The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-21
FEMALE SHARKS IN WALL STREET
Some Interesting Points About the
Ledger Game.


fe3utures bearing traces OF dissipation but
nevertheless still handsome, moving with
stately tread and an air confident, not 10
say bold, along Wall street on her way to
the Mills building to consult her brokers'
1t was the notorious Mrs Lillian Scofield
one OF the champagne-drinking late-din
Ing, Ioud-talklDg, Safeguarding circles of
New Hork, daring adventures in society
and studiOusy seductive Cleopatra in
Wall street, with more than one foJi to play
Antony in his turn. She is one of those
women IN whom the suggestion OF sex is
uppermOst, one Of the fuli-hpped, thick
necked, big-veined sort in whom a tell-tale
casualty is disclosed in every outward sign
end To whom the door to spirituality seems
inexorably closed
Yet this woman who led broker Nathaniel
W. /. Hatch into wild courses that ended
IN his mysterious death seems herself the
slave of an individual named Dave Ferris,
a sliYer-tOngued person of whom il might he
SAID, IN the language of the Miesian, "He
could talk the birds off the bushes" He is a
man Of 50, of lusty build and an Iron
frame, who keeps late hours, eats midnight
wine suppers, and at an age when many men
are era dfathers still disports himself like
young man about town. This mature
Don Juan came originally from the western
part OF this State, but went to California
more than twenty-five years ago and was
one of the pioneers at Treasure Hill. He
could see millions Of treasure before pick
had disclosed the smallest trace to ordinary
lnortals and could tell mines with a facility
that greatly enriched the lambs in exper-
fence. Generous with his money, now rich,
now broke" always hail fellow well met.
as quick to lend a hundred dollars to a
needy friend as he would be to borrow that
or good deal more, he is one of the bluff,
hearty men who are popular with the
crowd in spite Of their well known character
1t is impossible to tell whether the con
slant companion and supposed tool of this
man, Mrs. Lillian Scofield, played bad
gern game of blackmail on Broker Hatcn
or not, but that game is often played in New
York and not unfrequently in Wall street.
Many brokers refuse to see a woman alone
in their offices under any circumstance {;
however private the business tae door is
left open SO that the interview may be
within sight of the clerk. There are others
more careless and / heard of one broker the
other day who not long ago paid blackmail
to q woman to the extent of $1,000
though his conduct seems to have been
blameless 1t is useless, however. to make
such plea to the public; 1T believes the
worse, especially of a@nan, and takes the
word of a woman who is not usually any
more moral than man. This broker was
talking in his private office with fne-look-
ing, iEnocent-appearing woman with de-
mure face and handsome but light-gray
eyes. The conversation was on the sub
ject of some BUSINESS which she had made
the occasion of the call, and as the broker
supposed the matter finished and was
wheeling around in his chair to his desk no
was startled by remark in low tone from
the woman of feline occurrences:
II won,d like 81 ,000.n
"What for3" asked the astonished brok-
err II don't owe you anything | never
saw you before. What are you talking
aboutIn
Il want 81 900 or I will make an outcrv
and disgrace you before your clerks and
customers and drive you from society,""
The woman had hard, cat-like look.
The broker fumed and swore and threat
ened TO kick the human cat from the room,
but eventually he paid the demand and il
is from cynical but kindly friend that the
particulars are now first disclosed with the
omission of the name.
A Wall street man of national reputa-
ton said the other day in speaking of black
mailing adventuresSes:
"They never could plaV that game on
me-"
"Why, have they ever trie1"
Haven't they thought Lots of times
they have tried it, but they haven't made
anything yet"
The same gentleman has often received
cards from strange women requesting him
to call. All the big financiers receive such
letters constantly. They are afraid Of
women.
1t is believed that hundreds of women in
New York live by blackmail. The badger"
game is one of their favorite devices 1t
requires man to act as a confederate and
naturally, with masculine aid the adven-
turess is doubly dangerous. The man ap-
pears suddenly on the scene and enacts the
role of injured husband, whose outraged
honor can only be solaced by a large
amount of money A Frenchman actu-
ally sold his real wife recently for the pur-
pose of blackmall, and she was apparently
a willing confederate in the game Both
may now go to prison.
But usually the blackmailer goes free.
There is not enough courage in the average
man to expose the fraud. Women are also
victims. They have been indiscreet in some
respect, perhaps innocently so. Thor con-
duct is susceptible of an evil Interpretation
and Il man cold-blooded enough for the bust
ness notifies her that she must pay a certain
sum a week or by the month under pain of u
revelation of her alleged criminality to her
husband, who was jealous enough TO commit
any act of folly on peceiving the disclosure
The police authorities here know that
women have often paid blackmail, and
sometimes when they were entirely inno-
cent
Mrs Scofeld was gambler IN stocks.
She sometimes had $4,000 uD in margins
Many New York women speculate on Wall
street, though not few houses refuse to
take their accounts.
81 don't want any more women custom
ers, " said an old broker. "rm afraid of
them. They have no sense. They can't
stand loss. If they are wiped out they
think you are cheating them. They know
nothing about money. One of them came
in here some years ago and said:
" want to buy 100 shares of New York
Central and will pay cash
"'Are you sure you have the money? /
asked. sit will cost you $4,000"
81 am sure | don't know, she answered.
opening her reticue. Il don't think I've
got as much as that here; but count it and
see.'
"She had 81, 700 That is only ore illus
tration of how much business sense the aver
age woman possesses. The good business
woman, as rule, doesn't come TO Wall
street"
One of the female spectators there is
Sophronia j. Twitchell. tall, fat and 30 or
80. She dresses in wretched taste, wears
an old-fashioned shawl and a bonnet that
would give woman of taste the MYSTERIES
She is loud-Spoken and positive, ami an in
trepid advocate of woman's rights. except,
perhaps. her right to go to war She buys
Ohio currency bonds worth about 20 cents
. L. u.