REMARKABLE CAREER OF AN AMERICAN SPECULATOR.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3944, 13 April 1870, Page 4

REMARKABLE CAREER OF AN AMERICAN SPECULATOR.

The Neio York Herald of the 7th inst. gives a history of James Fisk, jun., oneof the moat remarkable men in the United States at the present time. The atory fills several closely printed columns ; and, as it contains many passages of general interest, we propose to give the substance thereof in a condensed form. An extraordinary money panic took placte hi New York some time ago, brought about by the operations and manipulations o£ the " Gold Ring" — a knot of speculators who seemed determined to enrich themselves by a stroke of policy which may well be called stupendous. The whole country was to be taught the power of the " Ring ;" stocks of all kinds were to be laid under contribution ; foreign exchanges thrown into confusion and values unsettled, so that the speculators might be enabled to carry away enormous fortunes from the national gambling board. The scheme, we are told, was Herculean aa well as complicated. It included vast transactions in gold looking to a ris\e, and transactions no less vast in stocks looking to a fall. It ramified far into politics. If high officials could not be drawn into the conspiracy directly, means must be devised to create a belief that they were implicated, for the purpose of producing effects upon others. The Prefsid^nt was therefore waylaid on his summer journeys by members of the clique ; traps were cunningly set for him and for the Secretary of the Treasury, and both were persecuted with impertinent letters of advice. Members of General Grant's staff were approached with audacious bribes in the form of gold-purchasers, with the clique money on their behalf. The relatives of Mra. Grant were inveigled into the ring, and shamefully garbled telegrams were handed about, tending to create the impression that the Administration could be relied on. The project ultimately failed through the prompt action of tlie American Government, tout its very conception 1 proved beyond question that the "ringleaders" were capable of daring ventures. Of these leaders the most intrepid and the most subtile was James Fisk, jun., the subject of the present notice. Young Fisk was born in the State of Vermont, and began life in the employment of his father, and soon proved himself more than a match for the old man. The latter became alarmed at the pushing character of Jim, who seemed to fear for nothing. The senior partner believed that the schemes of his junior were too wild ; that he would bring ruin upon him ; And that their liabilities — then frightfully large — would, with the young man's reckless management, result iu the father's early and complete failure. It was when the old man gave vent to these fearful anticipations that the enterprising son made the bold proposition to buy out the father's interest, but retain the father in bis employ at a regular salary. They were both riding upon the box of the wagon between Putney and Brattleboro ; and, after having discussed the matter pretty freely, the elder Fisk said : — " Well, James, how much of a salary will you give me ?" " I will'give you $3, 000 a year, father," was the quick" reply of Fisk, jun. "It's a bargain, then," responded Fisk, sen. ' ' All right, " said young Jim ; ' ' but I want you to understand distinctly that you are my ! clerk, and I don't want you to put on any of your cursed airs." After this Jim had it all his own way, and the country merchants in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Western Massachusetts soon found him a formidable rival among their custonieis, ami his visits were anything but* welcome in their respective neighbourhoods. The teams which he used to drive through the country were very elegantly and elaborately decorated, and his advent into the country towns of the Connecticut valley was long and eagerly anticipated by his lady patrons. Sometimes he would drive four, and often six horses, and his heavy wagoa, a re&pectably sized retail store in itself, was always tastefully painted and ornamented, and was an admired sight as well as a good advertisement all along its various routes. Sometimes he and his father went together, and occasionally they would take separate teams and drive over different routes. Jim, as well as his father before him, purchased a large portion of their goods from the firm of Jordan, Marsh, and Co., of Boston. The business qualifications of Young Fisk at length attracted the attention of the firm, and he was induced to enter their service. About this time the war broke out, and immediately thereafter all kinds of buisness became paralysed, or rather demoralised. But the army needed clothing, and Jim' Fisk set himself out to obtain a share of the Government plunder. He learned that a Mrs. Moore, wife of Erasmus D. Moore, of Boston, through the influence of Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts, had obtained a contract for furnishing the troops in the field withunderclothing. To make the acquaintance of thig lady was Fisk's ambition, and the result waa that she awarded the sub-contract to his firm. From this contract grew others from the same source, and the profits realised by the Jordan andMarchnrmwereimmense. Mr. Jprdanand the other partners at once became convinced that Fisk was more useful in other spheres than that of apedler, and he was soon taken in the concern. He continued as active and energetic as before, and in every speculation in which he engaged the capital invested waa speedily doubled, and in some instances tripled and quadrupled. There was a large lot of cotton blankets in the store, which, had been on hand for several years, and the stock was regarded as almost worthless. One day Fisk told his partner that he thought he could dispose of them to "good ' advantage, but precisely how he would' not op did not explain. They laughed, and told him to go ahead and sell them at any price. . He went to Washington and hired an elegant suite of apartments in Willard's, and commenced entertaining, on a grand scale, 'the various officers of the army. The QnattermasterGeneral, among others, became fascinated with his acquaintance and hospitality, and it has not long before Fisk found out that the army was in pressing need of a large supply of just such blankets as those he had in Boston. Fortunately, if not accidentally, he happened to have a few hundreds with him as specimens, and when they were exhibited the Government not only bought all that Jordan, Marah, and Co. had on hand at a fibulous price, but awarded a contract for a large number in addition. It is estimated that from this transaction the contracts obtained exceeded over a million dollai'3, with & clear profit of from §200, 000 to .$300,000. The next original stroke for wealth was in the purchase of cotton, vhich was now selling for from $1 75c. to $1 89c. per pound in New York and Boston. Large quantities of it he ascertained were heW inside the rebel lines, and could be bought for a mere song, say from ten to thirty cents per pound. How to get it through was an enigma which had been considered by many, but Fiak was the first to solve it. There was a young man from Boston, an old friend of Fisk's, who was Government superintendent of the military railroads in Tennessee, and in that vincity was stored a large amount of the desired cotton. He took a hasty trip to Memphis to ascertain the situation, and learn if there were not some way by whioh it could, be purchased and brought safely through the fines to the Northern Market. He wag at once satisfied that the thing could be done if the qo-operation of some military officiate could be obtained, and, this having been assured, he returned to Boston to make hia preparations. To do the buying and shipping inaide the rebel lines was a difficult and somewhat dangerous task ; but if it could be done - successfully there was an immense fortune to be made. He did not care to engage in the business himself; but, like the late Artemus Ward, he was willing to sacrifice his relatives. He therefore secured the services of his father ; also those of a woman* the latter doing most of the business inside the rebel lines, and Mr. Fisk, sen., attending to the shipping of the cotton North after it had been purchased. Everything, as previously arranged by young Fisk and carried out under his direction, worked to a charm, and not leas

than a million doll.u-4 px-ofit was realised by the operation. He also engaged in. other schemes in rapid succession, as op^ lovtimities were afforded from time to time by the war, and in nearly every instance large amounts of money wove made. Notwithstanding Fisk made the Joidan, Marsh, and Coinpiny firm the forcmo&t in Boston, its busiiujs was not sufficient to satisfy his ambit-, u. He, therefoie, after a connection of ahoat two years, diew out, with a large foitui.e. He then engaged m discriminate]}- m c jlton and other .spccnlalion.% and had a \ I ore on the corneiof Sumnor-and-Chancery-streets, iu Boston. Dm mg 3ns business career m this city, as well as since, Fisk dealt with life everywhere on a g.wnd scale. Ho was always bef oi e the public in. some form or other, bat of course not so conspicuously as dimng the past year or two. He sailed lound upon the smfacc of the best society in Boston ; and upon all social occasions there \\ ere few present more gay r.nd festive than Jim Fisk. About tho tune that U left the firm of Jordan, Marsh, and Co., tUeio was a grand complimentary ball in honour of him at the Boston Minic Hall, and at the time it was justly resided as one of the most brilliant and lmjuitlcent affahs of the season. Evei\thm._ v.:u provided in the most ele:r M < l ""^d f-'joral manner, and the occasion \v iu the fchtnu of happy gossip in Boston for many weeks after. "When his j military reput \> on was at its height General McC'lcl'lan came on a visit to Boston, and there was much dissatisfaction on the pait of the public because he became the guest of Mr. Fisk and a feAV other gentlemen. Wherever the General want, his movements were directed by the ii i epressible Jim, and the then great military hero of the day seemed to be very much carried away with him. He started a Hue of steamers, which proved a great success, and purchased an Opera House in New York for 820,000 dollars, which proved a decided failure. "But oven xn this speculation the n repressible Fisk rose superior to circumstances. Although^ he failed as a theatiical manager, he eoniiivcd to get the Erie Railway Company to occupy the building n«i office*, and to pay him a rental of 75,000 dollais per annum for tho same. At length he became supreme dictator of this important corporation, and intrenched, himself aa such in the directorate in spite of the most determined opposition. Fisk out-generalled all of his opponents, and obtained and now maintains the supreme management of the road — a thoroughfare hardly second in importance to any other in the country. That he acquired great wealth from his operations is a fact generally admitted, but. there are many who always have and always will cjuesticm whether or not his transactions were uniformly guided by an honest purpose. "Whether this is so or not, it is absolutely ccitain that those who fought against him were not sjo-y to resort to any available means to carry their point, but at every corner Fibk met and. defeated them. Suits and litigations almost without number hive grown out of his manipulations, and there is prohably not a Court in New York and few in New Jersey where the naino of James Fisk, jun., does not appear upon the records in from one to a hundred cases, in which the Erie Railroad is involved as plaintiff or defendant A groat deal having been said at one time and anoiher about the inflation of Erie stock by Fisk and Gould, it may be well to record it here, a3 a matter of history, that the stock of the corporation was increased from 34,263,300 dollars, July 1, 1 868, when Fisk ousted lnew, to 57.766.300 pn the 24th of October of the saute year, or to the amount V 235.00!) shares in four months, all of which was done without any consultation of the Bo ml of Directors. Daring all this inflation there was the wildest excitement in New Yoik, .'lid gieat inteiest throughout the gountoy. It iras at one time tivon out in some Qf the papers that Fisk ad run away to Canada with millions of the Erie funds, a:id so credulous was the public concerning anything in which Fisk was implicated, that tho story was partially believed. Ho denied it mo^t indignantly the day following, however, and commenced several suits against the newspapers for defamation of character — but nothing has ever yet been heard from them. Charles Francis Adams, jun., author of the famous "Chapter in Eiie," published in the North American Review, says : — ff Tl}e .spring and autumn of 1§G8, and the spring, summer,' and autumn ot 1S00, had seen the last appliances of civilisation pciverted into the machinery of organised theft, and through them acts of fraud, treachery, and violence had been unbiushhigly perpetiated before all men. Since the days of the feudal barons no private hands had wielded such power in a way so nusmvpulous. lli-sk will not deter them — fqr min cannot touch them ; to them belongs the gain, but not to them the loss. Other depredators, by sea and by land, fly from tho officers of justice, but these men ever find securest shelter under the protection of com ts of law whose- magistrates they make. Safe in that protection, cowed but not subdued, it is fit and projier here to leave them, masters of Frie, and, aa a consequence, masters of the situation, but a blot upon the civilisation of the nineteenth century, and a lasting disgrace to that fin an- j cial and commercial organism which renders possible, and that public opinion which tolerates, their existence, " It will he seail ft ; om the foregoing narrative that James Fisk, jun., is an extraordinary man. He started with nothing, and now before reaching the prime of life lie is a millionaire. He has settled several hundred. piousaiKJi dollars qn'V 3 T^if 6, "aAd if hiswhold fortune should l>c 'swept away in some adventurous speculation he will not come to want in consequence. He has a great many warm enemies and a score of earnest friends. He is generous, social, and warin-hearted, and has "a sort of winning way" in his tenetal deportment, whiqh it is, nnpqs&Ible tq escribe, and almqsi impossible to resist. |Je is qne of those kind of men with whom it i3 much, better to be on friendly terms than otherwise ■ for he will go far out of his way to obtain redress for a real or fancied wrong. He is, or has been, intimate with men of all classes — from the President of the United States downj and, what is more remarkable, his acquaintance ia sought by the vevy ones who denounpe him. Mr, Fisk haa been married about a dozen years, but if ho should die to-morrow there would ho no descendant heira to his vast wealth. His wife was a Miss Lucy D.- Moore, a Springfield girl, possessing l'are accomplishments as well as staking beauty. She is. short and chubby, like Fisk himself, and the t vo together make a very handsome as well as a very comical couple. They live very happily iogethei* not?- and always have, idle gossip pp - the contrary notwithstan ding. Mr. Fi sk supports a nice mansion in Chester Square, Boston, and Lady Fisk presides over it with grace and dignity, and hospitality of the tallest kind is the chief characteristic of the house. During the week Mr. Fisk is generally found in New York, but he almost invariably comes to Boston to spend the Sabbath. In short, he is a man, take him for all and all, we, ne'er shall Jook upon his like •gain.

Wehavebeenrenimdedthata man ought §ot$gpu£ avjay. h^ wife, wi^put a cause, u Prixice and'Princess— both stars of the first magnitude in the fashionable world of Paris— »re on the point, of "separating. The Princess is still young and handsome, and is not one of those ladies who are hungry after pleasure and thirsty after luxury. Her husband entrusted her with the full control of both their fortunes, and she, had squandered all in gambling, one of the" many vices that have sprung up and blossomed under the Second Empire, diamonds, plate, lace, all Jj^ye . disappeared, , and ihe Prince received the first news of the disaster when ,the,bailiffs.-eameto do their duty. Since then, the protested acceptances of" his wife havjft - showered' in, thick * ns ' autumnal leaves -that strew, the brooks in -Vallarabrosa. -'- 7 ' - ' ' ~ An Indian, /on '"being- asked what he did for Jiving, replied, »f H)h, tab p^each.' f '-^^Preach !j' jaid abystanderj^i'-whaiPdo'-you'gefr'-paid , for \t ¥'~?" Sometimes me get shillhv, sometwo •hillinV'— f f _And isn't that iolghty poorjpay ?"-i- u Oh, yes, but it's mighty poor preachm'," , , j