The Donaldsonville chief., 1878-01-12


kept them there for exhibition, in
closed by wall of iron. There were
thousands and thousands of them
swarming, climbing, tearing, fighting,
each seeming intent'upon.th the others
death. When the fight became gen
eral, as it often did, old Giovanni
would shake his fat sides and rub his
hands in glee, for he loved to see
them tear each other; the loss of a
few rats more or less was of no great
consequence. 1t may seem inhuman,
but l felt just about that way
last Monday, as 1 looked down
from the gallery and saw the excited,
slrieking throng, when the news was
brought in that honest John Bonner
had fed to parts unknown, leaving
liabilities to the tune of two millions
of dollars. The Meters had given
the Stock Board shaking up which
created profound sensation on the
street. When honest John Bonner
declared to his friends that such ras-
Gals as the Meters should be hung,
he was planning the gigantic robbery
which was to put the climax on the
rascally transactions ofI877. Scarcely
a day goes by but it brings forth
some new story of disaster and ruin.
Bank cashiers, presidents of trust
companies, confidential clerks, staid
old merchants, church trustees, gos-
pei ministers-all alike have been
drawn in and ruined in the New York
Stock Exchange. In 1876 the Ex-
change held its meeting in the Mer-
chants Exchange, now occupied by
the Custom House. Jacob Little was
the Jupiter Tonans of the street.
Stocks went up and down at his bid
ding-fortunes were won and lost on
his word--but in spite of all his luck
and all his acuteness, one fine Au
gust day he went down in utter ruin,
carrying in his fall a score of our best
mercantile houses, and involving ruin
to thousands beside. Jacob was
thrown out of the Board for failing to
meet his obligations, but the Stock
Exchange of those days was lame
duck without Jacob Little. He was
re-instated shortly after, and, marry
ing servant girl after life of single
blessedness of more than sixty years,
he dashed into new combinations,
and died many years ago worth n
couple of million of dollars. AS lorg
the world produces men who detest
honest labor and who look upon their
fellow men as lawful and legitimate
prey, there will be footpads, burglars,
highway robbers, pirates and stock
brokers.
Nearly forty years ago the firm of
Fuller & Graham were we'll -to-do
merchants on South street, having
accumulated what was a handsome
fortune for those days in the West
India trade. Fuller came from Water
town, New York his father was a |
comfortable farmer in jefferson coun-
ty. Graham was from Portland, |
Maine, and as high-tored and honor
able a gentleman as ever did busin ess
in this city. One night, at a party
given at Mrs. Mangum's on Bond /
street, Fuller met John Ball, at that
time prominent member of the
Stock Exchange. Ball was one of
those lucky fellows who, without
any special calculation, always seem
to succeed, and his luck was so no
torious on Change that when he was
seen bidding on a stock in always
went up like a balloon, and among
his associates, on account of his mu-
nifcience and prodigiality, he was
known as Golden Ball. Business had
been exceedingly lively that day, and
by lucky transaction of the morn
ing, Ball had cleared over twenty
dollars. When Fuller heard
the story he became changed man,
the latent devil in his heart was
awakened and from that moment he
became eager for sudden gains and
colossal fortune. In I
little time Graham noticed the change
and questioned his partner as to the
cause, but Fuller, who was one of the
most open and ingenious men before,
eyaded his questions and avoided his