The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-10-14
WHO'S CORBIN ?

SooIbo ~ 4uWuobuu "IlkeS lIOH
Washington 10 The Chicago Tribune:
As there has been a good deal said
about the alleged completely OF Mr.. A.
r. Corbln, brother.in. law Of General
Grant, with the Fisk, ,Gould-SmIthi &
Go. gold ring, Of New York, I have
taken the palms to ascertain who and
what Mr.. COrbln 10. He has been a
member OF Mr.. Jesse Grants family
only about q year, and lived In Wash.
lngton for twenty years.
In 1884, Mr.. C0rbln left the Cham>
plain region OF New York State, and
reported himself at 81. Louis, q young
man OF 25; almost Immediately he
Joined the Methodist Church in St.
Louis, and opened school for boys In
the basement OF the church edihce.--
Among hls pupils were the children OF
rich widow, who had been twice
married, 6Ist to o Mr.. Long, and next
to q Methodist Clergyman named Nc.
Alllster. She had son alive nearly or
quite the age otyoung Corbln, notwlth.
standing which he paid suit to her, and
despite the opposition OF her children,
she accepted his hand In marriage.
Quitting the school, Mr.. Corbin now
turned his attention 10 politics and
money>making, and, attracting the at
tention Of Colonel Thomas II. Benton
he was employed upon Col. Benton's
81. Louis orRan,-the Argus, II
mistake not. Here, It Is presumed,
Corbin became first acquainted with
Mr.. Dent, aflerWard Iather-in.law OF
Gen. Grant. At any rate, by Democra.
tic and BentonlRn Influence he was
brought to Washington and made Clerk
OF the Senate Committee on Claims, In
this capacity he made money, and
became useful TO great variety OF
people, writing speeches, reports and
newspaper notices OF members OF Con.
gress and Senators. Col. Benton took
dislike to him, however, and story
is told 10 illustrate Benton's sarcasm,
that once, on the day before New
Years, Corbln ventured 10 approach
his irate patron, and to say:
Colonel Benton. will you keep open
house tomorrow
TO my friends = replied Benton, with
terrific bitterness OF indection,-'to my
friends, slrl'
Prior TO this time, by Mr.. Benton's In.
nuence, Corbin was made State Dlrec.
tor Of the State Bank OF Missouri TO
represent the Investment OF the State OF
Missouri. The New York correspon-
dent OF this bank was the Bank OF
America with whose officers CorbIn
was soon ingratiated, and he gave them
private and needful hints for invest
ment. He was prompt 10 express faith
In the State bonds Of Illinois, and every
time he invested In them the bank OH.
GERS were judiclousiy advised to follow
his example. Corbln, It Is said, used
to buy Illinois bonds and deposit them
with the Bank Of America, on which
deposit he would get call loan OF
money, with which ne would buy more
bonds and increase his loan upon this
security. In this way the accumulated
interest Of his call loans,-never called
and he made clear the entire face OF
his bonds.
By the time he left Washington,
which was early In the war time, Cor
bin had made enough money to own
the house which General Grant pur-
chased afterWard, and an entire square
besides. This house he bought for
Sl7, 600, while It was bought for Gener.
al Sherman, In 1860, for 5000.
Corbin went to New York about the
beginning OF the great speculative
period, and engaged In stock matters,
for which he had natural genius, and
in real estate transactions, He pur-
chased farm ut Hudson City for a
small sum, and cut 1t up into building
lots, so that, In 1866, he said that he
possessed 100 lots, for which he would
not take 81, 900 apiece.
People who know him here express
no doubt that he is worth two millions
OF dollars. He has resided at 81 West
Twenty-seventh street since he moved
10 New York, and losing his wife soon
aHterward. he heard Of the unmarried
sister OF General Grant and paid his
court to her. The connection of this
gentleman with General Grant 10 there.
fore very recent, and It Is probable has
never been very intimate. The sister
he married was about thirty-fjve years
OF age. Corbln himself is quite sixty
and looks even older. He has never
had q child. -..
Amongst the people who know Cor
bin here the impression Ia that lie Ia q
shrewd, managing, directing man, with
genius for keeping in the background,
Colonel Phelps, or Missouri, used 10
say: ECorbin never does anything
straiRhtforWardly. II he wanted to
get q bundle OFF that chair yonder, In.
stead OF walking In the door and taking
1t, he would get up on the steps, and
take crooked stick, and try TO hook It
out Of the window
I am thus plain In relating to you the
traditions left by this able business
man behind him in WashInpLnn ha
cause II he has been mixing himself in
gold rings be has had abundant expe.
rience 10 know how to do 1t entirely
alone. General Grant has no more
knowledge Of how these things are
done than Mr.. Corbin's wife. II IL un-
fortunate that by hisllenity with the
ambition Of several Of his brothers.in-
law, the President should have left
evil interpreters opportunity to asso
clate his name with the willy Corbin's.