David Fulton Karsner papers, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library
David Fulton Karsner (1889-1941) was an American journalist and biographer. After working on newspapers in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City, he became managing editor of the socialist newspaper The New York Call. He wrote books about his associate Eugene V. Debs, the socialist leader and presidential candidate, and biographies of Andrew Jackson and others. Collection consists of correspondence, writings, legal papers, photographs, and printed matter. Correspondence, 1912-1926, with Debs and others concerns socialist issues and the trial and imprisonment for treason of Debs. Also, some writings by Debs and Karsner, papers related to Debs's trial, photographs of Debs, and printed items.
The socialist, journalist, and biographer, David Fulton Karsner, was born in Baltimore in 1809, and died in New York City in 1941. His career as a newspaperman began in Chicago where he became friendly with Jack London and Carl Sandburg. In 1911 he returned to the east and worked on newspapers in Philadelphia and New York City and later became managing editor of the socialist New York Call. At this time he became a close associate of the socialist leader and presidential candidate, Eugene Debs. In 1919 he wrote Debs; His Authorized Life and Letters, and Debs Goes to Prison; and in 1922, Talks with Debs in Terre Haute, which was about Debs's imprisonment for treason in 1919. Karsner also wrote biographies of Andrew Jackson, and the millionaire, H. Tabot. At the time of his death Karsner was employed as a copy reader by the New York Post.
The papers consist of correspondence, 1912-1929, with Eugene V. Debs, his brother, Theodore Debs, and his wife, Kathryn M. Debs, and others, including, Theodore Dreiser, relating to socialist issues, and the trial and imprisonment for treason of Eugene V. Debs. There also are some writings by Debs and Karsner, papers relative to Debs's imprisonment, and photographs of Eugene Debs.
1948, Received from Mrs David E. Karsner (wife)
Accessioned by Richard Salvato, 4-27-1984
The rights to the letters from Eugene V. Debs are owned by the Eugene V. Debs Foundation, Inc