Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-03-09
sHIPHERD,s GREAT SCHEME.
Inside History Of the Peruvian Guan0
Hpecu1atiOn-The COcbet Ctaim--
Peter heyenOr's Search After the
Rightr ul Her.
Correspondence N. 7. Herald.)

Right nj Her.
Correspondence N. Y He-ald.)
| Now that the bubble of the Peru
Wan company has burst, and its claims
to property valued at 5000 600, 600 have
vanished into thin air, the story of its
inception and history may Le told.
The "Great Peruvian Company had
its origin in the Quaker City, and Jacob
X. Shipherd, whose name has been so
prominently identified with the scheme,
is comparatively recent appendage.
His connection has never been any
other than that of counsel for the COM
pany, and he has never put one dollar
into the enterprise. Notwithstanding
this fact, the men who did subscribe,
or who betrayed the current expenses,
found tina. this man Shipherd, who oc.
cupies dingy back office in the rear
Of No. 10 Spruce street, New York, had
taken possession of the affairs of the
company and was allotting the stock
about as he pleased. This statement
is made upon the authority of men who
have supplied money for the enter
prise.
Peter Hevenor, who had lived many
years in Peru, returned to his native
city, Philadelphia, in the early spring
of 1881. He had been actively en-
gagged in trade in Callao and Lima,
and having heard much talk in regard
to the Landreau claim, had pursu ed
at his leisure, careful investigation
into the merits of the title. He ascer-
tanned that while Landreau had dis
covered the guano islands it was not
until many years thereafter that their
commercial value was made known by
an amateur chemist called Cochet, to
whom the government of Peru award
ed title to divided third of all the
property. The Cochet name finally
obtained precedence aad, as Hevenor
believed, undcrlay the Landreau claim
so completely that, once possessed
the former, he could readily defeat the
title of the Landreau heirs. Full of
his subject, and dreaming of future
that should out-shine Monte Christie,
Peter Hevenor returned hastily to
Philadelphia in search of some friend
who could furnislfmonoy to enable him
to prosecute his dream. He was en-
tirely without any capital of his own.
Once in Philadelphia he sought his
old acquaintance DR.. Franklin Stewart,
of No. 116 South Seventh street, who
resides ont on the Darby road, and
who has the management of the large
estate comprising ''Swaim's Panacea"
and other proprietary medicines. DIR.
Stewart, who is kind hearted old gen.
tleman, felt his heart warm toward
bis friend, and agreed for one
twentieth of the entire property, actual
Or imaginary, which did or might be-
long to the claim to advance to Hev-
enor sum sufficient to enable him to
60 to France in search of the son of
the original Cochet. Hevenor claimed
that he had learned by cautious
system of inquiries made by letter
and extending over months, where the
object of the search lived. His resi-
dence he said was in an humble villa
on the suburbs of a small French city,
where he lived in the enjoyment of a
modest competency undisturbed by
any dreams of future wealth or fame.
When Hevenor had located his man,
as he claimed, he went to DR.. Stewart
and procured the loan of exactly 81 600,
with which he started to France just
before Garfield was shot. Jacob r.
Shipherd had been engaged originally
as DIR. Stewards personal counsel, but
having succeeded in inducing the good
Doctor to pay him a retainer of $1,000,
under the representation that he would
take such excellent care ofhis interests
that his share should be an eighth or a
quarter instead of paltry twentieth,
he thereafter appears to have dropped
the only actual capitalist the Peruvian
company ever had connected with 1t.
DR.. Stewart is still waiting for the SER
vices for which Shipherd was paid;
but at the time few thousand dollars
in the face of many millions seemed a
mere trifie to present to friend whose
good will might be of service. The
bait by which he secured what was
probably the largest retainer of his
| life, was found IN the smoothly rounded
phrase for which he has since become
historically known:-"We have within
our grasp a wealth exceeding that of
the East India Company" 1t is not so
very many years since famous Wall
street tinancier placed government
bonds by proclaiming that ga national
debt is a national blessing"
IN FRANCE.
Following Hevenor to France It is
within the limit of the glowing and
highly colored narrative to write one of
the most romantic chapters in the story
of "The Great Peruvian Compay." 1t
is now only possible to indicate by
passing in the quiet little French town
during the months of July and August
while'the MORALLY wounded President
of this nation was slowly dying. The
willy Hevenor told with great particu-
larity how he had entered the unsus-
pecting community; how he procured
lodgings; how ne secured an introduce
ton to the retired Coche; how he cul
tivated the acquaintance, admired the
small fruits and the trees in his garden,
drank his vine and smoked pipe
under the shadow of his grape arbor;
how, in brief, he wormed himself into
the unsuspecting mans confidence so
thoroughly that he was able to draw
| from him all that he knew regarding