He complained of the heavy expense of his recent litigation, alluding of course to the celebrated Collier-Hapgood Libel Case and the subsequent prosecution of himself for perjury.
Next day he wrote me a long, sweet, persuasive letter begging me to wait on him until July, 1906, at which time he would most assuredly pay. It was then that I did what I should have done at first—consulted a New York lawyer.
Mr. Palliser advised me to make an end of the matter then, and I should have taken his advice; but I loved my work and my Magazine, and at the last moment I yielded and let Col. Mann have his own way.
From motives that he is unable to understand or appreciate, I would have continued the unpaid slave of the Magazine, indefinitely, had not he and DeFrance made the situation intolerable. I felt my obligations to the subscribers: my pride in the success of the Magazine which bore my name was deeply involved. This was well known both to Col. Mann and DeFrance, and they presumed, upon it—once too often.
***
It may be asked why I did not cut loose from the Town Topics gang after the exposures in the Collier-Hapgood Case. Simply because Col. Mann had nothing on earth to do with what I regarded as the Magazine, to wit—its policy, its purpose, its message. That was the life of the Magazine. That, in my eyes, was the Magazine.
I did not want to leave the subscribers in the lurch, nor did I want to abandon a field of labor in which I seemed to be doing a good work.
Every man who has a purpose in life and who loves his work, will understand me.
Therefore, when Clark Howell and others jumped on me for being connected with a person who was being denounced throughout the land as a blackmailer, I put the case on the strongest ground by saying, “I am the Magazine.” That was true. DeFrance and Mann were glad enough to have me check defection from the Magazine by saying it THEN.
In a very short while they will WISH THAT THEY HAD ANOTHER METHOD, EQUALLY GOOD, OF CHECKING DEFECTION. The subscribers to the magazine that was mine are not going to endorse what Col. Mann has done, nor remain with a magazine which HE controls—never in the world.