PAY BUT OTHER THINGS COME UP AND OUR ALLOWANCE IS NOT ENOUGH TO PAY THEM ALL AND CONSEQUENTLY THEY FALL BEHIND. YOU CAN TELL MR GILMOUR THAT YOU WILL SEND HIM A CHECK FOR $25.00 EACH MONTH AND DEDUCT THIS FROM OUR ALLOWANCE-. EACH IF YOU INSIST UPON PAYING HIM MORE I WILL HAVE TO GIVE UP THE PLACE [ILLEGIBLE] WE ARE NOW ON AND LOSE EVERYTHING-AND IT WILL BE A THING I WILL NOT GET OVER AS LONG AS I LIVE. WHY SHOULD YOU GET HELL FROM HIM? SURELY YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS AND MY MISTAKES. EVER SINCE I HAVE TAKEN TOM UNDER MY WING I HAVE GOTTEN HELL FOR THE THINGS HE DOES AND FOR WHICH I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE. IN FACT EVER SINCE I NEGLECTED TO LOAN MY FATHER THAT MONEY I HAVE BEEN HOUNDED. I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HIS GIVING ME OR AT LEAST MY WIFE THE ALLOWANCE, AND NO ONE IS MORE THANKFUL TO HIM FOR GOD KNOWS WHERE I WOULD HAVE BEEN BY THIS TIME WITHOUT IT. YOU, YOURSELF KNOWS HOW HARD I HAVE WORKED TO GET A POSITION AND FAILED SUMMED UP-I AM CAST OUT SON AND EVERY TIME ANY ONE CAN GET A PICK AT ME, THEY DO IT. THANKS GOD THERE IS BOUND TO COME A DAY WHEN THINGS ARE BOUND TO TAKE A TURN AND THEN WILL COME A DAY OF RECKONING-NOT FOR YOU RANDOLPH AS IT IS YOUR DUTY TO DO THESE THINGS WHETHER YOU TAKE PLEASURE IN IT OR NOT. HOW WOULD IT BE IF CHARLES OR THEODORE OWED A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS-WOULD THEY BE TREATED AS I AM. I HARDLY THINK SO. YOU WILL HAVE TO EXCUSE THIS BUM TYPEWRITING BUT IT IS ABOUT THE BEST I CAN DO AT PRESENT AND I HOPE YOU CAN DECIPHER IT. YOURS VERY TRULY, WILL EDISON