The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-12-19
HENRY N. SMITH, OF WALL STREET
Story ola Pennsylvania Shoemaker who
Gid not Stick to his Last.


shoemaker is from New York CORES
pon,ient Of the Cincinnati Commericdt !:
Henry n. Smith is known throughout
the country as one Of the most desperate
and successful operators in Wall street
Ii was he who became so noted in the
Black Friday time as the head of the firm
of Smith, Gould & Martin, it was he who
was in with Fisk in the bold operations
against the Erie Railroad, and it was he
who made corner on greenbacks last
winter by carrying FIVE millions Of dollars
in greepbacks on his person aud locking
them up in the Tenth National Bank,
which last operation became the subject
of Congressional inquiry. Smith came
on to Washington aud was examined
The committee did not get much comfort
out of his answers They asked him if
lie had locked up FIVE millions of dollars
in greenbacks. He frankly said be had.
They asked him why he did it. He free
ly acknowledged that he did it to make
money by the operation, and wanted to
know what the committee intended to do
about it. Without answering, the mem
bers Of the committee asked what right
he had to lock up that amount Of money.
Then he got angry, and told them that it
was none OF their business /; that the mon
ey was his own and he could Go with it
as he liked and it was about this time
that the committee found they bad made
a mistake Smith collected about fifty
dollars as witness fees and returned to
New York, and that was the last of the
investigation. \ gentleman who was al
so witness before the committee said
subsequently,, that Smith actually carried
the S5,000,000 on his person for two
days. The lining of his overcoat was fill
ed with pockets, and into these the money
was slowed.
Smith is about thirty-6ve or thirty
six years of age, short of stature,
slight of frame, and has red hair The
latter he wears cut close. and his whi>k
ers ala militaire, or mutton chop, with
mustache. His name is not Henry VI
Smith, nor Henry n Smith, but Norman
Henry Smith He is a native Of Tioga,
Pa little village which is shut in with
charming grace from the outside world
by circle OF hills, which in fall presents
an unchanging appearance that cliDgs to
ooe's memory forever Ia that pretty
little village this monster operator was
born, and here he is called to this day
plain Tom Smith. nickname he got
when baby. 1t is nothing against Tom
that he spent his young days about as
other village boys do, and it is nothing
against him that he learned the shoe
makers trade, and was an excellent work
man. 1t is said there that Tom Smith
can make the best fine boot Of any man
in America.
A love scrape, if I am correctly inform
ed, drove him from his hammer and lap
stone, and took him to Buffalo year o,
two before the war While there he at
teuded course of instruction in one OF
the Business Colleges which we're SO com
mon then. From this he operated in
Buffalo in small way, going finally tc
Albany. He could not long remain 10
such place, and be turned his eyes to
ward New York
His career as a money maker is with
out parallel in history. l; would be idle
to estimate his wealth, for to day it might
be twenty millions, and to morrow ten
He is called the successor of Jim Fisk,
but that is an insult to him. He posses
ses the same reckless daring, but he
brought to his experience a keener aud
more deliberate Judgment and intelligence
than Fisk had
Besides, he has none of the "fast" quail
tiles which Fisk possessed He has no
desire to display his wealth osteDtatious
ly he does not care to build an OF era
house that be may have The privilege OF
the green room, and is not likely to run
line of steamers merely to show himself
IN an admiral's uniform, nor to show him
self at the head Of regiment at cost OF
thousands Of dollars He lives as be
comes very wealthy man, and owns IA
number of the best horses that money
can buy merely for his own driving. He
has considerable money invested 10 real
estate 10 his native town, where he has
provided handsomely for bis father ans
mother.