The Washington herald., 1909-07-15
GIFT FROM HUMORIST
Twain'S Former Secretary
Cannot Understand Suit.
HURIEs HOME FROM EUROPE
Declared He Gave Her the Home in
Redding, and that She Agreed to
Pay Back Money Spent for Repairs
Whenever She COuld-BIames His
Daughter for the Proceedings.

/ New York, July 1A-Mark TwaiE's for
mer secretary, Mrs. r. W. Ashcroft. came
back from her wedding trip to-day on the
Carmania. TO find ont why It was that
Mr.. Clemens had her house IN Reddlng.
Conn. attached for $4,000
It seemed especially strange TO her.
since the house was a gift from Mr..
Clemens. and the cost OF the repairs. so
she thought. was TO be given back to him
whenever the return should be con-
venient.
Mrs. Ashcroft lays the whole thing at
the door Of some unmentloned enemy.
working through Miss Clara Clemens,
who, says Mrs. Ashcroft. Is especially
susceptible to that kind OF an influence.
/ because she is the possessor Of an artistic
temperament.
/ Mrs. Ashcroft, when she was Mr.. Glenn
/ ems secretary. was Miss Isabel Van
( hleek Lyon. the same who spotted the
/ burglars when they invaded Mark Twain's
house at Redding last fall. For some
years she was the literary secretary OF
the humo-ist, and saw to most OF his cor
/ Irespondence as we'll
Loved Him ns Father.
7 loved him as a daughter would love
la father" said she to-day For seven
years I relieved him Of every care I
could"
Last March she was married 20 Ralph
] W Ashcroft. who had been serving Mr..
/ Clemens as financial secretary. They
left for Europe early in June A few
days afterward the little farm al Red
ding. consisting OF sixteen acres or so
and the house were attached by deputy
sheriff in a suit 10 recover 5000. II was
I asserted at the time that Mrs. Ashcroft
had used more OF Marx Twain's money in
GXing over the house which lie had given
her than he Intended her 10 use Miss
/ Clemens interested the late Henry H.
Rogers in the matter. and he set an ex-
pert at the examination OF Afr. Clemens
books. John B. Stanchheld was the law
yer In the case
/ IL was only two weeks ago that Mrs
Ashcroft heard the first of the attach
nent She was in London with her nus
hand and she caught the first ship back
TO New York. leaving him on the other
side. She was pretty anxious 20 get
the trouble Strengthened out.
Sure of Adjustment.
I an sure this VIII come out al
right" she said to-day He gave me
The house at ReddIng and later gave me
the money with which to furnish IL. Il
Was understood that I should pay fl
back as soon as ! possibly could.
It's not possible that Mr.. Clemens
was the one Who started 10 bring suit
Why. when left him he was as nice
20 me as when 1 was his secretary. i
is my idea OF the matter that the whole
+. trouble has beer caused by his daughter
. She IS OF a highly artistic temperament
! which IS apt 70 lead her very far sfeld
And. yet l don't think that she would
do this OF her own accord. either There
must be somebody acting behind her
somebody who doesn't Ike me-"
! Mrs. Ashcroft said that Mr.. Clemen.
hadn't asked her Tor payment OF thJ
/ money he had loaned her. On the con
! trary. she said. he had often suggested
that she regard the outlay as a gift.
She is going up 70 Redding tomorrow
10 see him and get things straightene-
out II she can.