The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-15
WiLL STREET SKETCIfEs.
Bob Elliott aud Zach Dcas.

| Now and then curious cases are recorded
| OF u man and wife coming before the divorce
court. having their life partnership dissolved
| and almost Immediately changing their minds
and bcginn ~. again to live together When |
como across such cases I always think of the
| gallant mariner. Robert s. Elliott. and the still
more gallant warrior. Gen. Iachariah &. Dcas.
| They are both Southcrncrs. Elliott is from
| Lynchburg. Virginia. Dcas is from Mobile.
| They became partners In 1869 made pile OF
money in u few years and took it into their
| heads, Ia 1874. to dissolve the concern. Elliott
| felt like going to Europe. to have n look ut
| strange people and countries now. | believe he
even took his passage out. But he suddenly
| changed his mind, and the two friends have
! been. like the remarked divorced couple. going
arm in arm ever since II you asked them what
! they wanted tho partnership to bc dissolved for,
they would, probably. not be able to answer for
no two men in Wall street are better business
| friends and know and respect each other more.
! Yet there Is considerable disparity both In ago
and natural dispositions between the two
| friends Gen. Deas il a substantial. soldicr-likc
man. about 80 years Of age with gray beard
/ and gold eyeglasses. He is growing rather cor
pulcnt. and becomes both in iace and stature.
very much like senator Jones of Nevada. with
the difference that he looks much more gen
. trman, Bob Elliott on the other hand is about
fifteen years younger than the General; is q
man Of middle size. with black hair and
moustacho; is light and agile in movement. and
! quick and sharp in perception. Elliott Is fre-
| qucutly to be- soon about town; Gen. Dcas sell
dom, II over. Thcup-town headquarters Of the
former are ut Dclmonicos those Of the latter
at the Union Club. In the summer time Elliott
spends all his leisure hours on board his yacht.
the Tempest. and frequently induces his friends
to assume the character OF representatives Of
horse marines by joining in the naval exercises.
Yet at sea. MS on land. the old warrior never fails
to preserve his soldicr-likc appearance. Ho
was formerly engaged in the cotton business. but
at the outbreak Of the hosiilites between North
and South. formed n regiment Of his own. Mt
the head of which he went through tho Whole
| Of the great war. He took part In the first bat
Tie Of Bun Run was wounded Mt the battle of
Shiloh. and WIS made a Brigadicr General.
| Since those days his martial dcmeanor has never
abandoned him.
The severe and medtative composuro Of
| the General evidently exercises strong
influence IN his friend whose natural tenn
permanent s Of the livclicst description. Bob
Elliott could Guidance Jim Davis. the great
champion dancer of Wall street he sings bet
ter than Russell Sage eyer lid in his best and
youngest days and ia at times more funny than
the most roputcd Wall street wits. But he sci
dom. II ever. INDUCES In any such frivolous
pastmos: Ii does not look dignincd enough"
ONLY once in n while when the Tempest Is
caughthy squall or u storm. and everybody gets
sick Elliott will undertake TO inluse courage
into his guests 10y singing:
| In the sweet by and by
We shall m, ct ON uIc beautiful shore.
His voice rcsounds far and wide over the in
furiatel element. and the magical influence Of
Staten Island soon braces up tho company.
Now and then his musical disposition will
break out under the Influence of stroke
Of good luck. I remember one day having
mot him rushing out Of the door Of the Stock
Exchange and merry humming the old negro
tune Of:
You wiil MIS-
lie realized profit Of some si0. 900 That morn.
ing. and was going to leave the city on n fish
ing trip. And the boys did really miss both him
aud his money.
Elliott is ono ~ those few Wall strcct NOR
who never lose what they have once made. ii,
is full OF dash. and looks even reckless. hut his
dash and rccklessness are studied Like Tn,
Irishmans flea he is never there when there is
Il chance TO DO caught. And that is what has
made him one OF the most independent men IL
Wall street Every big Spectator has beer
tAAfh va Nhh'AullS, anu ldr u upIc OF lt'-i
heavy load Of unavailable sccurit rs TO carry
Elliott never gets In similar fix. and s seldom
t. Doe found in any pool combination. lie j.
Wall street free lance. IL credited with havinl
already made a fortune sufficient 10 keel
him all his life long. and is thought L
possess larger amount OF ready mone'
r than any other broker in the street
t lie began his career as clerk in
whiskcy business. | believe. and came to III
street in 1865. Us member " the original opel
board. The bulk Of his fortune was made il
, partnership with Deas. and mainly during tn
r panic Of 1873. Old Vanderbilt also contribute
to the prosperity Of the concern. having been
customer for n considerable period of time. q
| late years Elliott gave up the commission bust
ness. aud became IA kind OF independent mem
Der of the Twenty-thiri street party. He wa
r for two or three years among the most hruta
| and saVage bears AT present he If an iniuriatc'
bull His favorite article Of trade is Lake Shore
and the profit he is credited with having mad
on the rise OF this stock from 45 to Us is almos
. Incredible
( The strong naval and fishing proclivities q
) Elliott are balanced in Deas 10y excellent horse
:. manship He is n distinguished connoisscur q
horses. and spends almost as much OF hi
Q leisure on the road as Elliott does on the NeN
a York hay. In the autumn. however. the tw
friends become quite inseparablc. for shooting
. II their fayorite pastime. They are both excel
D lent shots. and week after week passes durn
the shooting season without Wall street socn
them You may Toe sure that they are the
down South. shooting ducks or deer The
start on these expeditions uncncumbcrcd wit
stocks and thoir hearts and minds at ease n
stock indicator dispatches come TO troubl
4 them; no customers or fellow pool mem
e bcrs can bother them with messages
r and they return, after two or three w"cks' al
/ scnce. with clear money making heads. and
bag full OF stories for the entertainment If thei
5 friends. Last autumn remember Elliott tol,
among other Stories one which appeared yer
neat 10 me-
0 In his idle moments he likes 10 mediate nm
discuss religious topics-prosbytcrian theolog
4 being apparently his lavorite theme. One da
r as he was lounglng about al his quarters, ate
A a hard days shooting. he felt like having n
argument with somohody, and inquired II hi
andltly whether there were any lrcshy toriun
. around. The good woman looked AZ him llrsi
e taiingly for few seconds. and then quiou
, ! said.