Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-21
NEW YORK LETTER.
uArrIRs THAT ARE INTERESTING
THE GIDDY GorHAMITEs.
Suicides Of Brokers Some Remarkable
Cases-The Greek Play and the
0pera-Club Gossip.
correspondence Of the Richmond Dispstchl

NEW YORK, November 20, 1886.
One of the ssddest cases Of suicide
among the businessmen Of New York
was that Of Joseph Weeden, Of the
Cotton Exchange, whose untimely death
was announced some days ago. He
was a young man, but had grown pre-
matufely old in appearance. Az q
broker in cotton futures he met with
little success, and then a. dealer IN
The actual cotton he likewise failed TO
gain q secure footing. lie was natu-
raj Spectator, and finding himself short
of the market on rising quotations, his
courage gave way, and the revolver
ended the life of one Of the most Popn-
lar youpg business men Of The metropo-
liz. His sunny disposition, his never
failing wit, his genuine kindness OF
heart, secured him not merely the
esteem but the deep affection Of wide
circle of friends. In the fierce rush Of
New York life this young man, whose
very faults were irgratiatiBg, Is beaten
down into all untimely grave. The
cotton. brokers' as class are a generous
body of men, and the melancholy end
of poor "Joe" Weeden will not soon
be forgotten.
Some years ago James Bell, another
cotton. broker, committed suicide be-
cause the market went against him.
The fluctuations Of quotations and too
frequent visits to Delmonico's demo
rslize not a few spectators in DOM
town business life.
A few years ago a man entered the
Cotton Exchange with drawn revolver,
ard, inquiring Cor member who has a
fortune Of millions, threatened to shoot
him. He charged that the millionaire
cotton. merchant had advised him to
buy cotton, and then had secretly sold
him some of his own heavy load the
market fell and the man vas ruined.
The Dives Of the cotton trade had a
narrow escape from this enraged Laza-
rus.
Suicides among brokers are by no
means uncommon, though it is wonder
full how well these men endure the
fierce strain put upon them in the bat
tie of business. / recall poor Kingan,
in the lard trade at the Produce Ex-
change years ago. lie was gentle
man, and had an interesting little fam
ily. lie took the long side Of the lard
market, carrying, if | rememberright
some $4,000 tierces. The market
went against him, and he found his
ample fortune slipping through his fin
gers at the rate Of $4,000 day. 1t
drove him crazy. Ono day he disap-
peared. Ills broker, the chiyalric
Gould Tborp, then power in tbs
market, made every effort to find him
thinking that the unfortunate man
might yet regain his foothold. Bat MS
whereabouts were not discovered fJT 4
a week. lie had thrown himself IN =
moment Of insanity in front Of rail-
road train in Canada, and only his
msngled remains were left to tell tho
story Of commercial ambition, which
had led TO such a fate as this. An
other provision. dealer Of very re
specialize house on Broad street took
poison in a Chicago hotel. lt is toe
genial, loyable men, the men of tihe
sensibilities ard winning traits Of cha.
Tacler, who usually sIccumb to the
stern tests which speculation impose
on its votaries. The men Of cosrssr
fible, Of steel nerves, are, as a rule,
the only men who Withstand the moral
shock which follows a turn Of the fatal
ticker, which 50 mouotonously ticks
out the grim intelligence that the VIC
tim must stop down from his sHt Of
wealth, sell his houses, horses and car
risges, giyo up bis club, opera, and =
hundred other social comforts and en-
joyments which have become, in a
sense, necessities, and take hi3 place
among the i1nunerable host Of tbs
hopelessly poor. Many a mAa has
left a brokers' Office, bis slow footsteps
timed as to mOflied.drum beats. Aud
it will be so a. long as men have a pas
sion for speculation--as long as human
nerves are Of hesby fibre and not Of
steel.
REMARKABLE CASE.
But, speaking Of suicides, perhaps
the most remarkable case Of this kind
among business. men was that Of 2
broker naued Hatch, Sho about three
years ago was found dead in his BAH
tub. Hc rad met with sOue small
losses, but there appeared 20 oe nothing
to warrant suicide, If We may c0nceis
that any thing can justify so silly an
act. This case was remarkable IN the
fact that it was never publicly an
nounced as suicide. Some exlraordi-
nav pressure was brought 10 bear on
the police, coroners, and newspapers
10 suppress wha. am assured was the
fact, and even the unfortunate broker =
most intimate friends did not know that
he hsd committed suicide. Another
Iema, kable case occurred in the lea
Their district Of New York, knOwn IS
the "Swamp." 1t was thirty years
sgo. hut is worth recalling. vt thai
tins Jay Gould was young man who
had last entered Nes York business
life. lle formed partnership with
Charles 81. Leupp, leather-merchant
in tho swamp. Mr. LeupP was
one of fortunes fayorites. From
q financial standpoint no mans fd-
tuJc seemed brighter. Although not
more than thigty-ige years Of age he
had accumulated a large fortune. He
WAS man of sunny disposition aud of
high cultivation. He mingled with the
best men Of the Century Club. lie
was on intimate terms with Bryant,
and in earlier days had enjoyed the ac-
quaintsnce Of Willis and other literary
celebrities Of New York. He was as
keen q Judge Of pictures as DuraDd or
Bierstadt he had read many books in
many languages, and had contributed
articles to the magazines. In cookery
he had something of the skill Of the
famous bon cipant Sam. Ward. 10
yachting and hunting he was an expert.
He WIS also an excellent dramatic
critic.
Shortly after his business relations
with jay Gould began he became sub
ject to fits Of melancholy, which gradu-
ally increased in frequency and iutensi-
~, until his character was to outward