The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-15
Wllllls ;a8le
INSANE MILLIONAIRES.
SPECULATION ON WALL STREET
HAS TURNED THEIR. BRAINS.

EAnsanity Caused by Mental Strain and
Heavy Losses-Jay GOuId's Partners
Who Hare Gone to AsyIuns-A. fanatic
Enough Wall street men to I'll an insane
Z asylum have gone crazy beeauseo OF the ter
4 s1ble strain upon them" said veteran
stock broker to a reporter yesterday.
( Z A retrospect Of a few years showed that
/the remark was true. More than in anv
pther kind Of business the slaves Of specu-
lation are liable to lose their reason.
Attention was called to the subject bv
the case of Broker DERRICK n Middendorf.
& who was found wandering in the streets of
4 this city few days ago
Mlodendor was spesulator IN small
way, and when he made a few thousand
dollars blythe rise In sugar trust certif-
Gates 1t Is supposed his good luck proved
too much for him.
When found he had IS, 900 in his pockets.
lie was dangerously insane, and bit and
, struck the officers who removed him to
Bellevue hospital, where he now is.
- a few years ago William Van Setback
as oneof the best known and most pop
ular members of the New York Stock En-
change. BE was daring speeulator, who
had acquired a large fortune in few years
Abr. Van Schaick lived in Orange. n. J.
One evening he went home wild eyed and
crying. Hiswife was shocked at his ap-
pearanes.
ave are Faupers!" he cried. "AIl that l
had has been lost in Wall street,
His wife was unnerved ut her husbands
words and believed them true. Next day
Van Schaick's safe was opened by his rela-
lives, and in is were found $1oo, 900 In gov
ernnent bonds. AT the time 3Iis mind gave
way he was worth close on to $500, 900, but
he imagined that Ae WAS a pauper.
Mr.. Van Schaick WAS put away in a re-
treat. 1t is said that ne has almost recov-
cred, and may put in an appearance in Wall
street again in short time.
''GET READY TO DIE"
The case of Charles Prcntiss is still talk
I'd OF by meEabers Of the Stock Exchange,
although 1t occurred several years ago
Prentiss WIS ashrewdan successful trad
er. who had made a fortune by constant
application to tho business of speculation.
One day he rushed upon the Goor of the
: Stock Exchange and mounted the rostrum
SYou have made your last eighth" be
shouted TO his astonished fellow brokers'
"'Get FraIly 10 die, for the Lord is about to
visit you all with destruction"
Mr.. Prentiss was taken to his home in
New JeEsey by his family and has drifted
out of sight. 1t is believed that he never
recovered from his sudden attack Of in
sanity.
A memorable case was that of dashing,
handsome Charlie Johnes. He was the
life of the board, always ready with jest
and story and the leader in all sorts of fun.
He was young man, too, and no one in
the entire city seemed TO have a brighter
prospect before him Johnes was the rec
ognized leader of fashion on the Stock Elk
change, and his mind was particularly
bright and brilliant.
All at once he collapsed because of q
constant strain, and became a mere child.
His pitying friends had him removed to a
private hospital, where he still remains.
j 1t is said that he VIII never recover his
reason Occasionally Jofnes imagines that
he is again a figure upon the floor Of the
4 Stock Exchange.
y "Fl sell 1909 sugar trust at 90"' he
bouts, while he jumps around and Gre
ates CONSERVATION among the other pa
fients by his agile antics.
Johncs had a fortune Of 800 600 when he
becs4me insane. He had started few years
previously as clerk for Charles +. Woeris-
noffer, TIE most daring and successful bear
SpCIUlOI bucab W toAl SOtN A4hao Nf ~ AA@A-
Jay Gould's first partner, Charles NJ
h1eupp, lost a fortune in Wall street. He
took the profits from his tannery business
and sunk them in stock speculation.
Then he became insane, and cut his throat
Evhile lying-in bath tub.
{ Another Acquaintance of Jay Gould is
noxoconlined ia an asylum IN this state
This is "Cpl-'' Wells, who was for years
a neutrality-suspicious. He lest his fortune, and
conceived the idea thai his i'll luck was due
so the machinations Of Jay Could, with
whom he had some bust ness dealingss
Wells became insane upon the subject,
and ksrst sending letters Ia Mr. Gould
threzteniug the life of-the little MaSpate.
Sdr, Gould acknowledgements thethreats
4 and called ia the services Of Inspector
Byrnes.
The Inspector +astched the mail boxes,
and caught Col Wells in the act of de
a threatening letter addressed to
Mr. Gould Wells was sEied and found in
sane, and isstiu confined IN an institution
INTO THE RIyER
John Platt was a prominent " all street
man ten years ago. Heswas the American
representative Of important German bank
sng hoIses and Frequently swung ID liae OF
30, 600 shares Of stock
The excitement tol0 on MN ana ne WSnp
mad PIatt went down to the foot OF Wall
street one afternoon, after the close OF the
market, and jumped Oft the dock. His body
was never recovered, aald is supposed to
have drifted out to sea
Amasa 4. Stone used TO Zoe a prominent
figure Oh the 81 took Exetznge until he went
crazy
Ex-Surr0gate Robert Hutchings is an in
mate of a Jersey asrlyrsIl He was Unlucky
in Wan lstseet. aud the disappointment
broke him down. AS one time he was one
of the aargest operators Ia the market.
The friends OF DoGG.as 6reen, who ran
nff with Mrs. Slleis-AsClsESs. bslieve that he
Il insane. he WIS y hard worker and took
p tfstae exercise, ann 4 IA said that his queer
Rcfiozs on the exchange had attracted at
teurSon long befSge he l1dulgod an his tnal
crazy action.
Washipz1sn Qufplsn, the yozng plunger
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