The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-08-27
Lucky Baldwin's Luck.


was always studying up some wild
scheme or other to make money, con-
cluded to go to China on some racket,
and as he happened to have 1000
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 friend of his
to sell when the price rose to IS
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 a carpenter-also watched
the market closely, and when his 50
limit was reached he rushed down to a
broker and told him to SCH 1 200 shares
of Crown Point at So. Where's your
stockP asked the broker. Here it is
said the carpenter. The broker ex-
amined it and then said: Have you
power of attorney to sign Baldwin's
name?' Not power replied the car
pentor. We'll, then,' said the broker,
Il can't sell this stock. nor will any
one else.' You see, Baldwin, in ac-
cordance with his customary careless
ness, or rather ignorance of business
methods. had gone off without trans
ferring or endorsing the stock made
out in his name. OF course, his busi-
ness trip to China was a failure, as
were all his deliberately planned enter
prises, and he arrivived in San Fran
cisco strapped, but soon found that in
stead of having IS, 900 waiting for him,
h0d lsah fn <~f
dollars"
mo wonder they called him Lucky
Baldwin," said Chicago tenderfoot
Hold a moment, pardner," re-
marked the old Californian, nobody
thought OF giving him that name then
for little lucky tnrn like that Wait
till get little further along with my
story and you'll see better reason for
the name"
''Is there more comingP Great Scott!
Wasn' t one million enough on such a
scratchP"
I'VE didn't give names those days in
California 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 ap job to divide the million
among the gang. Jim Keene was Bald
wins broker. and he and the rest con-
eladed that they would saddle a big
stesk of Ophir on Baldwin at from $40
to SIS per share. which they proceeded
to de, thus tapping him for moro
than haf his pile. No sooner had
Baldwin got his bundle of Ophir into
his possession titan the big bonanza
was StIuek in Consolidated Virginia
and kornia, adjoining the Ophir,
aRd hat stock doubled up in SYM
Pahy."
hah fer Baldwin," cried the Chi
sage sRdcfeet
Keep eoel, pard; that was only er-
diaay luck" growlcd the old CaIifer-
niaQ
and yeu say only ordinary luckr'
That's what l said. Ophir kept
right on doubling up so fast that the
gang wanted to get Baldwin's stock,
and 50 they put up another job on him.
You see, the Bank of Califor-
mia held most of the balance of Ophir
stock and so Ralston sent for Keane
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 Bald
win mad. The stock kept going up
and Baldwin, knowing that the old as
sessment dodge would be played on
him, showed his stock on the market,
just exactly as the conspirators ex-
pected and wished he would, until he
hadn't a share left, obtaining the high
est prices, which were from $3.50 to
$500 per share. No sooner had he uu-
loaded on the gang than the stock be-
gan to tumble as rapidly as it had risen.
and it busted the Bank of California;
but Baldwin had over $4,000 900 to
his credit, and the name Lucky Bald
win was duly earned and accredited
to him."
Holy smoke, $4,000, 600 did you
say?" broke in the Chicago tenderfoot.
That's about the size of it, and you
see there was not bit of sense or
smartness from beginning to end so far
as Luck, was concerned. He blum
dered into tho first million. was trapped
into a bad investment, and was an
gered into selling out in the nick OF
time, and so luck, stupid nigger luck,
made him the straw which broke the
back of tho 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 a big hotel, got big
farm, aud plastered his money around
without any business judgment, but
he had such a stack of gold that he
couldn't fool it all away. and probably
he has an odd million or two left yet.
No, boys, 1 don't pretend to say that
luck is chief factor in mining. but I'd
rather have heap of luck than heap
of sense without luck. ."-DcnUer Tfi-
6une.