Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-10-06
THE GOLD BULLS AND THEIR
VICTIMS

VICTIMS,
The Sunday Mercury has the follow
inggOssip abOu. affairs in Wall street last
week:
The idea of a sudden imitation of the
price of gold at this particular juncture,
when nobody expected it (precisely the
very best time to expect it), occurred TO
Jay Gould and James Fisk, Jr. and 9TH
ers, some days since. Woodward was
brought in as agent in the matter; but
the main details were Matched by that
goOdly trio, Fisk, Belden and Heath,
with the latter two Of whom the former
had an interview early on Friday MORN
ing, the eventiul day when it was deter
mined to make or break In addition to
the use of A. Speyer as agent of this
ring, w. +. Lvermore was also brought
into requisition. This gentleman fuls
filed an order from Fisk to buy gold at
50@60; and was told to put the large
amount thus bought to the credit of
Heath. But when it was seen how the
cat was about to jump, Heath refused to
receive this gold, and denied Fisks right
to assign it to him. Fisk, of course, in
virtuous prudence and penitence, repudi-
sted alike Speyer and LiVermOre, and, in
consequence, the whole onus of the trans.
action fell upon Livermofe himself, who,
after paying off all the obligations he
could on his own account, suspended
payment at the last. Fisk is reported,
meanwhile, from themoment that he saw
that gold was destined to fall, to have
acted through his secret agent in the
bear interest, and it is even said that he
has not only not lost, but has positively
made large sum of money by his trans.
action.
Not only 30, but Young Erie is said to
have sent polite message to that effect
to the grim old Commodore Vanderbilt,
who was inclined to rejoice at the down.
fall Of his rival As for Woodland, he
kept SO, $4,000 in gold; which he had
bought at Sl35 for himself; but he also
kept it out of the market, for the bulls.
In fact, the gold panic was merely en-.
gineered by few bold and INSCRIPTIONS
operators, who have, the public may be
sure, taken care Of themselves. A notable
proof of this last fact is that throughout
the whole of Friday the leading gold OPP
orators were as cool and calm as though
they were sleeping infants. Woodward
spent Friday morning chatting pleasant-
| " with Martin; Fisk chatted with Lucille
Western and Paul Markham and other
| theatrical celebrities; Hatch went about
his work as quietly as ever, and Belden
never moved muscle of his face till--he
| disappeared.
HOW BROKER SET THE GOLD BALL IN
| NOTION.
| William Woodward.-In person Mr..
w. is below the medium stature-is short
in faet-and has heavy black whiskers
and prominent mustaehe. His age is
forty.fVe years, but he has been known
on Wall street less than eight years. lie
entered the street poor man, with nc
capital but assurance and shrewdness,
and has turned those qualities to such
good account that he has made several
fortunes and failed several times lie
has cOntrived, however, to do one thing
not often contrived in the street-that is
to pay in full, with interest, his liabilities
after every failure, and to be worth, after
all his suspensions, some $3,O00OOO. In
habits Mr.. W. is very quiet, and dresses
neatly, though in subdued taste He j:
very charitable, easy in his transactions
with his fellow-brokers, and has recent
ly given over half million dollars to a
church in Brooklyn, where he resides
with his large family. He never drinks
but smokes all day and all night long.
Mr.. Woodward is charged, in certain
quarters, with having gone back upon
his associates in the gold ring, and it ii
asserted that he is indirectly responsible
for the whole panic. The real circum.
stances Of the case are these: Some time
since, when the government offered gOlC
Mr.. Woodward bought, on his own ac
count, one million; he then, afterward
bought at the instigation of other par
ties, who did not themselves wish to ap.
pear several millions, some say nine
Cthsrs state twelve millions. OF thi
amount, Woodward held for himself owe
three millionsl but as he did not fee
certain about the conduct which Bout
we'll might choose to pursue in the prem.
ises, he prudently determined to with
draw himself ard his own millions from
the combination which he saw was being
formed, but to which he merely consent
ed, but did not actively join. This pas
siVe action on bis part, has been con
strued by the more eager bulls as treach
cry to their interests; but really, Wood
ward did nothing at all, one way or thu
other His only precautiOn was to keel
his own gold out of the market, thougl
he could have brought it in subsequently
and sold it, much to the damoge of tn
bulls, had he been so disposed Wood
ward has long been thought to be one 0
the smartest men in the street, and thi
last little operation Of his, while it doe
not absolutely detract from his honesty
certainly enhances his reputation 70
shrewdness.
: Marvin, who bought for Woodward,
, an old member of the regular board, VIII
failed in 1857, but has since done vel
and has nominally retired, or at leas
transacted operations chiefly in the nam
! | of his aOno