Correspondence, documents, and financial records relating almost entirely to the last ten years of Cora Crane's life, dealing largely with the operation of her brothel, The Court, and touching on her last marriage to Hammond P. McNeil and to her work on the invention of a new army canteen. Much of the collection consists of bills, receipts, insurance policies, cancelled checks, and other fairly routine financial papers. Also, a Harold Frederic manuscript and the last known signature of Stephen Crane.

Papers dealing with Johnson's public life in New York City and in the New York State Senate. While Assistant Alderman, Johnson received numerous letters of application from citizens seeking patronage for a variety of municipal offices, ranging from requests to be a night watchman to a position as a municipal court justice. Also, letters, reports, and other documents relating to various municipal services such as health, welfare, fire fighting, street maintenance, water, sewers, railroads, ferries, and stage coaches. Some letters and documents concern Whig Party politics in the 3rd Ward. Johnson's correspondence as a New York Society Library Trustee refers to the proposed merger with the New York Athenaeum. Also, twelve items relating to his term in the State Senate, covering taxation and control of foreign laborers.