The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-03-31
COPPERED THE OLD MAN.
George and Eddie Gould Sell .Short" on
Papa's Stock


New YORK, March 2O.-The Times
this morning says there is lively row
IN the Gould camp-a big row-a row
where names are being called and
threats indulged in. 1t wasat the meet
ing OF the Missouri Pacific railway direc-
tors held week ago to-day that this de-
lectable how'd-ye-do broke out. 1t was
rather hot at the start, but day by day
II has grown hotter and hotter, till now
the air in all the Gould headquarters is
loaded down with the smoke of denuG-
Citations and the blazes of threatenings.
Wall Street has been filled with re-
ports, dated back long time, that the
Missouri Pacific's dividend was about to
be materially reduced, and the belief
has grown continually stronger that the
| reports of prospective reductions were
true. Yesterday out came the annual
reports OF the roads in the Gould South
western system. making it pretty
plain by their wretched show
ing that, reduced dividends or
not, there are lots of causes for worri-
ment among stockholders. This. .report
| in detail was before the meeting of di-
| rectors at last Tuesdays meeting, and it
was a good deal of a surprise to some of
those present. But astonishment at the
bad showing did not prevent a prompt
motion from one of the directors to de-
clare the usual dividend at the rate of
per cent. George j. Gould obiected.
The dividend ought to be reduced, he
said. Russell Sage insisted on the mo-
TONS passage. Young Mr.. Gould was
not 10 be put down. The motion was
laid on the table, it being agreed to let
flag of truce stand staked till jay
Gould himself should be heard from.
Ever since the contingent anxious
have the old dividend paid have been
keeping the Western Union telegraph
wires hot between here and Florida,
urging Jay Gould to hasten home to
protect his properties, to keep faith with
stockholders, and to discipline his son.
The son, meantime, has taken palace
car and betaken himself in person to
Florida. kilograms are all well enough
in their way, but chat between father
and son, face to face, is likely to have
more influence upon the Missouri Pacific
magnate than the 400 words of protest
and entreaty that Russell Sage sent (on
a pass over the telegraph wires yester-
day.
Say those who are displeased with
George GOuld's determined stand for
reduction of the dividend: "He has
lately been specializing on the bear side
Of the stock market. He has sold short
his fathers securities, and he needs a
reduction in the Missouri Pacific dIvi-
dend to help him get out even" These
charges against Young Mr.. Gould are
followed with the naming of stock brok-
ers' offices where he is declared to have
made his short contracts.
Another IntlmafiOD thai is broad ha9
it that George Gould has a partner in
his younger brother, known to Wall
Street fame as Bad Boy Eddie"
There is nothing particularly novel in
Eddie Gould going short of papa's
stocks; he has done it openly and his
father when asked about it, has seemed
to be rather proud as he met the ques-
ton with a whispered ''and they do say
that the boy made money coppering
me. Now, do you really think he did ?"
In answer to the comments that have
ueen made upon their stand against
more per cent dividends, the Junior
Goulds answer that the people who are
mad have got loaded down with stocks
that they cannot sell, and now want to
misuse the Missouri Pacific's finances to
help them out. 1t certainly is an en-
tertaining situation from a Wall Street
point Of view as it is from some other
points of view And it's a lively task
that Jay Gould viii have to undertake
in settling things amicably all around.
However, there is some consolation for
those outsiders, who being neither
"long" nor "short" of Gould stocks pin
faith TO that antique saw which says
that when some folks fall out some other
folks may oct heir H.