Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-07-12
No. "a
RALSTON, THE BANK PRESI-
DENT.
One Of the Many Interesting In
cidents in the Life of the Cali
fOrnia Financier.

Mr.. Edmond l.. Goold, guest of Senator
Sharon and personal friend of RalstOn,
gave Eli Perkins the following incident in
the life of the unfortunate California bank
president, which affords a clue to his char
acter.
Mr.. Ralston in 1S49 was clerk on Mis-
sissippi steamboat. He was generous and
poor. One day he went into the banking
house of Lake & Martin, in st. Louis, and
accosting Mr. Martin Familiarity, said:
"Isay, Martin, can't you let me have $5OO?'
Il don't see how we can, Billy" said MIR.
Martin, "unless you can give us some secur-
ity. Who can you get to endorse for you?'
Ralston scratched his head moment and
admitted that he couldn't g i've any security.
Said he: Martin, the fact is I'm broke
dead broke-but I've got chance to go in
with G.. K. Garrison down at Panama, and
must have $500 to get there
After while Mr.. Martin decided that he
would lend Ralston $500 on his own account
and run the risk of payment, and giving it to
him, Ralston started down the river to join
Commodore Garrison. This was in '48.
"Did Ralston ever pay Martini l asked
Mr. Goold.
'.I'll tell you how it was," said MIR. Goold.
"Ralston forgot all about it, or else he lost
track of Martin. But fourteen years after
ward / met Martin in New York. He was
broke then himself-gone all to pieces-hadn't
dollar. Ralston at this time was at the me-
ridian of his glory, spending money by the
millions. Well, one day Martin came up to
me looking very seedy, and asked if in my
travels in California / had ever met man by
the name of Billy Ralston?'
.'Billy Ralston?" said l. "B-i-l-l-y Raj
s-t-o-n! why know man by the name of
William A. Ralston-used to be with Com
Ralston e Garrison in San Francisco, but
now Ralston is at the head of it,
"Well, Mr.. Goold, that's the same Billy
Ralston that borrowed five hundred dollars of
me down in St. Louis in 48. Do you think
he could pay it back now?"
"Pay :: back!" said Mr.. Goold, "why,
you're joking. Pay it back! Ralston pay
five hundred dollars Why, Martin, Ralston
can pay back five million dollars"
SWELL" said Martin, "when you see Billy
in Frisco you jes tell him bout me-and if he
aint strapped and if 'twont break him up,
jes wish he'd pay me that five hundred dol
lars"
"The fact of it is, said Mr.. Goold, as he
told the story, 81 thought Martin was joking.
l had no idea that Ralston owed him anything.
But when got back to California thought
Id banter Ralston about it. So one day
when sin Ralston's room said, jokingly:
"You'r nice fellow, Ralston, to be cheat
ing an old friend out of five hundred dollars,
amt you?"
"What do you mean?" said Ralston.
"Why, when l was in New York the other
day man by the name Of Martini
"What!" exclaimed Ralston, jumping to
his feet, 'Warwick Martini"
eyes, Warwick Martini"
"Where's his address? Here!' he shouted
to the cashier of the bank, telegraph ten
thousand dollars to the credit of Warwick
Martin-Quick !" and Ralston danced around
like a crazy man.
"The next day." continued Mr.. GO0ld,
..Warwick Martin received a telegram from
Lees Sc Walters, "a Pine street, to call and re-
ceive something deposited to bis credit"
"By iingo!" said Martin to his wife, 'I'H
bet Billy has sent me that five hundred dol
lars. If he has, Betty, you can pick out
silk dress at Stewards, and then he hurried
off to Lees s. Walters.
Il called to see about some money, SAID
Martin, looking through the bank screen at
Mr.. Lees. "You say I have some to my
credit here"
"How much are you expecting, and who
from ?" asked the banker, carefully, as is the
custom with people who receive money by
telegraph.
''1'm looking for five hundred dollars from
Billy Ralston," said Martin.
"No five hundred to your credit here
said the banker, "but there is ten thousand
to Warwick Martin"
"Ten thousand ?" gasped Martin.
"Yes, ten thousand dollars.
"We]l, faint me-" said Martin sorrowfully,
''it's some other Martin, and talnt from
Billy after all. Just my luck y and warwick
drew his hand across his brow, ana signed
with disappointment.
IF vour name is Warwick Martin, you
can take this ten thousand dollars, said MI.
Lees.
"By JUPITER said Warwick, as he mar
rated the incident to Mr., Goold; 81 didn't
think twas mine; but thought of Betty
thought of the dress promised her, and
then l took the money and sneaked home
like q culprit. I handed it to Betty, but |
never smiled for two days, was SO afraid
the mistake would be detected. But when
rot letter from Ralston himself said Mar
lin. 81 tell you there was high old celebra-
ion in our house,
"Did Ralston have great funeral when
be died ?" I asked Mr.. Goold.
'Funeral, sir should say he dld. why,
[ was in that funeral procession for four hours,
md never moved out of my tracks.
"How was that ?"
"Why, the head came to halt before the
all started. 1t was the first procession ever
,een in San Francisco where the tail pro-
,essed four hours without moving.
Ell PERKINS.