Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-12
A GIGANTIC CANARD.

Gambling in Wall Street over the Sap
posed Corpse OF NapoleOn-A PrOfta-
bic but Imaginary Death Three
BILLIONS and a Half Made by the FL
nRnciaI Wake over ROnaParte.
During the past month, Wall street
has been in state Of comparative apathy.
The old exciting runors of new develop.
ments in the sale and transfer Of Erie
stock died away, after having effected
their purpose, and the market for gold
and securities was left undisturbed, ex-
cspt by the ordinary fluctuations insepa-
rabls from their purchase and sale. The
most enterprising brokers, however, failed
to amass fortunes under such diScolIa-
ging circumstances, for speculations,
based on the dull routine of daily prices,
will only yield a respectable income.
These facts received the earnest conside-
ration of few dsshing sports Of the
gold-room, and they quietly resolved to
startle the streets with sensational ru-
NOR. Their plans to effect the object
were well laid for the possession or loss
of millions of dollars depended On their
development. But, however daring the
conception, the report which they de-
signed topropagate was not whollyoriginal
The cable was burdened with news,
almost daily, Of the alleged illness Of
Napoleon, the news being based on ru-
mors circulated in Paris, and which grew
out of the temporary privacy of the En-
peror, who has not been seen in public for
some time. OF course, the quidnuncs of
the city of amours and gaiety were
obliged to account in some way for the
absence OF their sovereign from public |
life, and they-whether true or false
Matched the rumor that he must be i'll,
and they subsequently, in order to be-
come positive, actually declared that he |
was suffering from an unknown malady. |
All these reports suggested to some of
the gamblers Of the gold-ro0m the pro-
priety of making arrangements to have
accounts of Napoleon's death published |
simultaneously in New York and Lon
don, so as to affect the prices of gold,
stocks, and securities in general, in the |
former if not the latter city. By some |
unaccountable strategy, they captured the |
cable for this purpose.
Before noon, according to the pro-
gramme previously agreed upon, dis
patch was received by German banking |
house in this city from London, asserting
that the barricades had again been raised
in Paris, that the people were in a state
of instruction, and that France was in
the throes Of revolution. This was fol-
lowed by a companion-piece that Napo-
leon had expired. Tho last report created |
a financial furore in the street. The
shrewdeSt brokers were beginning to |
regard gold as the only security worth |
having and it is marvel that, under |
the circumstances OF the sudden fever
thus created, coin did not advance beyond
the figure which it reached, and that
stocks should have fallen only few cents |
on 8 dollar. But as it was, those immediS |
ately interested in the success of the |
canard made, it is estimated, about two |
millions from the sales of coin, and
one million and half on stocks.
The report thus answered It's purpose,
but it was burning disgrace upon its
propagators, who held such profitable
wake over the imaginary corpse of Bona
parte. If the rumor had been true, the
effect would have been far more disas~
trOus to the shorts than it was but its
untruthfulneSs was shown alike by the
fact that no legitimate dispatches were
received on the subject, and that the
evening headquarters Of the brokers, in
the Fifth Avenue Hotel were, for the first
time in several months, almost wholly
deserted last night. The men who amas-
sed fortunes BY the royal lie went to their
social hsunts to count their piles, and
compare notes, and the unlucky losers
went to their homes sadder but wiser