The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-25
For Fifty Years He Opposed All Games of
Chance, Then Lost 5000 600 in Stocks,
and Closed His Career by Suicide.
The Boycott Loses Its Fangs and Is No
Longer a Terror to Business Men.
Trouble That Threatens Fatty Walsh-Joa-
Quin Miller and His Wife Are Not Unhap-
py, but They Don't Live Together.
mILLroNAIRE WILCOX.

Attacked Late in Life by the Gambling.
Fever. He Commits Suicide.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
New yoRK, April M.-The suicide Of Dennis
C. Wilcox. consequent upon losses sustained in
Wall street speculation, while only another in
the long series of unfortunates who have sought
death as relief from their troubles in that field,
still has striking contrasts and pecuiarities. In
almost every previous case the self-murderer has
been clearly identified in business like way
with Wall street. Wilcox was the highest type
of what Wall street calls ''lamb." He knew
absolutely nothing of the ways of speculation
when he strayed In there to be feeced. Brought
up in Connecticut village, and trained in boy
hood very humbly, there seemed to be no out
look for young Dennis beyond manual labor in
factory. But he developed aptitude for
business. Along in his twenties he
established himself in a manufacturing
career that led to fortune rapidly. Those who
knew him then say that he had an abhor-
renee OF all games of chance, and that he carried
the prejudice so far as to scold boys for playing
mumblety-peg in the street In those days
lotteries were common and young Wilcox was
Vlol0uky OppOS0u W bu0ms A0 Was uOACO AOI
his frequent quotation of the saying, 1.-THE fool
and his money are soon parted" He discounte-
nanced church fairs, and would not be coaxed by
the village beauties into buying tickets in their
charity schemes For, thirty-two years he held
to his s'fool and his money" text, and accumu
lated So, 100000. There hardly manufact-
uring interest of consequence in Connecticut in
which he was not owner OF stock. In 1882,
when fifty two years old, the speculative mania
attacked him with great suddenness. He had
just built the costliest residence in his State.
He inhabited it only few months. He came to
New York, bought house and moved his family
IN, so that he might be at the speculative
center of the land. Wilcox had warm per-
sonal friend in the president of an uptown
bank. and it was this connection that brought
about his first venture in Wall street. The
bankex MAS intimate with Russell Sage, and
firm believer in the fortunes Of the Wabash rail
road. Wilcox heard this talked by the two men,
as well as discussion of affairs generally in
Wall street and became interested, little by lit
tie. He credited all his friends said about
Wabash, as did they. There was talk of Wabash
common crossing Wabash preferred, and Jay
oouAN Woo 4uObOA 40 cnyAb5 0oAAOshAhS w sh0s
effect Wilcox and his friend embarked to-
gether in the stock The upshot was loss of
$500,0O0 to Wilcox alone This disaster merely
whettod his appetite for speculation, and the
man who had condemned 'mumblety- peg be-
came gambler to the extent OF millions. His
training totally untitled him for such dealings.
His wife importuned him to STOP his children
begged him to quit with his Wabash loss, and
his business associates advised him to keep out
Of the melstrom. He still had 50, 900, 900. But
he was opinionated and would not heed them.
Utter guilelessness characterized his short and
tragic career thereafter Accustomed in his
legitimate business to rely on the
representations OF those with whom he
was dealing, he fell easy prey to the contra
dictions incident to Wall-street life.~ The pro-
fessionai point distributors lived in clover dur
ing his presence. Another thing was his passion
for buying stocks blindly. He was at all times
bull. He never sold short, and declared that
he didn't even know the simple process of doing
80. He could not, or would not, comprehend
that part of the speculative system He was al
ways buying at the top prices and selling at the
lowest. For instance when William FL. Ashton,
point giver. succeeded almost in day in
advancing Richmond & Danyille stock from 90
to 28O. Wilcox was purchaser at somewhere
near the latter figure His brokers frequently
counseled him against such doings, but he
would retort that he was using his own money
A short time before his suicide he said "Wall
street is like cyclone; the men caught in it are
dry leaves swept hither and thither." One of
his brokers, the partner OF his son-in law. j. w.
Ogden, says that he bore losses badly; that a
gain Of million would not offset loss of quar-
ter as much In his estimation.
Wilcox's most unsuccessful venture, after Wa
bash, was in wheat. He was attracted to James
B. Keene one of the heaviest gamesters in the
whole street. His temperament is that of bull
and he will wade through losses strong and deep
until he accompiishes his purposes. Keene was
to Wilcox the god of Wall street. and it was
pitiful to see the devotion with which Wilcox fol-
lowed him. When Keene went down, Wilcox was
among the few sympathzers. The suicide of
Wilcox has demonstrated a certain unsteady
feeling among the brokers. He speculated In
both stocks and grain, and, when it became
known that he had killed himself, both sides held
up their hands and cried: ''Is It If' somewhat
on the principle that the Prince of Monaco en-
deavors to explain away the scores of suicides on
the steps of his gambling hell. Wicoxs losses
are about equally divided between the two sorts
of brokers, and. incredible as it may seem. sew
eral of them now recount that he still owes them
small amounts. One particularly recalls that
Wilcox's estate is indebted to him $6. So These
brokers made small fortunes from the commits
sions that he paid. But no thank you was said
at his grave. They were grieved at his death,
only because they wanted more of his money
TRE RoyCoTT