The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-13
INSANE MILLIONAIRES.
SPECULATION ON WALL STREET
HAS TURNED THEIR BRAINS.

/
Heavy Losses-Jay Gonld's Partners
WHO gavc Gone to Asyiums-A Lnnatic
uro,.cr operaiea Among Other Patients
Enough Wall street men TO I'll an insane
asvlum have gone crazy because OF the ter
rible strain upon them" said veteran
stock broker TO a reporter yesterday.
A retrospcc; Of few years showed that
tho remark was true. More than in any
other kind Of business the slaves OF specu-
lation are liable 10 lose their reason.
Attention was called 10 the subject by
the case Of Broker Dedrick II. Iiddendorf,
who was found wandering in the streets OF
this city few days ago.
Middendorf was q speculatOr i'm smai
way. and when he made a few thousand
dollars by the rise in sugar trust certlh,
Gates it is supposed his good luck proved
Too much for him.
When found he had 5000 in his pockets.
He was dangerously insane. and bit ana
struck the officers who removed him 10
Bellevue hospital, where he now Is.
few wears ago William Van achaicA
was one of the best known and most pop
Mar members Of the New lOr. Stock TX
change. lie was . daring spcculator, who
had acquired a large lortuneina few years.
Mr.. Van Setback lived in Orange, y. j..
One evening he went home wild eyed and
CRYING His wife was shocked at his ap-
pearancc. ,,
1--WE are paupcrs" he cried. An that
had has been lost ia AVAIL street"
His wife was unncrved at her husbands
Ill
Van Schaic,'s safe was opened by his rcla-
tives. and in it were found 100000 IN gov
eminent bonds. At the time his mind gave
WAY ne was worth close on to 100000, but
he IMAGINED that he WIS Q pauper.
Mr. Van Schaick was put away IN re-
treat. II is said that he has almost recov-
cred. and may put in an appearance in Wall
street again in a short time.
GET READY 10 DIE
The case Of Charles Pregtiss is still talk
ed of 10y members of the Stock Exchange,
although it occurred several years ago.
prcutiss was q shrcwd and successful trad
or. who had made fortune by constant
anplication 90 the business OF speculation.
One day he rushed upon the floor Of the
stock Exchange and mounted the rostrlm
you have made your last eighth. he
shouted 90 bis astonished fellow brokers.
"Get ready to die, for the Lord is about TO
visit YOU an with destruction
Mr.. prcntiss was taken to his home IN
New Jersey by his family and has drifted
out Of sight. II 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.
lie was a Young man. too, and no one in
the entire city seemed TO have brighter
prospect before him Johnes was the rec
ognized leader OF fashion on the stock TX
change, and his mind was particularly
bright and brilliant
All at once he collapsed because Of a
constant strain, and became mere child.
His plying friends had him removed 10 a
private hospital, where he still remains.
1t is said that he Will never recover his
reason. Occasionally Johnes imagines that
he is again figure upon the floor Of the
Stock Exchange
III sell 1909 sugar trust at 90!' he
shouts, while he jumps around and ere
ates CONSERVATION among the other pa
ticnts by his agile antics.
Johnes had a fortune Of 100000 when he
became insane. lie had started few years
previously rs clerk for Charles Z. Woeris-
hotter, the most daring and successful bear
operator that Wall street has ever had.
Jay Gould's first partner Charles Vi.
Leupp, lost 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
while lying in bath tub.
Another acquaintance of Jay Gould is
now confined in an asylum in this state.
This is col" Wells, who was for years
anoted speculator lie lost his fortune, and
conceived the idea that his i'll luck was due
to the Vaccinations of Jay Gould, with
whom he had some business dealings.
Wells became insane upon the subject
and kept sending letters to Mr.. Gould
threatening the life OF tie little magnate
Mr.. Gould became frightened az the threats
and called in the services Ct Inspector
Byrncs
Tile inspector watched the mail boxes,
and caught Col. Wells in The act of de
posting threatening letter addressed TO
Mr. Gould. Wells Was tried and found IN
sane, and is still confined in IN institution.
INTO TIE RIVER.
John Plat was = prominent Wall street
man ten years ego. He was the American
representative of important German bank
ing houses, aud frequently swung line Of
81. 900 snGres OF stock.
The excitement told on him end DE went
mad. piatt went down tothe foot Of Wall
street ore afternoon, AFTER the close Of the
market, and jumped on the dock. lis body
WAS never recovered, and Is supposed 10
have drifted out to sea.
Amasa L. Stone used to be q prominent
figure on the Stock Exchange until he went
crazy.
Ex-Surrogate Robert Eutchings is an in
mate OF e. Jersey asylum. Hewas uniucRy
in Wall stree, aud the disappointment
broke him down At one time lie was one
of the largest operators in the market.
The friends OF Douglas Green, who ran
of with Mrs Sncil-McCrae, believe that he
tis insane lie was hard worker and took
little exercise, and il is said that his queer
actions On the exchange had attracted at
,ention long before he INDUCED IN lis final
crazy action.
Washington Quinlan, the young plungcr
who mystcriously disappeared recently and
has never been heard from, is believed by
his fellows TO have become insane. They
say he had been conducting himself in an
cratic manner OWNS h ii- heavy losses
in speculation.
Post, the aged broker, who used to eat
sandNicae- and pie &; Il buffet counter and
skip out without paying for his lunch, was
crazy according 20 his friends.
So was William II. Guicn, who had been
Spectator for many years. and whose
losses are said 20 hare unbalanced his
mind
There are men in Wall stree, who assert
that for we-S or two after The Marine
bank fsiiare Russell Sage was insane.
There Is 10 doubt that tie was mad lie
lost 100000 by the decline in the market,
and it is said THAT lie WAS removed to
Quogoe. l. l., where Dr. Mum attended
him. That uas Aow DR.. Mum became the
private physician Of Jay Gould Ills work
with tlr. SS-c las SO eilicaciOus that Uncle
Russell recommended him to Mr.. Gould,
in whose employ he has ever since been
ST. Paul Globe.
Extract Of Teas.