MiSHAWAKA, Indiana, March 28, 1897 



John F. Steward, Esq., 



Chicago, 111. V 



Dear Sir : Yours of 25th Inst, has been received. Edward Stabler 

 was for many years a friend to whom I was indebted for many friendly acts. 

 I was for 25 years attorney for Whitely, Fassler & Kelley, and was therefore 

 intimately acquainted with 'Reaping and Mowing Machines. On that account 

 I assisted Edward Stabler in some patent matters in which the estate of 

 Obed Hussey was interested. Our conversations about Harvesting Machines 

 were frequent and I know from himself, not only the deep friendship he had 

 for Obed Hussey, but also that he was the author of the pamphlets and that 

 he had assisted Mr. Hussey in many other ways. He gave me the pamphlets 

 when they were already long out of print and rare. For that reason I would 

 rather not part with them. If they shall ever be required for proof, they will 

 be forthcoming, and you will know where to find them. 



Respectfully, . 



R. D. O. "SMITH, 



V 



