- March 16, 1928 – Lawyer to JSA
My dear Mr. Apperson:
I have your letter asking for my version of what happened at your camp on Lake George I the presence of yourself, Mr. Clifford Pettis and Mrs. Pettis.
As I remember the transaction, it was as follows, viz: – You, in some way had discovered that a Mr. Booth and a Mr. Suckman were negotiating for the purchase of lot N. 11, owned by Mrs. Marlow Merrill, and as I was attorney for Mrs. Merrill you asked me to meet you and Mr. Pettis at your camp, I did so, and in the presence of Mrs. Pettis and Mr. Pettis, you, and I discussed the situation. You stated to Mr. Pettis that these people who had an option on it must not be allowed to get into that section, as it might be much more difficult to get title from them than it would be from Mrs. Merrill, and you insisted that the State immediately take over the property to prevent this transfer.
The option which has been given by Mrs. Merrill to Suckman and others was not in my opinion, binding, because of the indefinite description of the property covered by the option, that is, it described the property as being on the opposite side of Northwest Bay Brook, from what it really was, and it had other legal defects.
Mr. Pettis said that it was impossible for the State to take this property over at once and stated to you in my presence that if you could furnish $800 and if I could get the title from Mrs. Merrill the State would take the property off from your hands as soon as arrangements could be made for the State to pay for it. You gave me a check for $800, I went up to Mrs. Merrill and had her execute the deed and it was my understanding that you were simply putting up the money for the State in order to protect the title to this property until the State could pay you the money back.
It has been some time since this transaction occurred and there my be other things that I could remember if my attention were specifically called to negotiations that took place at that time, but I am giving you off hand, what comes to my memory at the present time, but, as to the substance of the transaction, it revolved itself into the fact that you were not buying the property for yourself, but at Mr. Pettis’s suggestion, were putting up the money for the State, until money could be gotten in a legal way from the Comptroller to pay you back. [next page missing]