Wichita eagle., 1886-11-26
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A CELEBRATED SPECuLATOR
Jim keene's Unsuccessful Career in New
IorE-His Uptown Flat.

Jim hcene's Unsuccessful Career in New
Iork-His Uptown Fiat.
James heene, the celebrated Spectator, is
living this summer in a rented cottage of o
very plain character ut Far Rocl.avav. to
which place he goes every night, giving more
time to his family in these days Of privation
than when he was at the top of the social and
speculative world. Persons who know him
say that he sometimes has to borrow his fare
over the ferry, not that he is SO desperately
hard up, but that he has pinched his expenses
ut every point in order to get square with the
world and have another start He is of a
rather cold bearing, and is accused Of having
too much confidence in himself, so that from
time TO time he has lost the support Of power
full men who would have, with little solici-
tation on his part, helped him through.
Mr. kcene's condition when he came to New
York city was very substantial. He had at
least 81, 100000, and was presumed to have in
California further backing. He arrived in the
city when there was no leader 10 Wall street,
and the brokers came around him with hungry
eyes 10 get his orders One of those brokers,
who has made 100000 by his commissions,
has refused TO carry stocks for him of late,
and another who is deep in his account would
not even carry 200 shares for him He WIS
one Of the chief inventors Of the grain specu-
lation coincident with the stock market He
was sharply reproved for having put specula-
ton into the neccssarieS of life, and in the end
he lost s., C00,0 900 in wheat, following the ad-
vice Of Rufus Hatch. 1t is said he met Hatch
at the taps measure, who was reading the
quotations with his eyes fun Of tears, and be
blubbered: "Keene, if you don't help me I
shall break" keenc went to his assistance,
and Hatch showed him how a great deal of
money might he made, but it ended IN keene
being great loser lie also made q heavy
loss in the Hannibal and St Joseph corner,
where John X. Duff, Of Boston, had attempt
cd to SCOOP the whole street
a friend OF Duff incau:iously said to
another person 1t a restaurant table: The
man you see yomdcr is Jim kccEe, and we are
going to break him" This person bathoGght
ii we'll II 20 and tel keenc, whom he Lad not
previously known. keene found that be was
IN the tolls, 50 he got to work quietly and be
gan to buy this stock, and for some Of IL he
paid IS high IS 80, and the same stock he
ultimately sold ut 20 He made the most OF
his money IN Northern Pacific preferred He
believed himself III 1871, Just after the Pitts
burg riots, when be became a bull, worth
S40OC001o When he sold his race horse, |
Foxhall, ne was already hard pressed, and I'M |
able to leave the city lest bis absence might |
be interpreted Is fright Or desertion. He had |
no person TO send but woman, who had |
taken sympathetic view Of his case and was |
a good negOtIant. She sold Foxhall to Lord |
Rosebcry for S25, 900, which was s., eco mora |
than Kcenc expected. Kecnes fat uptown IS |
said TO bring him the comfortable sum Of
81 800 Il month. It is no great amount of
money to a man still in the street, satisfied i
that there is no future for him unless he re-
establishes himself there-"Gath" il Phila- !
dalphia Times.