Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-12
The Chicago Wheat Corner.
lChicagO Times. /

doings have been noted from time to time in |
these columns, eliminated ON yesterday in a
grand coup which took the board of trade a
good deal by surprise and sent prices on their
travels up and down the scale 10 anything but
satisfactory manner to those on the wrong
side of the deal. To go back little and begin at
the beginning, it seems that for the fortnight
preceding yesterday it was an open secret that
the ring which was making such bold dash to
control the wheat trade had endeavored to Dor
row from the Chicago banks 81, 500, 600 with
which to complete their operations. This
scheme, however, apparently fell through, and
things became so preternaturally quiet that
''the boys" were
THROWN COMPLETELY OFF THE TRACK,
and came to the conclusion that the New York
men who had the thing in hand had despaired
of success, and concluded to clay down" and
meet their losses with as good grace as pos
sible.
Yesterday, however, the first day of the bust
ness month, put a new face on all these falla-
cious calculations. The forenoon opened with
such free delivery, and the ring brokers put
down their cash 30 promptly for all the grain
taken that surprise at their actions in paying
for the property delivered rapidly assumed
panic proportions, and the great question of
the hour became: How the deuce did Jim
keene, the head OF the combination, hoodwink
US all SO completely? As time went by the
modus operandi became known, and the facts
which came to light took form something in
this wise:
Keene, after concluding his unsuccessful
negotiations in this city, which was probably
undertaken more as blind than ANYTHING else
ScaHf hn 20 onkh
tracts here, did the money up in one huge
bundle, and
SENT IT WEST BIZ EXPRESS
to the First National bank of this city. He
timed his move so that the cash should reach
here on the morning when it was wanted,
and as further precaution against discovery
tolegraphed no advices to the consignees. So it
came about that Cashier Gage was slightly
astonlshed when the roll of 81, 900 bills was
handed him across the counter at an early
hour on yesterday morning, and for a while
wondered what the event could mean. But at
$50 o clock
DISPATCH ARRIVED FROM KEENE
explaining matters, and directing Mr.. Gage to
dispose of the money in such ways as would
best protect his interests. Thereupon the
cashier sent for representatives of the firms of
]. K. Fisher Co., Rumsey Brothers & Co.,
Poole, Kent Co., ascertaiued from them the
| banks with which they did business, and passed
proportionate sums to their credit in payment
of wheat deliveries, with the understanding
| that the brokers and bankers should render an
account to him prior to to-day's clearings as to
the number of receipts taken and the amounts
paid out. This point once settled the money
began to pour over the counter, and by 8 P NJ.
| 81 800, 900 had been distributed, and Keene
| became
THE OWNER OF OVER TWO MILLION BUSHELS OF
WHEAT.
more than half the amount now in store here
| Meanwhile it became known that the little
| Californian had intended arriving here at the
same time his money did, but the train on
| which he was steaming westward over the
Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne road missed some
connection during the night near Mansfield,
| Ohio, thus causing delay of twelve hours. AS
| a consequence 1.-THE boys" had the slim salts
| faction of joking each other over the word
Mansfield, which in years gone by grew no.
torious as the name of Fisk's mistress. 'Keene
has stopped off to call on JOSIE" and then
| there would follow grand walk-around in
| honor of the discovery. But fun of this kind
| don't help matters any or change the cold fact
| that despite all accidents the magnate was bear
ing down on the garden city the reput ed
head of clique which stood ready to put $780,
DOC, COO in the corner if necessary, and who had
| emphasized their determination to run things
! or break something in the attempt by shunting
| in an odd million or so to start with.
At o'clock last evening Keene arrived and
went at once to the Grand Pacific hotel. He
was accompanied by his wife, daughter, two
sons and servants, all these latter being en-
| route for California. The entire party disap-
peared at once from public gaze, and wrapped
| themselves about with the mantle of strictest
| privacy. An hour SO later a representative
| of the Times
| SENT UP his CARD TO MR.. KEENE's APARTMENTS,
and in due time received information from the
nimble niger who conveyed the pasteboard
thither that MASS James was eatin' of his
| supper
| After wait of sufficient length to allow the
mastication of fair-sized whale, second card
| followed the first, and was met by the like re-
| ception. It began to look as though the boss
| grain gambler had either entered on a contract
to sample Mr.. brakes entire bill of fare, or in
tended to dodge the inquisitorial process by a
| liberal indulgence in anything but words of
| truth aud soberness. So the reporter conclud-
| ed it would be the correct thing to go up I'M
| announced and make a personal investigation
of the statements given him by the unblushing
African who had conveyed his previous mes
images.
Parlor No. 8 has double doors. and one of
them swung back rather emphatically in re-
| spouse to the gentle rat-a-tat inflicted on its
surface. 1t wasn't a formidable looking indi-
vidual who opened it, but he looked weary and
didn't wear a very enthusiastic smile at the
corners of his mouth. Nevertheless, it was the
| same little man who came to New York from
| the Occident with carload of gold, and who
| in his two years connection with the stock ex-
| change at Gotham has made and lost a rather
| fair-sized pile. As of old, when the scribe
used to see him the impassive centre of yell
| ing crowd, he wore his hair, now slightly ting
| ed with gray cut close, while the short, full
beard gave to the facial ineaments that pc
| culiarly grim expression which sometimes
blossoms out into sardonic smile known to
the irreverent as
| SIMS GRIN"
"Mr. Keene," began the reporter, II suppose
there's a dray-load or thereabouts of my cards
| in your room, and ventured to follow after
them and see if they had been properly be-
slowed"
| No answer.
"As regards the twenty millions you and
your friends propose putting in this pool, can
you give the Times any idea of the particular
| mode you have chosen for skinning the boys?
And could you further let the readers of that
paper know whether or not it is your ultimate
| intention to go back home with all the receipts
in your trousers pocket and keep putting on
| the screws until you get control of the entire
spring wheat movement for the crop Year,
I'm tired out" responded still, small
voice. I've no news to give; I've been de-
layed on my journey, and I'm going to bed.
Perhaps, if feel like it, / may have something
| to say in the morning."
The door closed with an exclamation point,
and it is to be supposed that the great man
pulled off his trousers, slipped between the
Sheets and dozed off as comfortably as though
he wasn't worth FIVE dollars in the world, and
hadn't just re-established his reputation for
being, next to Jay Gould, the hardest man to
| interview in the whole United States.
| Down in the lobby an attache of the hotel
said
| 'HENRY KEENR'B
around here smoking. Maybe you could get
something out of him. There he goes now by
the way