In communicating this feature of the contract to me, Dr. Girdner signified his willingness to fill that position. It gave me great pleasure to appoint him. Nothing was ever said by the Doctor or myself concerning the amount that he was to receive, but he assumed, quite correctly, that it would be proper for him to draw the full $4,000, and he began to do so.
Not once did Dr. Girdner intimate to me that a business connection with Col. Mann would disgrace me. How could I suppose that such a connection was undesirable when Dr. Girdner himself was willing to make it? I am sure that the Doctor did not know what all the world now knows.
It cost the Colliers $75,000 and months of hard work, to gather up the evidence which proved what kind of a person Col. Mann is. How could Dr. Girdner know, IN 1904, those facts which it cost Collier $75,000 to prove IN 1905? The Doctor knew no more about it than I did—or he would have warned me to keep out, and would have kept out himself.
When I went to New York in the mid-winter of 1904-5 to organize the Company, Col. Mann opened another leaf in his book.
He presented a paper containing stock subscriptions to his Syndicate, and asked me to “come in.” I was fool enough to sign for $2,500.
Had the old scamp not over-reached himself, he would have got me for $2,500, besides the $9,000 hereinafter mentioned. But he did overreach himself. He had his man, Daniels, to present another paper for me to sign. It was the lease of the house we were to occupy, 121 West 42nd Street. The amount was $1,200.
Then, I smelt the rat. I not only refused to sign the lease, but, acting under a natural revulsion of feeling, I cancelled my subscription to the Syndicate. Had Col. Mann said a single word against my doing so, I would have cancelled the whole contract—for the suspicion had then crept into my mind that he was—what I now know him to be—A GRAND OLD RASCAL.
***
Why, then, did I go on with the Magazine?
Because I was fastened. Because I had publicly pledged my word. Because the contract gave me complete control of the Magazine, therefore Col. Mann could not hurt it. Me he could hurt; me he did hurt, but the Magazine was, is now, and ever shall be, above and beyond his reach. Thank God!