Abraham Lincoln to Lewis M. Hays, 11 November 18531
Springfield, Illinois–Novr 11– 1853–L M. Hays Esq,[Esquire]Dear Sir:
Inclosed is the draft for one hundred dollars–2 Absence from home prevented my receiving your letter of the 12th Oct[October] until yesterday–3
Yours truly–A. Lincoln2Lincoln successfully served as attorney for Lewis M. Hays in a lawsuit against George W. Turley, resulting in a $116.90 judgment in favor of Hays. Lincoln retained $16.90 for lawyer’s
fees and owed Hays the remaining $100.
Abraham Lincoln to Lewis M. Hays; Hays v. Turley, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://www.lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=136157.
3Hays’ letter of October 12, 1853 has not been located. Lincoln returned to Springfield
on November 10, 1853, after traveling more than nine weeks on the Eighth Judicial Circuit.
The Lincoln Log: A Daily Chronology of the Life of Abraham Lincoln, 5 September 1853, http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1853-09-05; 10 November 1853, http://www.thelincolnlog.org/Results.aspx?type=CalendarDay&day=1853-11-10.
Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s), GLC00756, Gilder Lehrman Collection (New York, New York).