Letter from George Haven Putnam to Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): Libel and slander, McAvoy, Thomas F., 1848-1933, New York (N.Y.). Police Department, New York (N.Y.). Police Dept., New York (State)--New York, New York (State). Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, Police corruption
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George Haven Putnam asks President Roosevelt for his assistance in combating possible libel charges brought by Deputy Commissioner of Police Thomas F. McAvoy. McAvoy has “taken the first steps in a libel suit” seeking damages of fifty thousand dollars for “utterances” Putnam made in a recent political campaign. Putnam reminds Roosevelt of the “serious charges” brought against McAvoy “some years back” for accepting bribes prior to Roosevelt’s tenure as Commissioner of Police in New York City, and asks Roosevelt if he could provide information about the matter to be used in the “strictest possible confidence.”
Collection
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Creation Date
1905-12-01
Creator(s)
Putnam, George Haven, 1844-1930
Recipient
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
Language
English
Period
U.S. President – 2nd Term (March 1905-February 1909)
Repository
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
Page Count
4
Production Method
Record Type
Multi-image
Resource Type
Rights
These images are presented through a cooperative effort between the Library of Congress and Dickinson State University. No known restrictions on publication.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from George Haven Putnam to Theodore Roosevelt. [December 1, 1905]. Library of Congress Manuscript Division.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o51966. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Putnam, George Haven, 1844-1930. Letter from George Haven Putnam to Theodore Roosevelt. [1 Dec. 1905]. Multi-image.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 15, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o51966.
APA:
Putnam, George Haven, 1844-1930., [1905, December 1]. Letter from George Haven Putnam to Theodore Roosevelt.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o51966.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. January 15, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
APA:
Library of Congress Manuscript Division. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/library-of-congress-manuscript-division.
