New York, 15 June 1855
Dear Brother,

The absence of a reply from you to my letter of May 2nd, which you should have received on the 16th, because the National Zeitung answered me under date of the 19th, I surmise that you were not successful in obtaining; my money from Katz (incidentally, it was hard-earned money) and I only hope treat in this case you followed my request to insert the ad in the Madgeburger paper. I trust I will get a letter from you in a few days. Meanwhile: I don't want to let the affair with Katz rest. Actually I am more furious at the meanness and rascality of this scoundrel than I am at the loss of the 55$ although, of course, I could readily use the money, after waiting for it for over a year, especially considering the present state in the U.S. of hard-times. I am firmly determined to keep after the affair, if only to teach a lesson that he can't get away with this sort of shenanigan even though he is 3000 miles away from here.

I haven’t had a reply from Elze either, up to now, although I didn’t expect anything from him except an excuse. The most recent steamer from Liverpool left there June 2, so Elze had almost 14 days to answer. That he hasn’t makes him an accessory to the Katz rascality.

I intend and to bring a suit in court against Katz and for this purpose I have written to August Köppe and am enclosing this letter, as well as one to Elze, so that, contrary to expectation, the money has meanwhile been paid, you can hold the letters. I suspect that Katz will not have answered you at all, their rascal believes that, at this distance, I don’t have any weapons to use against him (them). In this he is mistaken. Even if Köppe doesn't want to get mixed up in this, I can find other methods, at least to punish him morally.

You will understand my bitterness when I tell you that I asked a very minimum for my articles for the "Atlantis" because Elze said it was in precarious financial straits. Everybody would laugh at me if I mention what I did it for. At the very least the articles should have brought me $720, I know very well how much literary articles are worth, even in Germany, and know how much I have been paid for similar articles by other publications. - So, once more send the letters on if you haven't heard. Meanwhile friendly, brotherly greetings from my wife to you and the others.

Your faithful brother
Hermann Raster

PS: If the money should have been received by the time this letter arrives, burn the two enclosed. Otherwise put them in addressed envelope and send them on.