The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-09-21
The Idiosyrcracies of New York Mi
From the New York Citizen.

rom the New DIRK tnlZcn.
1t is not generally known that New
York a tho presen, irua Obtains 2 large
number Of msers as inveierate and de-
graded as any on record, and II we had
space we could give series of portraits
Of wealth and avarice, which would make
the reader shudden. Many of these
misers are OLD business men who have
withdrawn from active lite, and still keep
up their faded and weather>stained signs,
and beneath the garb of trade ply their
money. saving habits. These men will be
found sitting solitary in dingy offices,
filed with cob-webs and thick with the
dust of years Money borrowers know
where to go, and here these pale and
thread bare fossils receive the best securi-
ties for their daily loans. Some Of these
half-staryed wrelches, whose trembling
hands can hardly sign a check, can draw
Tor sums that would shake bank. One
Of the richest men in the city is now 20
be found in just such a dingy hole as we
have described, where he loans enormous
sums daily. lie was merchant once,
and bis old sign is still up; and inside
all things remain as they were half
century ago. lie suffers daily for the
comforts Of life but all this is compensa,
ted for by the pleasure of accumulation
They come to ne to beg" said tie old
man to an acquaintance, +" and there's not
beggar in. New York that does 20. live
as we'll as "a statement which vas
quite true.
A specimen Of the better class Of this
genus was given in the late Exchange
place robbery, where Rufus Lord, a man
Of upwards Of four score, was the solitary
occupant OF an Office which con,a ned
between 100000 and 100000 in
stocks and securi.ias-ali his own
Here this old man sat, day after day.
accommodating at the rate Of 81 900 per
week, and 10 doubt hoping in due time
to Get rich. Such hoard was worth
tapping, and the job was one Of the nea-
test aud most successful ever done in New
York.
The late Stephen Whitney was s.rik,
iLg instance of the commercial miser
When we knew him he had made about
Sl0,000000 and at th. age Of rs was
trying hard to get rich. The person and
countenance of this wretched man were
a study, The tremu!ous form, tie sharp
ened features and the solicitous eye told
of the one idea which mastered the soul.
Mr.. Whitney was to be seen habltually
in Wall street, picking his way along
among the brokers and sharpers, and
hpy of xpt 1a "A
judge. He bought none bu: the best, and
seldom made a Dad purchase. His SON
in-law was in heavy business bu. his
paper was not considered first rate, the
only chance of his success being that the
old man would keep him up. This
chance we used to hear often discussed,
and on its probabilities his paper found a
market. But the old man did not keep
him up, and he showed himself too sharp
TO be euled even by so near relative.
Mr.. Whitney was sometblng Of politi
clan, and on one occasion the leaders Of
his party came with an application for
funds for electioneering purposes. Gen
tlemen," was the reply, g. am with you
heart and body. AS for money | have
none but to help along, l will come and
sit up all night and fold ballots"
Some of these New York misers are
utterly recIuse, while others are social
and often meet to discuss methods of
money making. The group occasionally
seen in an old rookery, where a few mills
lions are represented in hungry forms and
seedy raiment, would be a study for an
artist. The great complaint with this
class is that Interest is down, money is
cheap. and the country is going to ruin.
Only five per cent. on good paper, and
six on bond and mortgage, and as for
seven thirties, they pay we'll enough, bu,
one may get his throat cut taking care of
them. The worlds made up Of thieves
and beggars, and there's no use oe trying
to get along"