Oct 22, 2015 - Sale 2394

Sale 2394 - Lot 202

Price Realized: $ 2,500
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,000 - $ 1,500
"WE HAVE SOME BAD POLITICIANS . . . THE SCOUNDRELS OF THE PRESS ARE . . . WORSE" ROOSEVELT, THEODORE. Group of 3 Typed Letters Signed, to Republican Party Treasurer George R. Sheldon, concerning accusations that Roosevelt requested that railroad executive E.H. Harriman contribute to his 1904 campaign. Each 1 page, 4to, "The Outlook" stationery; first two mounted at corners to a larger sheet, the third with remnants of prior mounting at corners verso with some bleedthrough. (TFC) New York, 19; 23; 26 December 1911

Additional Details

December 19: ". . . I never directly or indirectly in any shape, way, or form asked Mr Harriman or anybody else to contribute a dollar to aid in my election. . . . [H]e made to me the request that I would aid him in getting the National Committee to contribute some of its funds for the campaign expenses of Mr Higgins, the Candidate for Governor in New York State. . . . [T]his is precisely what the National Committee did."
December 23: ". . . [T]he papers have twisted something you said into what makes it look as if I had asked for the letter, and I would be greatly obliged to you if you would just say a line to the effect that it was purely on your own initiative . . . ."
December 26: ". . . I am greatly interested . . . in what you say of the falsity with which you were reported; including the report in the Sun. . . . [Y]ou had never said what was credited to you! But I knew it, the Post was meanly endeavoring to show that there was an issue of veracity between us. We have some bad politicians in public life, but the scoundrels of the press are a great deal worse."
with--George R. Sheldon. Typed Letter Signed, to Theodore Roosevelt, a retained copy, proposing to publish his account of the facts surrounding the accusations that Roosevelt had solicited money from Harriman. 3 pages, 8vo, written on a folded sheet, personal stationery. New York, 15 December 1911.