Document #15

Philad., Pa, Feb. 21^st 1877

A.W. Falkenthal

Have delayed answering your letter of 22^nd Jany. Hoping to give you something satisfactory in regards to the Irish estate, and sorry to say I can get nothing satisfactory from my sisters and the Reed family also Alex. Harbison of _______ Kansas stands back and does not answer up for my part.  I am willing anytime to hand over the papers if I could the others to go along with me in the matter and have been using all of my influence in that direction.  I received a letter from Mrs. Smith a few weeks ago stating she had not given it up yet.  But received a letter from Mrs. Morrison yesterday stating Mrs. Smith had been at her place on a visit a few days ago and that Mrs. Smith said she had given it up unless the money was furnished her to go.  She knows the friends will not do that and that she is talking about going into the millinery business in Leavenworth, but she also stated she wanted to be paid for her trouble and expense of gathering together information necessary to the prosecution of this case, which I think would be all right if she does not ask too much.  I will willingly help to make up a small amount, say ten or fifteen dollars.  I know she has spent much time and postage money.  If we had her hand and A. Harbisons hand I think the others could be managed.  I will write her once more as for Harbison I can’t say I think he has an idea the friends will send him after a while he always did stand back in the matter but I will write him, also once more.  H. is one of the kind that thinks what he don’t know is not worth knowing.

I can’t see why you would not be safe in prosecuting this case on a contract with me on the Powers of attorney I hold.  In case they refuse, I am authorized to employ attorneys to prosecute this case to fullest extent and this man, H., never would nor never did sign a power of attorney and would not let his mother do it.  His father and mother are both dead now and he is the only one of the family left now, so you see he might be troublesome.  Mrs. Reed is still living.  I have her power of attorney and my father’s with many others, indeed, all except Harbisons.  Mrs. Reed has moved to Salem, Wisconsin.  I think we had better get all we can to sign your papers and go ahead.  I think my sisters will not sign.  I had left the papers with them until recently they returned them without signing.  This is about the way the matter stands at present, but will try them once more. 

Yours Truly,

Alex McCracken

2008 Parish Street

            Mrs. Smith has not said to me she has given this thing up and neither has she sent me any papers.

Transcribed by Andy Miller August 2004