AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED, DATED OCTOBER 5, 1904, TO JOHN WINFIELD SCOTT, ESQ., ON LETTERHEAD OF THE REPUBLICAN CLUB OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, REGARDING THE MATTER OF MONEY OWED TO YRIGOYEN BY SCOTT, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BANKING CORPORATION, LIKELY RELATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL BANKING CORPORATION POTENTIALLY ENTERING INTO BUSINESS WITH THE PACIFIC COMPANY, OF WHICH YRIGOYEN WAS A BOARD MEMBER.
Single sheet folded to 6" x 7-1/4". [3], [1 blank] pp. Neat ink manuscript, dated with rubberstamp. Very Good. On stationery of "The Republican Club of the City of New York 54 & 56 West 40th Street."
The letter states in part [spelling and grammatical errors left in]:
"My dear Mr. Scott:
I desire to remember you that day after to morrow is Friday and I need the money you ofert to me, because Saturday and Sunday are practically feast days and in consequence I have only the Monday for making my arrangements. . . I am very considerate and not tiresome men and if you told me when I spoke with you that is imposible to the Company to have the money until a month or more I would have sorry because is not posible for me to cumply my engagements immidiately, but you told me every week I have the money the next week and according with your assurance I write every steamer that I will comply by the next steamer. I am now ashamed to write another time same thing. . . Over this bases I proceed and send 120 dollars to Lima, make payment for 25 and 37 or 62. The rest, 28 dollars is the only money I have in many days and I suppose this is not natural and are not your intention. If you told me: Mr. Yrigoyen, keep this money because for the company is imposible pay you more until 20 or 30 days I arranged of a other maner.
This money is not personal money, is not a present, is on account of my arrears. This one is the work of the best 9 years of my life. . . I am in no hurry and undowbtedly do not desire trouble yourself but it is not my fault and if you had told me to wait 20 o 30 days I would made the strings? in another manner and would not have put myself in this position. . . [signed] Jose M. Yrigoyen. . . I make all easy for you, please you make all easy for me."
"The Company" to which Yrigoyen refers was the Pacific Company, of which he was a director since its 1896 formation. The Pacific Company was a Virginia corporation based, in part, in Peru. with corporate powers to build or lease railroads anywhere in South America, to run steamboats, establish banks, docks, canals, wharves and the like. Yrigoyen and fellow director Isaac Alzamora were from Peru.
As early as 1901, Alzamora was corresponding with John Winfield Scott to seek closer commercial and social relations between the United States and Peru, including railroad concessions. The Pacific Company would be crucial for this purpose. Scott, of the International Banking Corporation, hoped to collaborate with the Pacific Company. Our letter indicates that Scott made financial promises to Yrigoyen which he was as yet unable to honor. ["Gigantic Scheme", Fort Wayne Weekly Journal, Indiana, December 10, 1896, p.16; "George Gardner papers, 1821-1900,", University of Michigan Clements Library description; Letter from Isaac Alzamora to John Winfield Scott, dated 10/04/1901 and letter from John Winfield Scott to James Sullivan Clarkson, dated 2/01/1905, website of Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University, accessed June 2025; "Financial News", Times Union, Brooklyn New York, April 9, 1896, p.4.]
Dr. Don Jose Maria Yrigoyen, appointed Charge d'Affaires of Peru in 1894, was a native of Peru but lived for a time in Washington D.C. and New York, where he conduced business. John Winfield Scott was born in Connecticut and worked as a broker in New Jersey and New York. He was connected with the International Banking Corporation for several years. Item #41077
Price: $150.00