Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-19
THE LARD CORNER.
Gossip at Chicago Caused by the Litigation
Between Peter McGeoch and Daniel L.
Wells, Partners In the Disastrous Deal
Belief that tho Cases Will Never Come
to Trial.
Especial Telegram to the Globe

CHICAGO, Nov. 18."There was On the
books OF McGeoch, Eyerinham & Co." said
Mr.. j. r. Bsnsly, who acted as the firms
receiver, san account entitled, 'F.
McGeoch & Co., Milwaukee, No. Al
actually know nothing of it except it was
indebted to the concern to the
amount of over $75O,OOO. I always
supposed, though, that this amount
belonged jointly to Danl Wells, Jr.,of Mil
waukee, and Peter McGeoch. It was long
and stretched over some years. The books
showed that the account had paid very
large sum in COMMISSIONS; that the trans
actions had been enormous and that it had
put up vast sum in margins. There was
the account to which all the transactions in
the disastrous lard corner were charged.
While speaking exactly I know nothing
about it, I guess there is but very little
doubt but that this is the account
which Dan'l Wells, Jr, in
his suit against McGeoch wants
eIucidated. It was to settle the indebted
ness on this account that received S45O,-
0G0 in cash from McGeoch He handed
me the entire amount himself, but Wells
understand, contributed 100000 of it.
''Well now we'll get the inside history of
the lard deaf' was the comment oftenest
made upon the news that uncle Daniel
Wells had brought suit in Milwaukee
against uncle Peter McGeoch for an ac-
counting, but to this there usually came
the response: "The thing will be settled up.
There are too many interested. The Sc
cret will never get out"
Sam. Hooker was more talkative than
ever, and with mysterious mods and shakes
of the head had g great deal to say Of Mr..
Armour and Plankinton and Mr.. Mitchell
and some of the other rich men of this
part of the country. OF course if Nc
Geoch's Indebtedness had not been settled
the suit would have reused great deal of
interest, but then Mr.. Wells would not
have dared to bring the suit unless the ia
debtedness had all been settled. The feel
ing on change is one of curiosity, not
necessarily of interest. It would pique some
of the creditors if they should ever find
out through the quarrel between Wells and
McGeoch that they might just as well have
stood up for 100 cents, but it would do
them not cents worth of good. Their
claims have all been compromised. .McGeoch
holds their receipts. 1t has been known
for long while that Wells and McGeock
were upon bad terms with each other; that
McGeoch had had great difficulty in get
ting Wells to putup 100000 to effect re-
lease, ,and had even been compelled to threat
en- to disclose Wells partnership in case
of refusal. 1t was no secret, either, that
the venerable lumberman had charged
since the CO npromise that McGeoch had
bled him, but had contributed very little
himself. The stormy interview which the
two men had some two months ago, dur
ing which McGroch threatened to pum-
mel Wells, whereupon the latter drew a
pistol, was matter of gossip very soon
after it took place. The suit, consequently,
was no great surprise, except that people
wondered a little that either member OF
the disastrous lard pool should want
to revive the memory of it. One gentle
| men very close to both the plaintiff and
defendant said the two men being old and
having suffered great losses had become
cantankerous. He did not believe that any
secrets would be revealed that would be of
very much interest co anybody. The de-
tails of the biz corner might make good
reading. There would, however, be very
little that was new except in the way OF
! details.