Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-07
4 PILE STRANGELY LOST.
!, W. SNIALLiS OVEsANXIETY
- AROuT HIS MONEY.

are in Ashes.
From the Yeqo York Times,
The firm OF Small Brothers, dealers in
.,oar ia we'll known in the Queen City of
4,o West. otherwise called Chicago; and
"a the whole is equal to the sum OF all OF
;ts narts. it follows that the name OF l..
" small, one OF the members Of the firm,
&c nv no means unfamiliar in the business
circles of the Illinois metropolis. The
erm WAS always prosperous, and 1t was
rot ut all surprising that its members
were regarded as men of substantial
MANS. l.. W. Small is man who al
ways had strong ideas of his own. When,
therefore, he detached himself from his
chicago associations, gathered up his
borseboIa goods, and emigrated to the
cjtv of RroOklvn, no one was astonlshed.
II was 10 1879 that MIR. Small came East.
Rainy about 55 years of age at the present
time he was sufficiently young to have
oheyed the immortal injunction of Horace
Graeley and to have gone West. Whether
It was the churchly name OF Brooklyn,
with its strong appeal to man OF such
deep religious convictions as Mr. Small
nossasses, or the fascinating whirlpool of
mntropOlitan speculation that most at
traoted Mir. Small, will probably remain a
matter of doubt. Both certainly had their
Influence with him, but the latter has had
the most serious effect upon his welfare.
He has always since he came East
boarded in some quiet house. He mas
wife. but no children. Mrs, Small is
n native of the pleasant and much mag
netized State of Maine. Thither she has
been in the habit OF going on visits. leav-
ing her lord ana master alone in Brook
lyn. and being apparently unaware OF
carIaip disturbances in his brain. Mr..
Small took a fancy to the State OF Maine
and wrote letters for the Portland Argus.
These letters gained their author much
local reuown as a journalist, and one OF
them describing trip on the SWltch0ack
railroad, attained the distinction OF being
copied. The letters which attracted the
most attention in Maine, however, dealt
with religious topics. They displayed
knowledge and mental power. Well quilt,
intelligent looking, agreeable In social re-
lations. and the member OF successful
firm OF business men, l.. w. Small was
one of the last persons in the world who
would have been expected to do an En-
ratio act. But he did it.
In 1882 Mr.. Small, while out riding, met
with a mshap. He was violently thrown
from a carriage, and striking upon his
head, was picked up insensible and car
ried to his boarding house. He soon re-
covered, and for time after seemed TO
have escaped all evil effects OF his accl-
dent. After a time, however, he found
that much thinking IN business matters
brought on violent headaches, which in
creased in frequency and intensity. Mr..
SmalFs thinking was fixed on the centre
street, where he was deeply immersed in
speculation. One day he found himself
the possessor of 100000 in hard cash.
he looked for heavy decline in prices,
and did not care to risk his money while
his head was so troublesome. so
he put the cash in a safe deposit vault
and decided to adopt a course OF mastery
inactivity until his headaches and prices
had decreased very materially. He hid
away from his business acquaintance,
and did not 90 into Wall street. Unfortu-
nately his head became worse instead of
better. Each day he expected to Ego
into something" in a short time, but as
often as he attempted to fix his mind upon
speculation the headaches came back and
frightened him into inactivity. But he
always hoped. He never left the city,
not even in the heat of summer, because
he wanted to put that $40, 900 to work be-
tore going. 1t was in the course of this
long period OF Watching and waiting that
be took to journalism ae a recreation.
Last summer and autumn Mr.. Small
spat great deal of blood which, he be-
lieved. came from his head and which at
anv rate put an end to his troublesome
headaches. In the winter, finding himself
we'll again, he returned to Wall street.
He looked up a lot of his old associates
and sought for investments. The result
was that he arranged to buy $50, 600 worth
Of stock in the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road and to invest $50, 900 more in other
securities. Returning thus to business
after so long an absence made him 80
nervous that he was unable TO sleep. He
suffered seriously from insomnia and
finally had 10 resort to taking bromide OF
potassium, without which he could not
sleep at all.
One day in March he went to the safe
deposit vault, got out the $107, 900, and
look 1T to his room to count and divide
iOr the purpose before mentioned. When
ne arrived at his house he found letter
which required an immediate answer.
When that duty had been discharged II
was too late in the day for him 10 return
MS money to the vault, and so be put 1t in
his trunk. At night, however, he was
100 nervous to allow the money to be far
rom him. He took it from the trunk placed
II under his pillow, swallowed q dose oil
bromide OF potassium, and sank into a
troubled, fitful sleep.
10 this day MIR. Small has no very dis.
uunctldea OF what subsequently occurred
worn out with lack OF rest, unnerved by
BUSINESS anxietles, and oppressed with d
VVhsclousness OF the presence in mis- room
al the money he had IN the world, he
could not lie still. Yet the bromide lulled
his senses and held mn % state OF
something like sleep. H. arose from his
ped. Still wrapped IN tAc unwholesome
embrace Of the Fictitious slumber, he
CROPPED about in the darkness for he knew
hot what Presently sitting sensation
came over him. Currents of hot all
seemed TO scorch his limbs. He strug.
gled' lie gasped for breath. He seemed
W DC suuooatnK, burning. Fiery flashes
snot before his eyes. Sharp pains shot
through his throat. With a superhumau
ehort lethrew OFF the mask of sleep and
.eEaheU the mastery of his senses. And
euen ne made fearful discovery. Flames
uu smoke were around him. He had set
WIG 70 MS bed, burned it TO ashes, and
WIN IT the sl0T, 900.
a. "I' omel's wife came home from Maine
tuS next morning, but be could not face
81, ror Gays he remained locked In his
MN n una would see no one. For two
moutus NC reused TO go to the table. lie
r vas stricken man. Finally he began to
iivooNer from the blow. Then he wrote q
c rv,.ei 10 friend, OF which this was the
tboin zen men OF my age and health lose
y oll all Ihey usually lie down and die