St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-06-15

| lew days ago.
Middendorf was a Spectator in a
small way, and when he made a few
thousand dollars by the rise in sugar
trust certificates 1t is supposed his good
| luck proved too much for him.
When found he had $4,000 in his
pockets. He was dangerously insane.
and bit and struck the officers who re-
moved him to Bellevue hospital, where
he now is.
| A few years ago William Van Schaick
was one of the best known and most
popular members Of the New York
Stock Exchange. He was daring
speculator. who had acquired large
fortune In few years. Mr.Van Schaick
lived in Orange, N. J.. One evening he
went home wild-eyed and crying. His
wife was shocked at his appearance.
1--WE are paupers," he cried; "all
that l had has been lost In Wall street,"
His wife was unnerved at her hus-
bands words and believed them true.
| Next day Van Schaick's safe was
| opened by his relatives, and in it were
| found 100000 in government bonds.
AT the time his mind gave way he was
worth close on to 100000, but he
| imagined that he was pauper.
| MI. Van Schaick was put away in
retreat. 1t is said that he has almost
recovered. and may put in II appear
| ance in Wall street again in short
| time.
The case of Charles Prentiss is still
| talked Of by members OF the stock eX-
| change, although it occurred several
years ago. Prentiss was shrewd and
| successful trader, who has made for
| lune by constant application to the buSl-
| ness of speculation.
One day he rushed upon the floor of
| the stock exchange and mounted the
| rOStum.
'You have made your last eighth!'
he shouted to his astonished fellow
| brokers. .'Get ready to die, for the
Lord is about to visit you all with de-
| struction."
MIR. Prentiss was taken to his home in
New Jersey by his family. and has
drifted out of sight. 1t is believed that
| he never recovered from his sudden at
| tack of insanity.
| A memorable case was that of daShlng,
| 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 a young man, too. and no one
| in the entire city seemed to have
| brighter prospect before him. Johnes
was the recognized leader of fashion, on
| the stock exchange. and his mind was
! particularly bright and brilliant.
| All at once he collapsed, because of
| the constant strain, and became mere
child. His plying friends had him re-
| moved to private hospital, where he
] still remains. 1t is said that he will
never recover his reason. Occasionally
JOhneS imagines that he is again a
figure upon the floor of the stock ex
| change.
'Pll sell 1000 sugar trust at 9Ov' he
shouts, while he jumps around and
| creates CONSERVATION among the other
patients by his agile antics.
| Jobnes had fortune of 100000 when
| he became insane. He had started
few years previously as a clerk for
! Charles F. Woerishoffer, the most dar-
ing and successful bear operator Wall
street has ever had.
| Jay Gould's first partner, Charles M.
Leupp, lost fortune in Wall street.
He took the profits from his tannery
| business and sunk them in stock specu-
latiOn.
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
| a noted speculator. He lost his fortune,
| and conceived the idea that his ill-luck
was due to the Vaccinations of Jay
| Gould, with whom he had some business
| dealings.
Wells became insane upon the sub
| ject, and kept sending letters to Mr..
| Gould threatening the life of the little
| magnate. Mr.. Gould became fright
ened at the threats and called in the
services of Inspector Byrnes.
The 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 insane, and is still confined in an
| Institution.
John Platt was a prominent Wall
| street man ten years ago. He was the
| American representative of important
| German banking houses, and frequently
swung line of $4,000 shares Of stock.
The excitement told on him, and he
went mad. Platt went down to the foot
| of Wall street one afternoon after the
| close. of the market, and jumped off the
dock. His body was never recovered,
| and is supposed to have drifted out to
sea.
Amasa F. Stone used to be promi-
nent figure on the stock exchange until
he went crazy.
EX-OurTOSdGo hODerG duCcllHSS is an
inmate of a jersey asylum. He was I'M
lucky in Wall street, and the disappoint-
ment broke him down. At one time he
was one of the largest operators in the
| market.
The friends of Douglass Green, who
| ran off with Mrs. Snell-McCrea few
months ago, believe that he Is insane.
/ He was hard worker and took little
exercise, and it is said that his queer
actions on the exchange had attracted
attention long before he INDUCED in his
final crazy action.
Washington Quinlan, the young
plunger, who mysteriously disappeared
recently, and has never been heard
| from, Is believed to have become insane
by his fellows. They say he had been
conducting himself In an erratic man
ner. owing to his heavy losses in specu-
sation.
Post, the aged broker, who used to eat
sandwiches and pie at buffet counter,
and skip out without paying for his
lunch, was crazy, according to his
friends.
So was William 81. Guion, who bad
| been a Spectator for many years, and
| whose losses are said to have hnbal-
anced his mind.
There are men In Wall street who as
1 IL. e., L. 49,