Reading 4904-2

TEXT OF READING 4904-2

Text

Date: 1/26/1931 Sex: M ReadingID: 12924

This Psychic Reading given by Edgar Cayce at his office, 115 West 35th Street, Virginia Beach, Va., this 26th day of January, 1931, in accordance with request made by Mr. David E. Kahn.

[Edgar Cayce; Gertrude Cayce, Conductor; Gladys Davis, Steno. J. F. Drummond, W. W. Weaver, David E. Kahn, L. B. Cayce and Linden Shroyer.]

Time of Reading 4:40 P. M. Eastern Standard Time.

1. GC: You will have before you the bodies and the enquiring minds of David E. Kahn, J. F. Drummond and W. W. Weaver, present in this room, in relation to the Automatic Vending Insurance Machine on which information has been given through these sources. You will also have before you David E. Kahn’s associations with Harold Leopold of Chicago, Kirk Sullivan of Mills Novelty, and various enterprises. You will answer the questions which will be asked you concerning all of these.

2. EC: We have the bodies, the enquiring minds, and those associations, relations and conditions as respecting same. Ready for questions.

3. (Q) Has Kahn approached the best insurance group in Chicago through Leopold? (A) Has approached a good group. These may be combined and be made better.

4. (Q) What would be the better companies? (A) Combination of two or three, or more, of those that have been suggested, or those affiliated companies with the Continental.

5. (Q) What is the next move for Kahn to complete the negotiations? (A) After the completion of the machine, then gather together and complete the negotiations.

6. (Q) What should contract contain with insurance company for protection to inventors and Kahn group and associations? (A) That should be determined by the various groups as to what shall be the FUNCTIONING of the various groups, as to whether into a holdings company for patents or such, as for the distribution of machines and such, or as of the insurance and such, or other affiliated ideas as associated with same, or as to ONE company and a holdings company, and a combination. These should be determined among the group of those first interested.

7. (Q) How many machines for first building? (A) That will depend upon the interest shown by the insurance distributors and their affiliated or associated companies.

8. (Q) For what prices should policies sell? (A) Ten, twenty-five and fifty.

9. (Q) What added inducements should we offer with each policy? (A) The policy should be the main feature. The protection, the easy access for protection - that should be the main feature. Easy access to protection for the loved ones. Very good slogan!

10. (Q) What company should own the patents and give the agreement under which patents should be held? (A) Those patenting same!

11. (Q) Should we ask the patent office now for any additional protection for future aid? (A) Not yet. It’s not necessary as yet. This will only be necessary when there is the expansion of the patents in affiliated, or associated, or foreign countries, or added conditions to same as necessary through the various changes that may be found necessary in the putting together or the working out of the plans.

12. (Q) Please warn our legal representatives how to write an interlocking agreement that will be protection to the holding company? (A) This may be made very easy, for this should be as a separate and distinct interlocking by the directorship, rather than by other forces. Then, necessarily, it comes to the confidence to be placed in the individuals, and this is ever the case. If you haven’t confidence in individuals, don’t associate yourself!

13. (Q) Advise Kahn how to handle these details with greatest speed and to the satisfaction of the forces and associations. (A) These should be carried together as the various things, and let each outline that as their policy, that as their idea. Then put them DOWN! Not just outline them in speech! Then combine these, and then work them out on the legal phases. Do that. We are through for the present.

Copy to David E. Kahn ” ” Messrs. Weaver & Drummond Two copies to Ass’n office (Edgar Cayce’s file)

Reports

Reports & Follow-up

R1. 1/27/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

WEAVER AND DRUMMOND 422 Dickson Building Norfolk, Virginia

Mr. David E. Kahn New York City

Dear Mr. Kahn:

We are very much impressed by the showing of progress you have made thus far, as discussed yesterday, and we trust that things will proceed as well in the future.

In addition to what was said yesterday, we have a few things to suggest that might be helpful or advisable.

We understand that the Mills Novelty Company are engaged to make a model of the machine. We think it good engineering practise to have this model inspected by and turned out under the supervision of our engineer, as it is essential to have good workmanship, and the understanding of the designer is necessary in case of refinements. To illustrate: there are several springs which have been figured for us by the Barnes Spring Company to perform certain functions and give correct pressures as the weight of the cards lessens and the platform rises. There are other coordinating units that must be right and properly assembled.

Of course we are aware that the Mills Novelty Company has been building vending machines for years, yet a botch job is always possible, and would surely get us off on the wrong foot, which is a risk none of us would care to take. As your own experiences as a manufacturer probably tells you, factory men are always liable to make mistakes.

An additional use for the machine which can be taken up later is that a deal be made with some of the big industrial insurance companies who sell small policies to the laboring classes. These companies maintain enormous forces of “leg men” to sell and collect for policies at five or ten cents a week. Machines could be placed in contiguous grocery or drug stores to do most of the collecting and the men released to sell new business and pursue the delinquents. We could work on a commission basis or sell or lease the machines by the year.

We understand the Metropolitan has about thirty of these men in Norfolk alone. Each has what is known as a “debit”, or group of several hundred he has to visit each week collecting a few nickels from each. In larger centers they employ vastly more men.

Elbert Hubbard said “It is not what we know, but what we need to be reminded of, that does us good, and in that spirit, we are enclosing our original forecast of the possibilities of the machines as made up when we first began work on it. There may be some points in this that would be helpful to you.

Another suggestion comes to us at this time: If a machine is located in the New Yorker, a line on the bottom or face of the card might read “I am stopping at the NEW YORKER.” If in a Standard Oil Filling Station: “I am using STANDARD gas and oil.” This could be carried out indefinitely, perhaps at a profit, or a saving in percentage pain to the owner of the location.

To repeat the suggestions made yesterday:

(I) Prizes may be offered to school children for the best composition on the benefits we offer. The prizes should be big enough to induce every school superintendent in the country to announce it in his school. A college education to the best and lesser prizes in each locality.

(II) A key letter may be printed on each card, each different, but when put together to spell the work “POLICY”, and a prize awarded for the series. In this plan, only a certain number of one of the letters is issued. This would encourage buyers to collect cards.

(III) A specially colored card or two might be placed in each machine. The person buying the card would get his insurance coverage, and in addition be paid $10.00 for the card by the Home Office. A man winning a card would surely tell the world about it.

Now to take up a rather disagreeable subject; which we have already explained to Mr. Cayce:

You told us not to hold back anything, but to put all of our cards on the table; therefore we wish to explain that in developing this proposition we have spent what to us at this time is rather a large sum of money, as most of our resources are tied up in non-producing real estate. Our financial position is therefore rather strained, and as we have obligations which must be met, it will be necessary for us to have a few thousand dollars so that our minds may be clear to be on the job to help put this proposition over.

Now do not misunderstand us; we do not want YOU to put up one cent, and as a matter of fact you have already spent considerable in traveling etc., which should be refunded to you promptly.

No doubt you can arrange it so that a comparatively small amount can be paid to us out of the first available funds to clear up this situation.

We will then be ready to go to New York, Chicago or elsewhere and work with you in every way.

An expression from you will be appreciated.

With kindest regards and best wishes, we are,

Yours cordially, Weaver & Drummond

[signed] J. F. Drummond

Copy to Mr. Cayce

R2. 2/9/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

Mr. David E. Kahn New York City

Dear Mr. Kahn:

Mr. Weaver and I are awaiting with considerable interest, to hear from you regarding the progress you are making, and will certainly appreciate your keeping us informed.

Mr. Cayce reports he hasn’t heard from you since you left the Beach, but assures us we will have some word from you shortly, especially since we expected you back here by the 7th. inst. at latest.

You will of course realize that we are not urging you to make undue speed in the matter, but certain circumstances make us anxious to keep in touch with the situation at all times if possible.

Therefore we will certainly appreciate advices from you as often as possible.

With best wishes and kindest regards, we are,

Cordially, Weaver and Drummond

J. F. Drummond

Copy to Mr. Cayce

R3. 3/13/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

WEAVER AND DRUMMOND 422 Dickson Building Norfolk, Virginia Mr. David E. Kahn New York City

Dear Mr. Kahn:

This will acknowledge receipt of your letter and order to The Whaley Aircraft & Engineering Co., and same was turned over to them yesterday. As the writer told you over the telephone, they had already started on the machine.

Mr. Whaley appreciated very much your nice letter, and your assurance that he will be given the opportunity to figure with us in large quantities, and this will no doubt influence him in giving us a speedy and satisfactory job.

We are glad to know that you have made such successful progress, and as you state that you will probably be down next week, we think it would be wise for us to have a meeting at that time, and make our plans under the assumption that we are going to turn out a machine that will operate satisfactorily, and you may rest assured that we are going to do that.

If it is convenient to advise us a few days before arriving, it will be appreciated.

With best regards from both of us, we are,

Cordially, WEAVER & DRUMMOND. BY W. W. Weaver.

R4. 3/17/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

WEAVER AND DRUMMOND 422 Dickson Building Norfolk, Virginia

Mr. David E. Kahn New York City

Dear Mr. Kahn:

We wish to report that Mr. Whaley is making considerable progress with the machine. They have already out a number of parts, and promise considerably more progress by the end of this week.

We told him that we expect you down shortly, and he seems anxious to have the job well under way by the time you arrive.

We understand from your several letters that you have everything in good shape at your end. This is the side we have been satisfied to leave up to you, and have not discussed thoroughly, but now we would appreciate an outline of the basis you are working on with the insurance company, and capital, so we may be sufficiently familiar with your ideas to discuss them intelligently at the proper time.

This will be greatly appreciated, and carefully studied. Awaiting a reply at your earliest convenience, we are, with kindest regards,

Cordially, WEAVER & DRUMMOND BY W. W. Weaver.

CC to Mr. Cayce.

R5. 4/11/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

Mr. David E. Kahn New York, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Kahn:

The writer has just returned from Whaley’s and is glad to report that things are progressing splendidly on the machine.

We are now assembling the parts, and have been working more specifically on the delivering device, which we tried out this morning and found to give entirely satisfactory results.

By next Monday this will be set into the box, and we have enough to show in the way of operative mechanism to interest you whenever you can come down.

We went to see Mr. Cayce a few days ago and reported progress to him in detail. You have perhaps heard from him.

We are doing our utmost to expedite the building of the machine, and hope to see you whenever you can come to Norfolk.

With very best wishes from Mr. Weaver and myself, we remain,

Cordially yours, Weaver & Drummond J. F. Drummond

R6. 4/25/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

WEAVER AND DRUMMOND 422 Dickson Building Norfolk, Virginia

Mr. David E. Kahn New York City

Dear Mr. Kahn:

We are progressing very satisfactorily with the machine, and should have it in operation fully in a few days.

We should have had it done by this time, but for the installation of the clocking devices. As we told you, the Time Recorder people were kind enough to furnish us with the nearest thing they had to our requirement, which is one of their “standard” outfits.

This had to be modified by us to fit the machine, and we are now making proper carriages and operating cams, which should be done during the coming week.

We are going carefully on the construction, as we want it to meet requirements, so cannot make a too hasty job of it.

You may expect to hear from us with a report shortly after the middle of the week, by which time we will be much nearer completion.

With kindest personal regards, we are,

Cordially yours, Weaver & Drummond J. F. Drummond

Copy to Mr. Cayce

[P.S.:] Dear Mr. Cayce:-

This is in reply to a short note from Mr. Kahn asking for a report of progress. J. F. D.

R7. 4/28/31 DEK’s letter to Mr. Drummond:

Weaver and Drummond 422 Dickson Building Norfolk, Va.

Dear Mr. Drummond:

I note your letter of April 25th and I am very anxious to get a-hold of this machine as quickly as possible as I have made no arrangements for the cabinet with it until we see the machine operate.

The people out West are getting very anxious and we must not delay any longer than we have to.

Please rush this as quickly as possible. I will expect to hear from you shortly after the middle of the week as to when you expect to bring it to New York.

With kindest personal regards, I am

Cordially, David E. Kahn/BBS

R8. 4/29/31 […]‘s (?) letter to Mr. Cone:

Detroit, Mich.

Mr. S. I. Cone, 1428 Prentis Ave., Portsmouth, Va.

Dear Sir:-

We cut the Westinghouse worm wheel the latter part of last week, and got by far the best wheel that has heretofore been produced. There was no sign of any ridge or hollow, and the finish was perfect. The Westinghouse people were very much pleased with the job, and the Chief Engineer made the remark that the finish was by far the best that he had ever seen on any worm wheel.

The new housing will not be ready for about thirty days, and I am therefore back in Detroit where I arrived last Sunday night in connection with the work we are doing at the Michigan Tool Company. We encountered twelve separate and distinct snow storms on the way here but arrived safely.

We have now completed the backing off of the Mack Truck hob, which is the first job so far as I know, that has ever been backed off by the new principle. The new machine worked perfectly, and we have every reason to believe that with a hob fluted straight through the axis we can get accurate production jobs at cost, which are not so much different from the standard commercial straight hob.

The Michigan Tool people seem well pleased with the results so far. We have received from the Mack truck people four worm blanks and three sector blanks, together with one complete housing. We expect to cut one sector some time this week, and will then be able to ascertain the type of finish that this hob will produce, and also ascertain the fit with one of the worms which has already been cut.

We are going to experiment then with the grinding of both hob and worm. Of course it is too early yet to predict how the grinding operation will turn out. I am also conducting certain experiments to ascertain the cutting effect of hobs having acute and obtuse cutting edges. I am also discussing more or less informally with the Michigan Tool Company, the question of manufacturing in a limited way gear sets for sale to certain concerns that are having serious trouble with worm gears.

We have already sent you the plans of the machine which was built here, and I will be glad if you will send me, at the earliest convenience a photostatic copy of the general arrangement plan which was sent you.

I am also sending you a plan showing a fixture which is used for backing off purposes, which was omitted when the other plans were sent you.

Sincerely yours,

R9. 5/1/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

Mr. David E. Kahn New York, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Kahn:

We saw Mr. Cayce Tuesday night and asked him to report progress to date to you upon his arrival in New York.

We told him the International Business Machines Corporation was sending an engineer down from Endicott, N.Y., to consult with us on the design of a special clock to work in the machine when we are ready to go into quantity production.

Yesterday this engineer, Mr. V. O. Sturtevant, spent the entire day with us and went over the machine very thoroughly, and we are pleased to say, he pronounced it mechanically sound and efficient. He is returning, and will immediately proceed to design the necessary mechanism, with due regard to simplicity and economy. He thinks it would be better to have a clock dial included on the face of the machine, and will figure both with and without this addition.

In view of his expected visit, we decided it best to get the benefit of his check up of our plan to adapt the temporary stamping head to this machine before proceeding to install it. Although this caused us to lose a day or two, it served well to confirm our ideas by having the opinion of an expert in this particular branch of engineering.

We realize you are anxious to get the machine out, and so are we, and assure you we are making all the time we possibly can with certainty, but we must have it right.

We expect our detail design to be completed tonight, and we will begin cutting out the parts and installing them at once.

Will send you a further report within a few days.

With kindest regards, we are,

Cordially yours, Weaver & Drummond J. F. Drummond

Copy to Mr. Cayce

R10. 5/24/31 See 257-69 giving further information on automatic vending machine.

R11. 5/29/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

Mr. David E. Kahn 44 West 77th Street, Apartment 14 W, New York, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Kahn:

We are very much amazed at the turn things have taken and to say that we are disappointed expresses it mildly. Naturally after your promise to send Mr. Whaley a check Monday without fail, we expected things to go forward without further delay, and now that Mr. Whaley has been put off all week he naturally feels very much disgruntled, for which we cannot blame him, as he has certainly tried to get along, even to an unreasonable extent.

Monday morning he had two men working on the machine, and supervised it himself. Tuesday, not receiving your check he “knocked off” one man. Wednesday not receiving it, he had one man working, part time, and Thursday still not receiving it he stopped altogether, and this is the way the situation now is.

We had two interviews with Mr. Cayce yesterday, and told him our predicament, and he thinks as we do that the time has now come for a definite understanding between us as to what we can positively expect from you.

We have done our best to carry on since last November, a period of seven months, in spite of the lack of financial assistance from you, but this time cannot be extended, as we tried to impress on you last Saturday and Sunday, and it is an unqualified fact that unless immediate plans are made to care for the completion of the machine and enough money to meet our personal obligations, we shall be compelled to, and will accept another proposition.

It will take not less than $3,000.00 to finish paying for the machine, and to advance us sufficient money to relieve us, and we cannot wait any longer than Saturday - June 6th - to have this money in hand. If you are unable to raise this money, we regret it exceedingly, but we must protect ourselves.

This letter is not written as a threat, or a bluff, but is a simple statement of facts. We have on numerous occasions written you that we must have money, but these letters have all been ignored.

We will of course reimburse you for what you have advanced toward the machine, and also take care of Mr. Cayce.

We have the most cordial feeling toward you Mr. Kahn, and should be very disappointed to be compelled to connect up with others in this proposition, but we have gone as far as possible on prospects, and must now have material evidence of good faith, without further delay.

We think you will understand our attitude, and agree that it is entirely reasonable and with no personal feeling, but rather an effort to determine precisely where we stand.

Unless we have your acceptance of our requirements by Tuesday

• June 2nd - we shall assume that you cannot meet our terms and consider the matter closed.

With kind personal regards, we are,

Cordially yours, WEAVER AND DRUMMOND

[signed] J. F. Drummond

CC to: Mr. Edgar Cayce, Virginia Beach, Va.

R12. 5/29/31 David E. Kahn’s letter to EC:

FEDERAL WOOD PRODUCTS CORPORATION Manufacturers of QUALITY CABINETS

Executive Offices 419-421 Lafayette Street New York, N.Y.

Mr. Edgar Cayce 115 West 35th Street Virginia Beach, Va.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Dear Judge:-

I have been away and was unable to get the check out as I promised because of the fact that I was not in my office to sign same. You will note the checks were made out on May 27th so I am sending the check to you to deliver to Mr. Whaley personally. He told me he stopped work on it Thursday night because he had not received the check. I wired him the check would not be mailed until Thursday and wrote him on Monday as I dictated the letter over the telephone to Miss Sidelman. I wish you would keep after him as strongly as you can, to get the machine ready by the 6th as I am writing today to Chicago to have Mr. Emerich meet me at Virginia Beach. As soon as you see the machine, wire me as to whether you believe it advisable to have Mr. Emerich meet me at Virginia Beach. If you believe not, then I will wire him and cancel the trip for him.

Please have Gladys send me a list of the people that I am to telephone about coming down to the Beach. Please keep Friday open as I expect to have a number of people down with me and we may want to do something on the new development. I am sending you two other checks, one to repay you the 100. and the other 100. that I mentioned to you.

I hope this takes care of your affairs at the present time.

Jerome Danzig told me to remind him as soon as he gets home as he had forgotten to mail you the check, but he will mail it on the 16th of June.

I hope everything will be straightened out this time and you will then be able to go forward.

Please thank Gertrude also for her courtesy to me while at the Beach and I hope to see all of you soon.

All the family join me with love.

Sincerely, [signed] Dave

DavidEKahn/BBS Encl.

Be certain to limit the expenditure to the price Mr. Whaley agreed $750.00.

R13. 6/1/31 Mr. Whaleys’s receipt:

WHALEY AIRCRAFT & ENGINEERING COMPANY Princess Anne Road & Virginian Railway Norfolk, Virginia

Received from Mr. Edgar Cayce and Mr. David E. Kahn, the sum of $300,00 (Three Hundred Dollars) to apply on the account of Weaver & Drummond, for experimental vending machine.

WHALEY AIRCRAFT & ENGINEERING CO.

By [signed] Edward A. Whaley Proprietor

R14. 6/8/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

Mr. David E. Kahn Chicago, Ill.

Dear Dave:

The enclosed letter is written rather formally, as you may want to show same to your people.

The machine really did work quite well when it left here, and should not give you any trouble, but if anything serious develops Drummond will come right out if you wire for him.

You will notice that one side of the box is screwed in, and if you will have the porter you get to unpack same use a screw driver and machine should slide out easily.

Please see that the time clock heads are up before operating, and do not jerk the handle in pulling. We think it will stand the “jerk” but want the demonstration to go off without a hitch if possible. Be sure to pull the lever all the way, with a steady stroke, returning it easily. Both sides should work without any trouble.

We feel sure that you are going to “Put it over”, and want you to know that we are with you 100%, and there are really no mechanical difficulties to overcome in making our next machine a perfect one.

We know you realize our immediate need of funds, and we feel quite sure that you are going to make the Chicago people “come across” with enough to get us over this hill, and also to reimburse you. If you can do this we know that our success is assured.

Please keep us posted with wire or telephone.

With kind regards, we are,

Cordially, Weaver & Drummond. By

We are sending the coin device by parcel post, special delivery.

R15. 6/8/31 Weaver and Drummond’s letter to David E. Kahn:

Mr. David E. Kahn Chicago, Ill.

Dear Mr. Kahn:

As per our wire of this afternoon we shipped the machine to you by express, and same should arrive without fail Wednesday morning. If it should fail to arrive on time please wire.

As we explained to you Saturday we shipped this machine today “As Is”, as you want to demonstrate it while in Chicago. Of course you understand that it is in rather a crude state, and needs some refinement, but the principle is O.K., and we have gone of [over?] same carefully and know all of the defects, and there is absolutely nothing that cannot be corrected, and refined in our next machine.

As explained to you the time clock used is purely a “make shift” affair just to demonstrate the principal, and the International Time Recorder Co. have designed a clock to be used in our next machine which they will guarantee to stamp the card plainly with the correct time.

In our next machine it will be advisable to either to put on another handle on the 5 cent side (you may want to make this 10 cents) or else make the shaft larger, as there is too much twist for the size of the shaft.

However as mentioned above all of those things can be very easily taken care of, and we are pleased to state that this machine really serves its purpose in demonstrating that it will deliver a policy, timed and dated upon depositing the required coin.

This machine worked nicely when it left here, and we had same packed very carefully, and marked so that it should be handled carefully, and arrive in good condition.

If for any reason it should not arrive in good condition, and does not work satisfactorily we think it would be best for you to wire us so that our Mr. Drummond can come to Chicago, for we want this demonstration to be satisfactory, and there is absolutely no reason why it should not be.

Please let us hear from you at your earliest convenience.

With kind regards, we are,

Yours very truly, WEAVER & DRUMMOND. BY. WW/S

R16. 6/12/31 Statement:

WHALEY AIRCRAFT & ENGINEERING COMPANY Princess Anne Road & Virginian Railway Norfolk, Virginia

Weaver & Drummond Norfolk, Va.

Terms: Cash

April 23 $262.69 ” 23, 174.00 May 6, 6, 101.00 ” 28, 240.50

778.19 May 12, Credit 100.00 June 1, ” 400.00 300.00

378.19 Balance of 378.19 Paid by Draft on New York, which when honored constitutes a receipt in full for this account.

WHALEY AIRCRAFT & ENGINEERING COMPANY

[signed] B Downs

R17. 6/20/31 See 4904-3.

Background

Background

B1. See 4904-1.

Mentioned Entities

David Kahn, King David, New York City, Chicago, Book of Job, Virginia Beach, Gertrude Cayce, Gladys Davis, Purpose, Well Shaft (Pyramid)

Source: The Complete Edgar Cayce Readings, A.R.E. CD-ROM (2006). Reading 4904-2, ReadingID 12924.