The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-04-15
GOSSIP About jay Gould.

- And IlYed therc-nlS 1aCner was an III
teIligent, well-to-do farmer, | have
aeard-until he had attained his legal
majority. Soon after that he bought a
large tract of land, and issued pamph-
let, written by himself, ingeniously set
ting forth its advantages. He speedily
sold it in sections at large advance on
lis cost, evincing then, as he had
eFinced from his early teens, remark
able talentfor trading. Ashis home was
near the line of the Erie Railway, his
s@ftention was early directed to its i'm
p0rtance, and he purchased some OF its
securities with the first surplus money he
made. He steadily increased his inter-
est in the road until he had been chosen
a Director, and finally gained control Of
che corporation. 1t will be remembered
that, after he had been forced out of his
dictatorship, as it virtually was, owing
10 the overthrow of Tweed u Co., and
after legal proceedings had been insti-
Euted against him for the recovery of a
great sum alleged to have been illegiti
uately obtained by him, he surrendered
50, 100000, knowing he would be
obliged by the courts to do so.
The nine millions, as they were
called, are now said to have
consisted to large extent of doubtful
securities. SO that the actual cash benefit
80 the Erie Road did not reach much
more than one-sixth of the amount
named. The report of the surrender,
however, put up the stock, and Gould,
before the matter had become known,
bought large blocks of shares and dis
posed of them, it is asserted, at the adj
vance, thereby getting back much more
money than he gave up. The assertion,
no doubt true, clearly illustrates Gould's
astuteness and capacity for calculation,
His first appearance in business here
Eas as a leather merchant in the quarter
east of Nassau and north of Beekman
Street, known as the swamp. Then
very young. he exhibited the same alert
ness, disccrnment and knowledge of the
market that have since distinguished him
IN a far greater degree. He prospered,
of course. and while dealing in leather,
fell in love, so the story goes, with
pretty and interesting girl, and, as her
parents opposed the match on account of
her tender youth, ran away with and
married her.
happy one. The couple are still devoted
30 one another. She is wholly domestic,
a very quiet. refined, well-bred woman,
who would rather be at home with her
husband and children than anywhere
else She dislikes show as heartily as
her liege does, and is free from the least
Gncture of social ambition. One never
reads, as one generally reads of the wives
Of rich New Workers in the so-called So
C1ety journals, about her sumptuous en-
tertainments, her magnificent diamonds,
her ravishiDg toilets, her elegant dinners.
Neither he or she would desire to be so
advertised. if they cared for such things
(which they do not. They live as tran
gully as any pair of small trades-people
having rooms over their shop in Sixth
Avenue. Their residence is at the north
west corner of Fifth Avenue and Forty
seventh Street, a spacious but plain
house of the regular pattern, not distin-
guishable from hundreds of others in the
fashionable quarter. 1t is very comfort
ably and elegantly furnished. containing
a number of books, pictures and engrav-
lngs, but with no attempt at display, no
SAVIOR of money.
Could very rarely gives even dinner
party, and when he does it is rather COM
mercial than social in its objects. His
pleasures are few; but among them is
the theater, where he may frequently be
seen, especially on first nights, generally
with his son George, his eldest child,
about fifteen or sixteen years old He
drives, too. with his boy in the park and
along the bouleyards in very modest
turnout, but spends most of his evenings
In the bosom of his family-he has four
children-and among books, of which
he is fond. He is often seen at the
Windsor Hotel, kind of stock and rail-
way exchange, on the diagonal corner,
where he meets many operators and
money magnates. They talk much to
him, but he rarely speaks more than a
few words at a time, though often as
senting and dissenting by motion of
the head. He must get a good deal from
them; they can get little from him.
In point of manners he is model
His discipline and breeding are perfect;
his face is as calm and undecipherable
as the ohclisk in the park. The most
GINNING mind reader could not tell by
the closest study of his face whether he
was making or losing millions. He al
ways speaks in a very low voice; he
never gesticulates; he was never known
so laugh; he never even smiles. But he
has not preoccupied or distracted air;
he is simply grave and everlastingly Sc
rene. Instead of assuming, as operators
often do, to know more than is in his
mind, he pretends TO know nothing; he
acts the part of financial agnostic. The
one man WHO'S acquainted with the mon
.esary and commercial condition of the
country better than any man in it, will
often affect 10 be ignorant of the COM
'monest financial fact. If anybody asks
him about the markets he will be
likely to reply that he has not been doing
anything for some time, and has no
means of forming an opinion. If any
body inquiries why money is tight, he
will be apt to say that he is unaware of
She circumstance, and refer him for in
formation to somebody who is only an
agent or mouthpiece of the Mephisto-
pheles of Wall Street. He will utter
these transparent fictions, too, with so
sincere an air, in so gentle and polite a
tone, that for the moment the bearer is
in danger of believing him. Overrun-