Letter from William T. Stead to May Wright Sewall.

STEAD, Wm T APR 13, 1901

13th April, 1901.

Mrs. May Wright Sewall, INDIANAPOLIS.

Dear Mrs. Sewall,

I owe you a thousand apologies for not having written to you before. I thank you for your kind letter about my son's wife, and for everything else. Alfred write me from San Francisco, saying that you want more particulars about the International Union. I send you separately half a dozen copies of the pamphlet, which you will find explains things. Mr. Milholland, who is by far the most active member that we have, will be in New York, I expect, very shortly, and will endeavour to form an American group there. Dr, Montcure Conway is too much disheartened by the prevailing Jingoism which has submerged America to try to do anything. He will not even endeavour to get us information as to the atrocities that have been taking place in the Philippines or the American evidence as to what has been done in China. Before you get this, we shall have constituted our English National Group, I think, and have got fairly to work. I also send you separately the circulars which have been sent out which are merely useful as illustrating the modus operandi.

The Provisional Committee in Paris, as you will see, is purely provisional, of people who were in Paris or in the neighborhood, or who could be communicated with rapidly. Dr. Montcure Conway transferred himself to America since he was appointed, and he has once or twice indicated his desire to withdraw on the ground that the Governments are so hopelessly bad nothing can be done with them.

Mme Selenka is very anxious that the 18th of May should be celebrated everywhere by women. You remember you had a great success two years ago, when the Congress met It is expected that the Hague Tribunal will open then, and it will be an excellent idea if the women in every country can be done to get celebrations in the capitals in the shape of a banquet to the arbitrators, or something of the kind. Mme. Selenka will be extremely glad to have your opinion as to what could be done in the matter. You will find the

Mrs. Sewall. 2 13th April/01

subject of the celebration referred to in the latter pages of the pamphlet on the International Union.

I shall be very glad to have your report upon the wedding, how it went off, and what you think of the young people, now on their way to Japan. What we know of them is that for 17 days after they were married, neither of them sent us a line, not even a postcard. It was not until they were leaving San Francisco that Alfred seemed to remember that we existed. It is all very well to leave your father and mother and cleave unto your wife, but it is carrying this principle a little too far when you allow 17 days to pass without even sending a postcard to say how you are.

Mr. and Mrs. Bussey have been very kind in writing to us about the wedding, and judging from their letters they seem to be people of good heart, of refinement and sympathy.

How are you yourself, and have you any further experiences in Borderland? In October, Mr. Myers poshumou work will be out, to which a good deal of importance is attached. It sums up the result of 25 years of study. I hear that since he has passed over, he has been in communication with Dr. Hodgson of Boston. A very interesting case has come under my notice here in which a mother has obtained a long series of authentic communications from her boy of 13, to whom she was tenderly attached. You may also have seen a curious story about an apparition of a Miss Juli somebody or other, in New York, which the New York papers are working at.

Believe me, Yours sincerely, W.T. Stead

Pamphlets & circulars separately sent.