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[[margin]] 377
May 15, 1905.

Dr. Guillermo Lauer, 
Harvard Hotel, 
Chicago, Illinois. 

My dear Dr. Lauer:- 
I have received your letters of the 1st. and 6th. insts. and would say in regard to them that I do not want to interfere with any of Prof. Holmes' plans and would therefore suggest that you write to him and state that you need the money and that unless he can buy the collection now you will have to sell it elsewhere. I should not have gone into the matter had you not written that Prof. Holmes had decided not to take the material. Now that I have interested a gentleman I am duty bound to see it through. My endeavors to help you have, I fear, led me into a tangle.  
To review the situation from the receipt of the material at the Museum I find that it was brought in with the understanding that Prof. [[strikethrough]] Hols [[/strikethrough]]Holmes was to buy it. The duty amounting to $22.00 was paid by the Museum and then the collection was unpacked. Prof. Holmes saw it and said that he did not know whether his Museum could use it. Later a letter was received from you in which you stated that Prof. Holmes did not want the specimens. You then offered them for $140.00. Prof Holmes wishes the collection held until August. You still wish to sell it at the price named. 
I can make this proposition - 
Offer to sell it to Prof. Holmes for cash and should he