, 1877-07-28
Rank President Ralston.

Mr. Edmund GOold. a guest oi SSh"e''
sharon aud a personal friend of Ralston, gave
Eli Perkins the following incident IN the lie
of the unfortunate California bank president,
which affords clue TO his character.
MIR RaIston IN lS4S Was clerk on Ms
sissippi steamboat lie was generous and
poor. Oae dag he went into the banking
honse II Lake & Martin, IN St L1uIs. and
accaatiB1 Nr Martin famiiiarly, SAID
4 say. Martin, cant You let ne have
4 don't see how We cen, Billy sald Mr
Martin, Jliiess you cIn give Us some secur-
II. Who can You get % iadorse Tor You!
Raiston scratched his head a moment and
admitted that be couldn't get any security.
Said he: Martin, the lac, Is IA broke
dead h7oke-bHt I've got 4 chance 70 20 IN
with g. X. Garrison down at Panama, and l
mus5 Lave S50J % get there.
After a while Sir Martin decided that he
would lend Ra!stoR 500 on has own account
and run the risk Of payment and giving 1t
10 him, Ksiston starred down the river to
Join Commodore Ealston J his was In rs,
Did RalsJon ever pay Martin? l asked
sir Good.
I tell You how it was, sad Mr. Good
.falston forgot al about it, or else he lost
track ~ Martin. But fourteen years after
ward met Martin In New York. He was
broke then 4imself-gone al to pieces
hadu dollar RaistOn at this time was at
the meridian Of his glory, spending money
by the millions. Well, one day Martin came
up 10 me looking very seedy, and asked me
il III nav travels in California / had never
met man by the name Of Billy Balston :
Billy Ralst0n.' said l. Billy Rails
ten why | knox man by the name Of
William a Ralston 10 be with Com
modore Garrison IN Panama 1t was Fritz,
Balstyn Garrison IN San Francisco, but
now RalstCn IS at the head Of It.
Wei, Mr.. Gooid. that's the same Billy
Ralstou that borrowed ive hundred dollars
Of ne down IN s. Louis in IS. Do you
think he cculd pay it back now?
PAY il back !: SAID Mr. Goold, why you re
ioking. Pay il Back Ralston pay Gve
buEdFeI dollars! Why, Martin, Ralston
could pay back five million dollars
Wen, SAID Martin, when you see Billy
in Frisco, You ies tel him 'bout me-and If
he amt strapped and it won't break him up
I ie5 wish lea pay me that five hundred
dollars
The fact Of it is, said Mr. Goold, as he
told the story, thought Martin was Joking
had no idea tGat Ealston owed him any
thing. But when | got hack 10 California
thought I'd banter Ralston about it. SO ore
day when ! was in Ralstor's room, | said
jokingly:
You're n:ce fellow, Ralston, to be
cheating an old friend out of five hundred
dollars amt yOu!'
What do you mean:' said Ralston.
WHY, When | was il New Ycrk the 9th
er day man by the ndme of Martin
What exclaimed Ralston, jumping to
his feet, Warwick Martini
Yes, Warwic!, Martin
where's his address, Here : he shouted
30 the cashier Of the bank, telegraph ten
Thousand dollars to the credit Of Warwick
Martin-quick? ? and Ralston danced around
Ike . crazy man.
The next day continued Sir. Goold,
Warwick Martin received telegram from
Lee & Walters, 81 Pine Street, to call ard
| receive something deposited to his credit
BY jingor SAID Martin to his wife, IN
bet Billy has sent me five hundred dollars.
Ii he has Betty, you can pick ont a silk dress
~ Stewards, and then he hurried of To Lee
! i Waller
4 called TO see about some money, SAID
Martin, looking through the hank screen at
M Lee. 'You say have some to my
credit here.
How much are you expecting, and who
iromy asked the banker carefully, As is the
custom with people who receive money by
telegraph
I'm looking FOR five hunered dollars from
Billy Ealston, said Martin.
No FIVE hundred to your credit here, said
the banker, but there is ten thousand to
Warwick Martin
Ten thousand? ? gasped Martin.
e 7 IS, ten Thousand dollars
Well, 'taint ms, said Martin sorrowfully,
it's some other Martin, and 'taint IRON
Billy, after all. Just nay luck , and War
wick drew his hand across his brow, and
sighed with disappointment.
If your name IS Warwick Martin. you
can take this ten thousand dollars, said Alr.
Lee
BY Jayi5err said Warwick, as he mar
rated the incident to NIr. Goold | didn't
thiak twas nine but thought of Betty
thought of the dress | promised her, and
then I took the money and sneaked home
ike 4 culprit l handed it to Betty, but l
never smiled for two days MAS SO afraid
the mistake would be detected. But when
I got a letter from RalStol himself said
Martin, | tell you there was high old
celebration in our house
Did Ralston have a great funeral when
ho dieIy' | asked Mr. Goold.
Funeral, SIR! l shoal6 think he dill.
Why | was In that funeral procession for
four hours, and never moved out OF my
tracks
How was that =
why, the head came TO A halt before the
tail started. IL was the first procession ever
seen in San Francisco whers the tail process
ed four hours without moving.