WCP608

[1]

Indianapolis, Indiana

March 21st., 1904.

James D. Law, Esq.,

London, England.

Dear Mr. Law:—

Daily confronted with unfinished work, Mr. Riley finds it impossible to write you now but asks me to especially thank you for your fraternal interest in championing his claims to the authorship of the hoax Poe-poem "Leonainie". Therefore with the promptest return herewith of the closed letter of indictment,* he bids me say, that he is grieved to reassure you that he is the author of the poem "Leonainie"— coined name and all— and that this fact was confirmed and has been generally known in this country since the expose of the hoax in August of 1877. Regarding the [1 word illeg.] literary experts’ arraignment of him as a false claimant, Mr. Riley good-naturedly remarks that it would be to him truly a source of relief if the poem could be successfully "saddled" onto the Pegasus of Poe—or any other poet happily past.

To where beyond there voices there is peace.

Very truly yours | Jolin M. Dickey [signature]

Private Secretary