"Skinner" may be Charles A. Skinner: Universalist minister, and a friend of Barnum's. I don't understand the "American Museum" reference. Barnum's first American Museum burnt down in 1865. His second burnt down in 1868, two years before this letter. The American Museum of Natural History was founded around this time, but I don't think there's a connection. I managed to find a letter sold in 2015, which looks like a precursor to this one. The other letter appears to read:
Dear Skinner Above you have my note for $1000 for CT ... fund. When the proper time comes to gather in the shares I will send note or cash for my subscription towards CT quota of Centenary Fund. I will pay above interest annually & can very likely pay the principal in course of a year. Please send receipt of above as applying towards my subscription. Truly P.T. Barnum Feb 11 1870 My letter may be the follow-up, accompanying Barnum's principal payment to the fund. While I can't easily find a record of Barnum's donations for the year, I was able to find a record of interest payments to the Universalist General Convention (published 1871 in Minutes of the Universalist Convention) that may be connected. Phineas Taylor "P.T." Barnum was an American politician and businessman, today best known for his legacy as a showman, and as founder of the Barnum & Bailey Circus - coining the term "The Greatest Show on Earth." He's often associated with hucksters and hoaxes, having promoted things like the "Fiji mermaid," and sideshows featuring famous performers like Chang and Eng (a/k/a the Siamese Twins), and Charles Stratton (a/k/a General Tom Thumb). P.T. Barnum suffered a stroke in 1890 during a circus performance, passing away in Bridgeport, CT on April 7, 1891.
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Bernard Ernst (1879-1938) was Harry Houdini's lawyer, and president of the Society of American Magicians. Dr. Le Roi Goddard Crandon was a Boston surgeon and husband of Mina Crandon, famous debunked physical psychic medium. John McEntee Bowman was a hotel magnate, and a mutual friend of Conan Doyle and Houdini. Mr. Ernest G. Metcalfe was a lawyer. A fifth person, Fred Rafferty, editor of two books on automatic writing, is scratched out. Although the note is undated, the reverse bears a postmark of March 28, 1930 and an office stamp of April 7, 1930.
The book mentioned may be The Maracot Deep and Other Stories, published by Doubleday, Doran & Co. September 28, 1929 - the final book of Conan Doyle's released through that publisher prior to Conan Doyle's death in 1930. However, given the people Conan Doyle asks Mr. Doran to send the book to (and the timing of the letter), it's possible he is referring to The Edge of the Unknown, published in the U.S. in August 1930 (shortly after Conan Doyle's death) by G.P. Putnam's Sons. That's just speculation - I'm not aware of any connection between George Doran and G.P. Putnam's Sons, other than both were in New York. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish author, best known as creator of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle had a long-standing interest in the supernatural. During World War I he turned to spiritualism - the belief the dead have the ability to communicate with the living. He remained an active speaker on the subject for the rest of his life. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle passed away at Windlesham Manor, his home in East Sussex (where this letter was sent from), on July 7, 1930 of a heart attack.
Bram Stoker (1847-1912) was an Irish author best known for his novel, Dracula. During his lifetime he was personal assistant to Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theater. Bram Stoker passed away in London, England on April 20, 1912 following a series of strokes.
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