The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-08-12
Lucky BaIdwin's Luck.
TDenyer Tribune.1


sTimes had got little dull and stocks were
low, and so Baldwin, who was always study
ing up some wild scheme or other to make
money, concluded to go to China on some
racket, and as he happened to have !, 900
shares of Crown Point, which had cost him
50 share, he was mighty anxious to realize
on them. The price being off several points
he raised the wind some other way, and
feeling that the time would come when he
could get even on his stock, he left it with a
friend of his to sell when the price rose to 50
a share, and off he went to China. Soon after
his departure the COmstOck got into bonanza
and prices began to fly up. Baldwin's friend
who, by the way, was q carpenter-also
watched the market closely, and when his
So limit was reached he rushed down to a
broker and told him TO sell 1000 shares of
Crown Point at So. Where's your stock?'
asked the broker Here it is, said the car
penter. The broker examined it and then
said: Have you power of attorney to sign
Baldwins name? Not a power, replied the
carpenter. We'll, then said the broker, 4
can't sell this stock, nor will any one else
You see, Baldwin, in accordance with his
customary carelessness. or rather ignorance
of business methods, had gone off without
transferring or indorSing the stock made out
in his name. OF course, his business trip to
China was failure, were all his deliber-
ately planned enterprises, and he arrived in
-. Francisco strapped. bnt soon found
him, it had reached an even million of dol
lars"
mo wonder they called him Lucky Bald
win said Chicago tenderfoot.
Hold a moment, pardnsr," remarked the
old Californian, nobody thought of giving
him that name then for a little lucky turn
like that. Wait until | get little further
along with my story and you will see a bet
ter reason for the name"
SIS there more coming? Great Scott
Wasn't one million enough on such a
scratch"
I'VE didn't give names those days in Cali
fornia unless men earned them-you can bet
your bottom dollar on that. Baldwin cashed
in his stock, and as he was considered rather
fresh the boys put up job to divide the
million among the gang. Jim keene was
Baldwin's broker, and he and the rest con-
cluded that they would saddle a big block of
Ophir on Baldwin at from $40 to S15 per
share, which they proceeded to do, thus tap
ping him for more Than half his pile. No
sooner had Baldwin got this bundle of Ophir
into his possession than the big bonanza was
struck in consolidated Virginia and Cali
fornia, adjoining the Ophir, and that stock
doubled up in sympathy
Rah for Baldwin" cried the Chicago
tenderfoot.
Keep cool, pard that was only ordinary
luck, !" growled the old Californian.
Thunder and Mars, another million and
you say only ordinary luck.'
That's what said. Ophir kept right on
doubling up 50 fast that the gang wanted to
get Baldwin, stock, and so they put up an
other job on him. You see the Bank of
California held most of the balance of Ophir
| stock and so Ralston sent for Keene and
sized him up to vote Baldwin's stock at the
annual election so that the bank would have
control OF the mine. Keene, being still agent
| for Baldwin. pocketed his plum and stood in
| with the bank outfit and went square back
| on Baldwin. Lord, but wasn't Baldwin mad.
| The stock kept going up and Baldwin,
would be played On him, showed his
| stock on the market, just exactly as
| the conspirators expected and wished he
| would, until he hadn't a share left, OBJ
| tanning the highest prices which were from
| 1853 to $500 per share. No sooner had he
| unloaded on the gang than the stock began
| to tumble as rapidly as it had risen, and it
| busted the Bank of California; but Baldwin
| had over $40 1000, 900 to his credit, and the
name Lucky Baldwin was duly earned and
| accredited to him..
holy smoke, 100000 did you say?'
broke in the Chicago tenderfoot.
That's about the size of it, and YOU see
| there was not a bit of sense or smartness
| from beginning to end 50 far as Lucky was
| concerned. He blundered onto the first
| million, was trapped into a bad investment,
and was angered into selling out IN the nick
OF time, and so luck, stut;a niger lnck.
made him the straw which broke the back of
the great institution known as the Bank of
California, and transferred its gold into his
| own private pocket"
WHAT became of Lucky Baldwin,
''Oh, he built big hotel, got big farm,
| and plastered his money around without any
business judgment. but he had such stack
| OF gold that he couldn't fool it all away, and
| probably he has an odd million or two left
| yet. No, boys, don't pretend to say that
| rather have heap of luck than a heap of
sense without luck,