[LB048114], Letter from Alfred Ord Tate to Sherburne Blake Eaton, March 5th, 1891
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Title
[LB048114], Letter from Alfred Ord Tate to Sherburne Blake Eaton, March 5th, 1891
Author
Recipient
Date
1891-03-05
Type
Folder/Volume ID
LB048-F
Microfilm ID
142:39
Document ID
LB048114
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University
Has Version
Item sets
Transcription
March 5, 1891.
Major S.E. Eaton,
#120 Broadway,
New York City.
Dear Sir:-
Referring to the attached correspondence, I do not find therein any acknowledgement of Mr. Edison’s payment of $3,500 for account of the Automatic Phonograph exhibition Company beyond a paper which purports to be a copy of a letter from Mr. Lippincott to his attorney, Mr. Bush. The original of this letter it appears from the copy was not signed by Mr. Lippincott himself, but “per W.” Even this letter does not make proper reference to the check of $3,500 which Mr. Edison drew on August 15th to Mr. Lippincott’s order, but states that Mr. Lippincott paid $7,500 to the A.P.E. Co., with the request that one half of the same ($3,750) should be credited to Mr. Edison. Now Mr. Edison did not authorize Mr. Lippincott to make any payments to the A.P.E. Co. for his account, and neither did he agree with the A.P.E. Co. to make them any advances whatever beyond the sum of $3,500, which at the time it was paid Mr. Edison understood was, with payments from the other stockholders, all the money that the Company would have to borrow. Mr. Edison informed the officers of the A.P.E. Co. and also informed Mr. Lippincott that he would neither make nor be responsible for any further advances. He therefore refuses absolutely to acknowledge himself indebted either to Mr. Lippincott or the A.P.E. Co. for any sum of money whatsoever in this connection, and he desires to obtain an acknowledgement of the $3,500 payment made by him on August 14th last. This check was drawn to the order of Mr. Lippincott. It appears that Mr. Lippincott requested the A.P.E.Co. to credit payments direct, instead of which the A.P.E.Co. have credited payments direct, instead of which the A.P.E.Co. have credited Mesars. Robinson and Blodgett, Trustees. Query were Messrs. Robinson and Blodgett appointed trustees by Mr. Lippincott or by the A.P.E.Co., and what are the conditions of their Trust? What kind of an acknowledgment has Mr. Lippincott obtained for the moneys loaned the A.P.E.Co.? It would seem that the agreement of trust should cover conditions relative to the repayment of this money, and if it does, a certified copy of the same, together with a direct acknowledgement from the trustees of Mr. Edison’s payment, will be satisfactory. Otherwise we are entitled to and must obtain an acknowledgment of the debt directed from the A.P.E.Co. The intervention of Mr. Lippincott was purely incidental, he being merely a medium between Mr. Edison and the trustees or the A.P.E.Co.
Yours very truly,
(Signed A. O. Tate)
Private Secretary.
Major S.E. Eaton,
#120 Broadway,
New York City.
Dear Sir:-
Referring to the attached correspondence, I do not find therein any acknowledgement of Mr. Edison’s payment of $3,500 for account of the Automatic Phonograph exhibition Company beyond a paper which purports to be a copy of a letter from Mr. Lippincott to his attorney, Mr. Bush. The original of this letter it appears from the copy was not signed by Mr. Lippincott himself, but “per W.” Even this letter does not make proper reference to the check of $3,500 which Mr. Edison drew on August 15th to Mr. Lippincott’s order, but states that Mr. Lippincott paid $7,500 to the A.P.E. Co., with the request that one half of the same ($3,750) should be credited to Mr. Edison. Now Mr. Edison did not authorize Mr. Lippincott to make any payments to the A.P.E. Co. for his account, and neither did he agree with the A.P.E. Co. to make them any advances whatever beyond the sum of $3,500, which at the time it was paid Mr. Edison understood was, with payments from the other stockholders, all the money that the Company would have to borrow. Mr. Edison informed the officers of the A.P.E. Co. and also informed Mr. Lippincott that he would neither make nor be responsible for any further advances. He therefore refuses absolutely to acknowledge himself indebted either to Mr. Lippincott or the A.P.E. Co. for any sum of money whatsoever in this connection, and he desires to obtain an acknowledgement of the $3,500 payment made by him on August 14th last. This check was drawn to the order of Mr. Lippincott. It appears that Mr. Lippincott requested the A.P.E.Co. to credit payments direct, instead of which the A.P.E.Co. have credited payments direct, instead of which the A.P.E.Co. have credited Mesars. Robinson and Blodgett, Trustees. Query were Messrs. Robinson and Blodgett appointed trustees by Mr. Lippincott or by the A.P.E.Co., and what are the conditions of their Trust? What kind of an acknowledgment has Mr. Lippincott obtained for the moneys loaned the A.P.E.Co.? It would seem that the agreement of trust should cover conditions relative to the repayment of this money, and if it does, a certified copy of the same, together with a direct acknowledgement from the trustees of Mr. Edison’s payment, will be satisfactory. Otherwise we are entitled to and must obtain an acknowledgment of the debt directed from the A.P.E.Co. The intervention of Mr. Lippincott was purely incidental, he being merely a medium between Mr. Edison and the trustees or the A.P.E.Co.
Yours very truly,
(Signed A. O. Tate)
Private Secretary.