The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-13
A GREAT WHEAT CORNER.
OneOf the Largest Speculationsin Wheat
Ever Known, Headed by a Chicagoan.
Mr Cudahy, the New ManipulatOr-FamoCs
Women of New York-Nym Crinkle Finds
Humor in the Knights of Labor.
Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal.
A New Speculative Light.

correspondence OF the Indianapolis Journal.
A New Speculative Light.
NEW YORK. June 11.-One of the largest wheat
speculations that has been seen for some time is
now attracting interested attention The leader
Of it is John Cudahy, of Chicago He is about
forty years of age, and is worth two or three
million dollars. He holds in all, it is understood,
about 1000. coo bushels of wheat in New York
and Chicago Three years ago he carried on a
campaign on the short side of the wheat market,
end at the same time became bull on
corn. He was eminently successful in
both speculations and this fact brought him
into prominence. He avoids rather than seeks
n0toriety, and therefore the general public knows
comparatively little about him. His legitimate
BUSINESS is that of pork packer, and he has one
of the best packing houses in Chicago He never
has occasion to borrow money to carry on his
packing business He not only specuates in
grain both in New York and Chicago, but also
in stocks. In Wall street he is quick, impul-
sive trader, and at times operates on large
scale but he is not what is known as a ''stayer;"
he jumps as quick as Addison Cammack or even
quicker than that leader; he invariably specu-
hates in stocks for short turns. Like most West
always in those known as the grangers About
the only Eastern stock that Western men will
touch is Western Union, and that only when it
h active.
Mr.. Cudahy is five feet eight inches in height,
Of powerful, rather wiry build, has black mus
tache and keen black eyes. The features are
handsome; his manners are popular. He loves
y joke and is largely endowed with ready wit; he
squick at rapartee He dresses fashionably but
not showily. He has fair education. He is
one of the keenest spectators in this country
knd also one of the boldest He is the dashing
Murat of the Chicago Board of Trade. He is
born leader Of men, In an earlier civilization,
when war was the business of large bodies OF
men, he would inevitably have come to the front.
sword in hand, on caparisoned charger, to lead
men to feats of arms on trying fields OF battle;
but in this age, when the mass of the civilized
population are engaged in business, and men,
still instinct with combativeness, fight one an
ether on fields of speculation, John, or as he Is
more Familiarity known Jack" Cudahy finds
himself commercial chieftain with large fol-
lowing In another age he would have led them
30 battles for empty honor. Now the object is to
spoil the Egyptians, to secure their gold. He is
cool, daring, and inspires unbounded confidence
In those who enlist in his corps for the specula-
live war. He is always loyal to his friends. He
Is modern Spectator with q knightly sense Of
honor
He speculates in large ssblocks." If he thinks
favorably of given side of the. market it is no
uncommon thing for him to say to his broker
''sell $50 wheat" or 'buy ESQ.," meaning $780, 600
bushels each time. while occasionally he will
give an order to sell or buy 100000 bushels at a
time Speaking of him in Delmonicos the other
day, well-informed operator said:
''Cudahy is the smartest OF them all, and be-
fore they get through with this deal he will have
all the money in the pot"
Then it will be millions. He may yet meet
his Waterloo; be may yet find himself struggling
In hopeless quicBsauds Of speculation, but was
never on firmer ground than now.
He is now building beautiful home on Mich
igan avenue, in Chicago, which will probably
cost him, friend says, about $2oO, 0O0 He is
married and has several children. He is mem
Der of the Chicago, Calumet and Washington
Park clubs of the great lake city. He is of
Irish parentage, but has more the appearance OF
German than Celt
The present bull speculate on in wheat is large
" directed against foreign houses that have been
persistently selling the market short for some
time past. They have needlessly sought to de-
press the value of American property. A prom
inent member of the Produce Exchange said not
81 believe these foreigners have taken out of
that wheat pit within the last three years nearly
100000, 000."
These houses are now understood to be short
bpll clique, or Big Four, as II is called, composed
Of John Cudahy, Philip D. Armour, MAT"
Jones and Norman B. Ream, are altogether
holders, 1t is further understo cd, Of about the
same quantity. partly here and partly in Chi
cago The bull movement had been decided
upon about the time OF Baron Werishoffer's
death. That COOL fearless operator had fought
the bears almost single-handed for two years,
and when he dropped dead one Sunday after
noon, some weeks ago, in editor Ottendorffer's
mansiop at old CarWansvlle, the bulls were APP
paTently left without any leader of prominence.
OF course no one could act for
him except within very circumscribed
limits and Cudahy for time depressed
The market Armour, Jones and Ream
not inEerfering the bull campaign opened
short time ago in earnest, and it Il noticeable
that the foreigners are not quite so ready to sell
short formerly. The sentiment among bust
ness men cognizant of the facts of the case de-
cidedly fayors the bulls. Among those here who
are acting with the Big Four are Charles Rouse,
hind him; Charles Cottrell small, black-eyed,
Gould; William H. Wallace blueeyed, hand
some and plucky; Thomas Carruthers, shrewd
and cautious and Henry Allen the Count
DOrsay of the Produce Exchange.
OSCAR WILLoUGHBY RIGGS.
Famous Women of New York.
New YORK, June lL.-Socially, New York is
no dead as Chelsea" and our streets are no
longer filed with familiar faces. The influx
from the Southern States brings many noticeable
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