The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-07


not 1t 10 absolutely certain that those who fought
against him were not slow TO resort TO any
ar every corner FISK met and defeated
them. Suits and tigarons almost without num-
Der have grown out OF his manpulations, and there
Is probably not a court IN New York and lew In New
Jersey where the name OF James Fisk Jr, does not
appear upon the records In from one 10 hundred
cases, In which the Erie Railroad Is involved as
paintin or defendant. Charles Francis Adams IT..
author Of the famous "Chapter in Erie,n published
in the North American Rerislc has well said that
the history OF Erie during Fsk's connection mas not
been and probably never VIII be, fully written and
the names OF those who achieved noorety or infamy
IN connection with IL VIII be familiarity remembered
long after those secret facts In history. which they
alone can mpart, are buried with them forever.
When Fisk, III connection with Jay Gould, got con-
troi OF the Erie road. he found It with an empty
treasury, and If 1t had not been for prosperous sea
son then at hand there - a possibility
tnat tie whole concern would nave gone
Into bankruptcy. the reputation OF Mr..
Fisk, in consequence OF his manner OF getting
into power was not the best aud some went so far
as to attribute his success 10 purchased co-opera-
ton OF the law makers and law administrators but
as no public officials have ever been. impeached or
which lie WAS an interested party II is almost par
donable TO assume that those decisions were IN
accordance with "the law and evidence" Many OF
them were, nevertheless very remarkable decisions,
but 1t should all the wnile be borne In mind that
James Fisk, Jr., Is avery remarkable man. II should
be stated, perhaps, that In the early part OF the
struggle for Erie Fisk was surrounded by Few
General whitney among Others but they drew out
OF the game one by one and left only Fisk and Gould
in command. 1t Is hardly necessary to add that the
withdrawal of tine parties named from the game was
involuntary rather than willingly. They, ike old
Mr.. Drew foresaw that Fisk possessed talents which
could not be tremendously combined with their own.
Fisk concentrated Oil his energies and abilities in
resculng the Erie elephant from threatened ruin, and
having gained increased power from the result OF
al election which came soon alter he managed 10
so manipulate the Erie stock as to send 1t up, not
only in this country but all over England. and the
English capitalists went into 1t with frenzy ana
enthusiasm almost bordering upon insanity. The
strange weakness or our foreign friends for Erie
stock together win the clever and seductive man,
street, was the salvation OF the Erie road and the
prolonging OF the career OF Fisk as a hero great
deal having been said at one time and another about
the imitation Of Erie stock by Fisk and Could IL may
be well to record IL here as matter OF hi tory that
the stock OF the CORPORATION was increased from
3t,265 800 July /. 1895 when FISK ousted Drew to
$57 800 on the Gath OF October Of the year,
or to the amount OF 2 $3.50 shares IN four months
all OF which was done without any consultation
with the Board OF Directors. During all this inha
ton there was The widest excitement in New York
and great interest throughout the country. 1t was
at one time given out in some Of the papers that
Fisk had run away TO Canada with millions OF the
Erie funds, ana SO crednloas was the public con-
the story was partially believed. He denied 1t most
Indignantly the day following however, and COM
menced several suits against the newspapers for
defamation OF character; but nothing has ever yet
been heard from them.
without attempting to give a further summary OF
the ups and downs OF Mr. Fisk in his connection
with the Erie road, an equally refreshing chapter In
his career can be gathered from the remarks OF
Charles Francis Adams. Jr., IN pamphlet which he
has issued within day or two upon the subject Of
the Erie road. Mr.. Adams has shown up the trans
actions In Erie III their most unfavorable light and
all through bis work Mr.. Fisk Is more conspicuous
on account OF the absence rather than the presence
remark. Which are rsproduced below in substance
he gives pretty full account OF some oil the more
recent operations OF the hero OF this sketch and
While they are not very atterng IL Is doubtful II the
HERALD'S historian could tell them in q manner
more interesting and adhere to the truth at the
same time. Having given three long chapters, MI.
Adams winds up with this
The who had thus succeeded gaining
s 10 e 81 81 eas des
resulted placing national thoroughfare in the hands OF
which Their prosress to power The end nalIy
or BY FOUL driven from Conflict hat strange
law enacted which assured these men, elected
s sSa ne E'ls s
Rh q s aS
The country bad not sag to want before was made 70 rsa
come In Apl New York. always fond Of eneiemenf., had
Its rated novel way Nassau street for honrs
in which secured the records OF great corporation
S hs 9 the n r ss
S sa na s bore si q Williams o' wss
son Of tho Erie ec,Sr and saehem OF Tammary was the
Again, few weeks only were allowed pass before
country Was 9e BY SnsT and greater gu under the
road which opened to tho Erie way to Albany
E
slightly confusing but ennenty characteristic A vohey OF
assacd was rostrsnsd from ' PERFORMING
n ss' &c thus 9t' was ''
cone sofp c p as s re a e
nsrd was a, though no. Present the council chamber
n a sa II s ef ns @ M
Signed 1 even ss Sofs
oe where gdss pslisa each other with njqacons ana
where
ing receivers both officers Of TIE same court and that the
OF The road tho contendns lawyers agreed in the
81 a e o M
peace detailing military ocer to operate railroad be,
rotous proceedings OF the officers Of the law stimulated and
Fss BY n G vet to COME
The raid Of August on the Albany and susauehanna
iSs business and he q single state sTssii
o on ana'T lee snS was Psw ps
Of the ring the stocks OF all the railroads the land to
brought stands, exchange thrown into confuson
rs internal trade pGsTsd and all ysqss unsettled that
nous wageTs from me national san6ng board The scheme
looking rso and transactions no vast stocks
looking TO fell !. ramiied far in.o politics. II high ON
mus. be deyisod create belief that they implicated
dent was therefore wayaid his summer Journeys by mem
eSrd Of the traps were eunnag set for him and for
with impernont letters Of sSvise Members Of General
form Of gold prsRRses With the eae money! er
behalf RE relatives q Mrs Grant inyeisd into inc
ring and shameuly garbed kilograms handed about,
tending to create the impression that the administration
could be relied
Here amid the ruin they had conrved, It is best to leave
the Erie Railway 10 directors their tools and their Victims
the Exchange tho business community and the gold board
When all sad and done the confusion and dsay prevail
ing only than what the presence of such dis
urbng power as the Erie Railway in the control OF such
hands must always render possible, If be not pc
riodca. In Themselves the nohing rulers Of the
corporation they become terrible The spring and autumn
OF 1868 and the spring. and autumn of 1869 had
seen the last appliances Of civilization perverted into the
machinery Of organized theft and through them acts of
fraud treachey and violence had been unbungy perpe
aed before al Since the days. of the feuds barons
private hands had welded such power In n way SO
unscrupuous Risk win not deter them, for ruin cannot
touch them them belongs the gain, but them the
loss Other derreIaors BY and by land, fly from ha
officers Of jusco but these find shelter
under the protection of courts OF law whose they
make sate in that protection cowed but not subdued, is
1T and proper here TO leave the masters OF Ere and
consequence OF the situation, but blot upon
civilization ofhe ninetsenh century and lasting disgrace
TO That financial and commercial organism which renders
possible and that public opinion which toeraes their
Annc