stefansson-wrangel-09-14-103-002

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United States Government, their special guardian being the U.S.
Department of Education. When I got this idea I sent a telegram
to the U.S. Bureau of Education, L. C. Smith Building, Seattle, ask-
ing whether Ada was in Seattle and what her situation was. I received
a reply to the effect that she was in Seattle, that she thanked me
for my interest but that she was in no need of anything for the pres-
ent. It now seemed likely that Noice was not concerned in her
arrival and possible that she may be under the control of someone else
who was trying to exploit her. I then sent a second telegram to the
Bureau of Education, suggesting that since Ada had a "human interest
story" of considerable money value, it was important to protect her
against exploitation. It was possible someone would get the story
from her for nothing. It was also possible that some incompetent per-
son or man of bad judgement would get her story and sell it honestly
enough but, nevertheless, at a disadvantage to Ada. The only way to
get the full value of such a story would be to sell it in New York,
which is the literary market of the world, through one of the recog-
nized literary agents who would charge Ada only a regular small
commission, giving her all the rest of the money. I feel certain that
a price at least five times as high could be secured that way as any
open to even a competent person dealing from Seattle. The Bureau has
since sent me several telegrams. They are to the effect that Ada
Blackjack refuses their assistance or advice and is under the influence
of some man who was a table waiter on the "Victoria" coming down from
Nome and who apparently has the idea that he can get money out of her.
It is also possible, of course, that he is honest and thinks he is
acting for her best interests.

I have learned that at least one of the large news-
paper organizations here in New York has received an offer by wire for
Ada's story but they have declined it.

My motives in telegraphing as I did to Seattle were
two: first, I wanted to try to see to it that any story published was
as truthful as possible and as free from sensationalism. My other
motive was to secure for her any money that the story brought in.
Of course, I would have preferred that no story would be published
but that did not seem easy to prevent.

I might have wired you suggesting your going to
Seattle but have thought that on the whole the influence of the Bureau
of Education would be the best, for they have a legal standing in the
case, being her guardians.

I have gathered from telegrams from Seattle that Ada
did not either sell or present to Noice the diary he has and that she
expects pay for it.

I regret to say that the legal tangles with Noice are