Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-25
GOOD BONANZA STORY
How KEENE MADE THE FORTUNE
OF A POOR WIDOW.
Conversation which N Woman
Hears Makes EEcr Immensely Rich
a Tale Of ahe Comsfoct< Wines,

\ Californian told the following good
storv to New York correspondent of
The Boston HerdLd ''In 1874 Flood.
tOBricn, Mackay and Fair organized the
largcst scheme of mining speculation
ever known on the Pacific slope. The
stock of the bonanza mines was then
very low about twenty weight. believe.
lone afternoon Mackay, who was general
superintendent of these mines Gall part
of the great Comstock SYSTEM, came in
a hurry to San Francisco and went at
once to Flood and O'Brien. He said
thcv had just struck the most wonderful
lot Of 'bonanZas, or pockets full Of al
most pure gold that he in all his ex-
pprcnce had ever seen. He proposed to
The two gentlemen named, and Fair
l'lH they should quietly get hold OF all
~ stock that could be had before the
Ilg. Of this wonderful strike was made
public. This was Thursday. BY Satur-
day evening they had three -ffths of all
the stock. Only two outsidcrs-Sharon
and Bill Ralston-were allowed to come
in and the only reason the latter was
told was that they wanted the Bank OF
California to carry them through. Keene
shrcwd and sharp, felt that something
was in thcSir but for the life of him he
could not find out what it was. One
afternoon a little woman in rusty black
came into the office, and, with timid
air, asked a clerk if she could Mr.
s Kccnc.
"Thc young man addressed was very
pussy Just then telling story to another
clerk of how hc and several others had
painted the town red the night before.
He looked over her head and everywhere,
and finally saw it was only a shabby.
looking woman. He supposed it was
some one who was begging, and inso-
Iently answered that Mr. Kcene was very
busy then aud could see no one. She
waited a moment, and modestly said,
'Will YOU take my naue in to himf Just
then tall, slender man came out Of
back office with two or three others, and,
hearing the conversation, said: Il am Mr..
Kccne did you wish to see me? Come
into my Office madam She went with
him. lie offered hera chair with as much
courtesy rs if she had been the reigning
belle Of San Francisco, and waited for
her to speak Mr. Keene, she said, 4
am the widow of Tom Crittenden, of
whom you once knew, and have been
uoiNA W lstsll iIE VI AlAAlLS Ol'NAhhlVAio hAA
my life | am sewing for my living now.
Yesterday was at the house of-naming
one Of the bonanza set-and heard a con
vcrsation which convinced me that
great operation is being engineered by
Food, O'Brien, Mackay and Fair. They
say they have made a wonderful discov
cry that will put up the Comstock GER
tifcates of-stock 800 10 400 pei
cent She then opened little box, and
handing il to Keenc, said These dia-
mond ear ornaments were my mothers
presents to me the day | was married.
Throughout all my distress and poverty
y have kept them They are worth $500.
Will YOU take them as security and buy
for me on margin all of the mining
stock they are good for2'
"Keenc saw it all in a second. Here
was the clew he had so vainly tried to
find. you have rendered me most inn
portant service Mrs Crittenden, said
he Keep your diamonds. | will buy
you a line of shares in the mining stock
YOU mention and carry it for you. When
ever YOU want your profits come TO me,
and he bowed her out. There was no
time to lose, but by working diligently
he had stock enough to make million
dollars of profit if the stock went above
POO Four days after the wonderful
news became public. At first the brokers
thought it was job, but the experts
they sent down to examine said that
nothing like such a deposit had ever
been ilnown in mining history. The
stocks started From twenty eight it
jumf~ to sixty in one day, then to
eighty, 100, 1870, 100, 200, 265. The
n little woman watched the upward rise
with feelings that can only be imagined.
She scarcely slept; she could not work.
AT 2S5 she sent Mr.. Keene note to sell
whatever he had bought for her. She
had no idea how much it was, but
thought itSnight perhaps be 200 shares
maybe not more than 100. This would
8 give her at least S25, 600 after all com
missions are paid That afternoon she
& went down to his office. The smart
. young clerk remembered her and was
more civil this time.
He said Mr.. Keene was out just then,
nut was Somentarily expected. Would
she takeN seat and wait for him2 She
sat downVn sort of daze, hardly know
ing what She did How long she waited
(le has no idea to this day Mr.. Keene's
voice awakened her faculties, and he was
standing before her. got your note,
Mrs. Crittenden, he was saying, 'and l
sold your stock to-day Come into my
Office, Dir. Quill. See how much money
Mrs. Crittenden has with us, continued
the great mining millionaire. In a mo-