 McCay was expected to report daily to the American building , where he shared a ninth @-@ floor office with humorist Arthur " Bugs " Baer and sports cartoonist Joe McGurk . There , he illustrated editorials by Arthur Brisbane , who often sent back McCay 's drawings with instructions for changes . The quality of his drawings varied depending on his interest in the subject of the assignment , whether or not he agreed with the sentiments portrayed , and on events in his personal life . For example , in March 1914 he was subjected to a blackmail plot by a Mrs. Lambkin , who was seeking a divorce from her husband . Lambkin alleged that McCay 's wife Maude was seeing her husband . With McCay 's level of fame , such a story would likely be in the papers , and Mrs. Lambkin and her husband told McCay that she would keep it secret for $ 1 @,@ 000 . McCay did not believe the allegations , and gave testimony at the Lambkins ' divorce trial . The blackmail failed , and the divorce was not granted . 
