Ignores All Agreements - Publishes Book
My dear Dr. Norris
Your letter of the 6th received. Because of cases pending in Federal Court, which will be set next Monday, and tried at some later date in this term is will be impossible for me to negotiate with you further until I dispose of these cases, which I hope to do at my earliest convenience.
I might add however in passing, that I am not willing by any means to admit that the stenographer's notes are correct until seen, nor would we agree to be bound by their affirmation that they are correct. You and Wallace will each know very well about what was said, and about the arguments used. I shall take this matter up with you at the earliest date possible.
Assuring you of my esteem, I am,
Yours very sincerely,
Nolan Queen, Attorney-at-Law.
NQ-d w
One feigned promise after another had been received and finally while we waited for their fulfillment the following letter came.
March 26, 1935
Dear Sir:
As attorney representing Rev. Foy E. Wallace, I am writing you. Since he declines to accept my proposition in letters dated, Feb. 22, and March 6th, to publish his side of the debate, this is to offer him his entire stenographic report of the debate provided he pays the cost I was out in having his side of the debate reported.
Yours very sincerely, J. Frank Norris
JFN : h
NOTE: The above letter is printed on page 190 of the Norris book. But he did not print the reply to it. That would have ruined him, as in the other cases. Already, we had offered to pay the costs of the transcript, but our offers had been ignored. However, my attorney answered this letter also and asked Norris to name the cost. He ignored the letter, never answered - but prints in his book that his "offers" were declined. The depravity of such a thing as this is almost total.
* * * *
March 27th., 1935.
My dear Dr. Norris:
Your letter of the 26th received, but I did not know that your proposition had been declined, and we were very, very anxious to publish this debate as delivered.
Wish you would advise me by return mail what the stenographical cost is of preparing his side of the debate, and of course, if we take it, it will be with the strict under
standing and agreement that no part of same will be used by you in the sale of your part of the debate in any way or manner. I am sure that we understand this matter.
I shall thank you to advise me by return mail, and oblige.
Yours very respectfully,
Nolan Queen, Attorney-at-Law.
The "offers" which Norris says were "declined" were not declined, but answered. His offer was accepted, and I postponed a meeting in a distant state in order to go to the appointed place at the appointed time, to receive and review the transcript of the debate according to Norris' "offer." I went. Neither Norris nor any of his men appeared. We contacted them, and they would not come. I waited a week and went home. Norris had his book on the press all the time and said that we "declined" his offer. Bogard says Norris exaggerates. I think it's something else.