Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-19

boy Just verging upon acollegiate course,
with fair prospects for . brilliant Ca
reer In life. These would be darkened
II the story Of his marriage was pub
lished. Were the secret kept, Master
James might graduate with high honors.
A second wedding ceremony could then
be performed and the young couple enter
matrimonial life under the most au-
picious circumstances. The parents
listened patiently to this special plead
ing. walker displayed his diplomatic
power in o way worthy OF his lineage.
lie was evidently making . favorable
impression, when friend Of the family
was called in. lie is Government
official, ard he was a gallant soldier in
the Army Of the Potomac. A man OF
the world, although an ardent member
of the Roman Catholic Church, he took
no stock in Walker Blaine's sopbistry.
He urged the immediate publication ofthe
I'd arriage, saying that secrecy was the
worst possible course to pursue. Things
grew bot. Walker pleaded, cajoled,
and threatened. Those directly in
terested became passively plant. but
the silver-haired soldier was like steel.
He was too true friend to temporize
for even q day. He quietly slipped
down town and deliberately gave an
account Of the marriage to prominent
newspaper. Walker Blaine retired in
confusion. His second effort at diplo-
macy had failed. Three days later came
The news that Master Blaine's father
had settled 1900 q year on the young
couple, and that James g., Jr., would
enter business life in preference to col
lege.
GAMBLING IN COFFEE.
Since years ago Mr.. b. G.. Arnold,
then a well.known New York merchant,
was called the Napoleon Of the coffee
trade. lie was worth million, and his
social expenses were 10000 year.
He lived like prince. lie had fine
house in the city and splendid man
sion at Oak Point, near New York, to
which be gave the name Of Rensque.
1t was embowered in trees, and stood
at point not far from where
the British ffigate Hussar was wrecked
during the Revolution, at about the en-
trance Of Long Island Sound. He
had a yacht, a good collection Of pic
lures, q large conservatory, and he en-.
teItained handsomely. lie was mem
Der Of the Chamber Of Commerce and
also, l believe, Of the Union League
and the Downtown Club. He was a
natural leader Of men, and for years he
ruled the coffee market with an iron
rod. This was the case when most OF
the coffee was brought to this country
by sailing vessels and the voyages were
20 long that it was not difficult mat
Ter to keep the supply down to manage
able limits. Success made him over
bold. II he was the Napoleon Of the
trade he was to meet his Waterloo. He
organized g clique to control the
bulk of the supply of Brazil
coffee in New York and other mar
kets and advance the price. At one
time they held more than 100000 bags,
or about 100000 pounds. But
steamers now began to be employed in
the Rio de JaDeiro trade, and they
brought the coffee so rapidly to New
York that the clique were swamped.
A very heavy fall in the market followed,
and the coffee kings fortune was swept
away. am reminded of these occur
ences by the fact that another large
speculation in coffee is now going on.
Coffee seems queer thing to gamble
in, but the gambling in it is, neverthe-
less, large and increasing, and on the
Produce Exchange they are called for
coffee quotation " ticker"
THE COFFEE EXCHANGE
is a dark cuddy.hole on Beaver street
at the junction with Pearl street, and
seems admirably adapted for dog-fghts.
Here there is a crowd of shouting
brokers daily, and here dispatches are
received several times during Change
hours from Rio de Janeiro, the great Bra
iii market, and Havre, another large CEN
ire of the Rio coffee trade. There is a
good deal of scalping between New
York and Havre by buying here and
selling there, or rice rerSa, according
to the fluctuations of the market.
The Exchange pays 10000 a
year for statistical information and
reports of the markets. But what IS
more to the point just now is that the
bull speculation in coffee is being led
by Siegfried Gruner, an ex-President OF
the Cotton Exchange, and Crossman *
Co., of lower Wall street. Together
they are supposed to control not far
from geo, 900 bags of coffee, either in
the actual merchandise or in options.
In two days of this week the specu'
lative excitement was so great that the
transactions at the Exchange involved
no less than 1876 900 bags at a decided
rise in prices. Mr.. Gruner, the com.
mercial prototype Of the hero Of the old
German epic poem, the Nibelungen
Lied" is dashing speculative General,
who, like the Siegfreid Of Scandinavian
and Teutonic mythology, is after great
treasures OF gold, and unlike his god
like ancestor no fatal lance has yet been
plunged between his shoulders. lie has
already given the bears in coffee some
thing Of roasting, and hopes to hold a
barbecue before long. He looks like a
German baron, and is prominent in the
highest German circles of society. lie
is member Of the German Club, the
Jerome. Park Jockey Club, and the IA
nous Liederkranz Society. lie is man
of generous impulses and was very
popular. lie was formerly clerk in a
foreign.exchsnge house, but is now a
recognized power in the downtown
business life of New York.
SPECULATIVE PUGILISTS.
An occurrence Of little Importance
from one standpoint but Of some signi.
fcance from another was the bout with
hard gloves between two young mem
bsrs Of the Produce Exchange som,
days ago. They actually fought fol-
fifty dollars q side in q room near thu
Exchange, and one was so badly pun
ished about the eyes that he wa
obliged to wear dark goggles for som,
days. Tho fact that certain class o.