Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-04
A CRANK IN GoULp's OFFICE
The Loan of n Million and Half the OBJ
ject of HE Desires.

-
A burly man. carrying three sa,chols, sta
toned himself inside the main entrance Of the
Western Union building in New York early
Tuesday morning Peeping from the left-hand
breast pocket of his threadbare brown over
coat was a small! copy of the Bible. The jsnitor
of the building noticed the stranger and asked
him VIVA: his business was.
Jay Goulds office is in this place, is il not2"
he asked.
Being told that il was the man with the
satchel and the Bible said that his name WIS
''Mr. Pine OF Milyille, n. j." and that he
wanted to see Mr. Jay Gould on important
business. The janitor thought '.Mr Pine" was
a crank, but he allowed HIM to remain in the
corridor. During the afternoon he stood on
guard. evidently watching for Jay Gould He
did not 60 into Mr. Gould's once, and at
O'Clock he went away.
He WIS back la the corridor again yesterday
morning. Swung over his left shoulder he car
rled Que OF the satchels which he had with him
the day before. Ii Was smaller than the other
two which he carried in his hands. When he
was approached by the janitor he put down the
two old satchols and opened them wAie.
You see they are empty. he said. Know
what want them forl 1 guess YOU don't
Well, there's no harm in my telling YOU. 1
have come here ala the way from Millyille 70
get million and a half of dollars from jay
Could.
MIR. Pine" was about to elaborate a big
scheme IN which he intended 20 use the II 5O0.-
900, when the janltor noticed that he firmly
clutcbed the handle Of the little satchel in has
big right hand. vision OF a dynamite explo-
SION flashed across the mind of the janitor and
he thought IL Was time to look after the visitor.
The clerks in Mr.. Gouid's Office were informed
of his antics and Wild sayings and they felt
like dying for their lives.
SENDING FOR GEORGE GOULD.
After a consultation it was decided TO tele-
phone for George Gould, Jay Gould's son.
There is a private wire connecting the Office
with the Gould residence and George Gould
was notified. Ii was then n few minutes after
10 O'Clock. Half an hour later Young Mr.
Gould arrived. He passed the main entrance
half dozen times before he mustered up cour-
age 20 so In
He had heard over the telephone about the
way IN which the crank was nursing the little
satchel, and he naturally lad in has mind the
sage explosion From the sidewalk he saw
Pine waiting inside He finally went in and
walked past the stranger, but took no notice OF
him.
Mr.. Gould called his clerks together and a
council Was held. How 10 get rid of the crank
was the problem. The oaier doors Of the office
were closed and business was practically sus-
pended for more than hour. To telephone
Tor the police was to court destruction TOR at
! sight of the officers '-Isne might dash the
little satchel on the floor and blow himself the
/
/ One of the clerks suggested that a bogus
check for 81. 500, 900 should be made out but
| the two empty satchels we're brought TO nina
| and II WAS concluded th5t money IN hand was
what Pine wanted. 1t at last arranged that
| Pine should he informed that Jay Gould WAS
| oGt CT town. that he won not be back at bust
ness for a week and that the best thing TO do
| would be to write to the fnancier, outlining
/ the neat scheme.
This plan was adopted. One of the clerk.
1 ppryaus Nv unnrpaphad ssIiina - He
his message. George Gould peeped around the
| corner at the pair. The stranger paused after
hearing about Jay Gould 5 absence. Mr.. Gould
admitted afterward that he felt during that
pause as if he was standiug on the brink Of the
grave.
HE HAD THE LITTLE sATcHEL
At length mir. Pine" spoke He said he had
brought the two big satrhels for the money
that he had the little enc for-"well, never
mind what brought tina: for" he said. Il
have a Bible IN my pocket too" he said.
| know what have that forg l always have il
with me. was particular in bringing it with
me on this occasion. Know what iori Well. /
| wanted TO swear upon ii in the presence of Jay
Gould that all WANTED TO tell him about my
| big scheme Is true"
The clerk WAS getting impatient, but George
| Gould beckoned to him 20 hear pine" out
and he ratified away in lively fashion.
| MY idea, he continued. lis to buy MP all
| the land about Delaware bay. L want TO own
all the land between Camden and Atlantic
City. There are about eighty-hvo factories Of
different kinds that have NV eve on. 1 have
read a good deal about Jay Gould, your boss
| / like HIM and just want to give him a show
| I'll share the profits with him. He will laugh
when he Ii learn that am going to build a new
| city near Center Grove, y. J. All that they
have there is a Methodist church and q
blacksmith shop. i want to run five railroads
into the new city. 1 am going, too, TO start .
great ranch. Where do all the goats come
from? We want goats"
HELD THEM IN SUSPENSE.
BY this time the big beads Of perspiration
decorated the forehead Of the nervous clerk
George Gould was restless. but be motioned to
the clerk TO let Pine go on lie asked for a
blank sheet of paper. This was supplied Then
he drew a map OF Delaware bay. While he was
drawing the map he held the small satchel be-
tween his feet
When he got through talking about his plans
and big schemes he entered into his own per-
sonal history. His stepfather, he said, was
Oliver Campbell OF Newport, n. j. About Q
month ago he said be was a cook on board the
four-masted schooner W. X. Van Glider He
grew tired OF that Then he thought of his big
scheme. He starving lat the big hotel
front Of the post Office" but he concluded he
would go home and write to Jay Gould, the
clerk had suggested. Tle clerk sighed a great
sigh Of relief. George Gould sighed also.
MIR. Zine" picked up has satchel and de-
parted. He was followed TO the Liberty street
ferry. At IL o'clock he took the train for Vino
land, n. J.
HIS ANTICS AT THE Aston HOUSE
John E. Bonden, chief clerk at the Aster
House, said that ''Pine" registered at the Astor
House Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock. He
wrote ia Tie register Ephraim b. Pine in .
| struggling hand. Mr.. Bonden requested MIN 10
write his address. Pine wrote "kitville, n"
Il am a bad had at making y, he said
| ''You do that"
He was assigned TO room 8, which he paid for
| in advance for two days. The peculiar APP
pearance Of Pine" and the look OF has satchels
| attracted general attention in the hotel He
yelled in a savage way at the bell boy wbo
offered 20 take his baggage 10 his room.
This latest crank ~ about fifty years old To
| all appearances he ~ a farmer. His hands are
yellow, like the claws OF kitten. His face 10
tanned and wrinkled. HIS brown eyes are like
little beads, small they, but they flash like
the eyes OF a cat in the dark.
Jay Gould was not at his Office yesterday.