stefansson-wrangel-09-20-090-001

December 18, 1924.

Dear Delphine:

As you probably know, the Crawford family are very
bitter against Lorne Knight, considering that Mr. Noice has been right in
blaming the Wrangel Island misfortunes to considerable extent on his
incompetence. This unjustified feeling most extend a little to Fred
also, for he no less than Knight was experienced.

You will remember that Fred's letter to you contains
the phrase, "Knight claims to be afflicted with the scurvy." The Crawford
family have communicated directly with my publishers, saying that this
letter should be published. I feel pretty certain from the reports I get
from Toronto that their chief motive for wanting the letter published is
that it reflects on Lorne Knight. My friends who give me this information
from Toronto may be entirely wrong, but in any case the sentence would
give the reading public an unpleasant impression. They would forget how
marvelous it in that four men should get along so smoothly for two years
and over-emphasize this small indication of friction.

I do not in general believe in publishing a letter
unless we can give it verbatim. This letter contains so many intimate
things addressed to you that this seems to me a second reason for not
publishing it.

I am writing to-day to John Maurer with regard to the
letter from the Crawford family that urges publication of Fred's letter
to you. I am suggesting to Mr. Maurer that all of you who are most
intimately concerned should get together on this subject. Of course, if
you should agree that the letter ought to be published, I would fall in
with your wish, although it would be against my own judgment.

I have no doubt you will hear from Mr. Maurer about
this in a day or two. There really is a good deal of hurry, for the book
should be going to press.

Mrs. Delphine Maurer,
911 Robbins Avenue,
Niles, Ohio.