Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-14
Al econ BONANZA STORY.
RsOW heene Made fhe Fortune of Tom
G. ittenEen's Widow.
New York Letter to Boston Herald

Rsow Keene Made fhe Fortune of Tom
e. stsenCen's Widow.
New York Letter to Boston Herald
I'm 1874 Flood, O'Brien, Mackay and Fair or
ganized the largest scheme of mining specuia-
ton ever known on the Pacific Slope. The stock
OF the Bonanza mines was then very low-about
%. believe. One afternoon Mackay. who was
general superintendent of these mines all part
OF the great COmstock system), came in hurry
TO San Francisco and went at once to Flood and
O'Brien. He said they had lust struck the
most wonderful lot of .bonanzas,' or pockets.
full of almost pure gold that he in all his expert
ehce nad ever seen. He proposed to the two
gentlemen named, and Fair. that they should
quietly get hold of all this stock that could be
mad before the news of this wonderful strike
was made public. This was Thursday. BY Sat
urday evening they had three-fitths of all the
stock Only two outsid"rs-Sharon and Bill
kalston-were allowed to come ill., and the only
reason the latter was told was that they wanted
the Bank of California to carry them through.
heene, shrcwd and sharp, felt that something
was IN the air. but for the lite of him he could
not fipd out what it was. One afternoon little
woman in rusty black came into the office and
with timid air, asked clerk if she could see
Mr.. keene.
The young man addressed was very busy
just then telling a story to another clerk of how
he 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 shah.
by-looking woman. He supposed it was some
one who was begging, and insoently answered
that Mr. heene was very busy then and could
see no one. She waited moment. and mod
estly said, will you take my name in to
hin!' Just then tall, slender man came out OF
back office with two or three others, and
hearing the conversation. said: u am Mr.
keene; did you wish to see me? Come into
madam no With 1,f
he offered her chair with as much courtesy
as if she had been the reignng belle
OF San Francisco and waited for hel
to speak. Mr.. Keene,' she said, Il am the
WIDOW OF Tom Crlttenden, of whom you once
Knew. and ! have been used to hearing OF
mining operations all my married life. / am
sewing for my living now. Yesterday was al
the house OF (namlng one of the bonanza set)
ana heard conversation which convinced me
that great operation is being engineered by
Flood. O'Brien, Mackay and Fair They sax
they have made wonderful discovery that viii
put up the ComstOck certificates of stock 800 t1
400 per cent She then opened little box
and, handing it to keene, said: These diamond
ear ornaments were my mothers present to me
the day | was married. throughout all NV dis
tress and poverty have kept them. They are
worth $500. Will you take them as security and
buy for me on margin all of that mining stock
they are good fOr?'
"keene saw it all in a second. Here was the
clew ne had so vainly tried to find. You have
rendered me most important service, Mrs
Crittenden, said he. Keep your diamonds
Will buy you line of shares in the mining
stock you mention and carry 1t for YOU. When.
ever you want your profits come to me- and he
bowed her out: There was no time to lose, but
oy working diligently he had stock enough tC
make a million dollars of profit If the stock
went above 200. Four days after the wonderful
news became public. At first the brokers
Thought 1t was job, but the ex
perts they sent down to examine said
that nothing like such deposit had ever beer
from ~ 1t jumped to TO in one day. then to 80
lo0, IN. 16O 200, 265. The little woman watched
the upward rise with feelings that can only b.
Imagined. She scarcely slept; she could no,
work. At 2o5 she sent Mr.. Keene a note to sci
whatever he had bought for her. She had nc
idea how much it was, but Thought it might
perhaps be 200 shares-maybe not more thar
lOO. This would give her ut least eos 100 afte,
all commissions are paid. That afternoon SHE
went down to his Office. The smart young
cierk remembered her and was more civil this
time.
HE said Mr. Keene was out lust then bu,
was momentarily expected Would she take ,
seat and wait for him ? She sat down in a sor,
OF daze, hardly knowing what she did How
long she waited she has no idea to this day
Mr.; keene's voice awakened her faculties
ana ne was standing before her. Il 90,
your note, Mrs. Crittenden,' he was saving
and | sold your stock to-day. Come into
my office, Mr.. Quill. See how much none,
Mrs. Crittenden has with u.s. continued thu
great mining millionaire. In moment the
clerk replied Mrs. Crittenden has $50 900
less commissions, making her profits on 2,OOt
shares $562.S70 will you have check for il
now asked Keene. He heard soft sigh. Get
some water here quickly y. She has tainted,
said he. lifting her up from the sofa on which
she had been sitting. Well, my story is ended, ;
said the Californian. ''The lady you see Wonder
made good use of her money. She was aided
by keene, who put it into good hands. and now
there is no happier person anywhere than Tom
Crlttenden's widow. She has diamonds horses
and pretty clothes. some of them SO pretty that
when she comes into the parlor at the State.
the envious women wish she were dead"