Mark Twain

Arriving in New York on October 15, 1900, Twain was greeted by press, dignitaries, and instant customs clearance. He celebrated clearing his creditors, voiced sharp opposition to US rule in the Philippines, and briefly revisited Hartford for Charles Dudley Warner’s funeral, confirming the family could not live again in their old house. 

Renting 14 West 10th Street, the Twain family plunged into Manhattan life: Banquets, interviews, a celebrated Lotos Club speech, and a headline-grabbing clash with an over-charging cabman. Meanwhile Jean’s epilepsy continued to be treated under Dr. Helmer’s osteopathic care, Livy and Clara battled recurring illnesses, and Twain invested heavily in the “miracle” food Plasmon while publicly championing osteopathy in Albany hearings.

Back in New York, Twain’s fame mutated into full-blown modern celebrity: Reporters trailed him, crowds applauded his strolls, and manufacturers clamored for endorsements. He deftly introduced the 26-year-old Boer-War hero Winston Churchill at the Waldorf, praising the man while condemning British and US imperialism alike. 

Newspapers mined his every quip, while Twain alternately courted and scolded them, fielding floods of autograph and blurb requests. He railed at publishing “sharks” even as lucrative uniform editions appeared. Turning reformer, he branded Tammany Hall, a political organization, a civic scourge, stumped—mostly with barbed humor—for Columbia president Seth Low, and helped the Fusion ticket sweep New York’s 1901 mayoral election.