Dayton, April 24, 1904
It had not occurred to me that Willey could be prosecuted under the criminal law. It was my general impression that criminal forgery had reference to legal documents only, and that such forgery as Willey perpetrated would have to be reached by a damage suit like any case of fraud.
A letter from Mr. Hollands1 mentions that a former letter about a year ago was never answered. I think that he has forgotten that he wrote to you, instead of to me, and that the answer was returned through you. He certainly did not write directly to me unless the letter was lost in transmission.
The French prize of aviation is certainly interesting and we shall be glad to know more of the details as they become known. It is probable that the flight must be made in France, but this would be no insuperable objection if the prize be sufficient to justify a trip to Europe.
Work on the new machine is progressing and we hope to have it finished in three or four weeks.
1 Dated London, March 12, 1904. 4 Ferber to Chanute, Apr. 14, 1904. Berck refers to Berck sur Mer, on the western coast of the Pas de Calais; actually, the experimental grounds were at Merlimont, some miles from Berck. For an earlier reference to Ferber's motor machine, see n. 4, Chanute to Wilbur Wright, Mar. 3, 1904. Archdeacon's machine is pictured in Plate 110.