The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-11


blackmailed merchants whom they pa
tronize into signing petition which they
make for their own. literally, exclusive
benefit. The complete fun of the proposal
will be evident to everybody but the petit
TONERS when the proposal for the elegant
and exclusive carriage road IS rudely as
PEELED by a charter for cable road through
that public thoroughfare. That is sure TO
come. and the amazing assurance of the
wouid-be exclusives will hasten ii. Ii IS
bad time for rich people to publicly assert
that they are aristocrats and TO claim prlVl-
leges which they deem due to their exalted
order. At latest accounts this country
was still a republic and is likely to con-
tinue so when Fifth avenue is turned into
brickyard.
Miss Gould's Crazy suitors.
There was no truth in the story printed
few days ago setting forth with sensa-
tional detail an alleged scheme to kidnap
Miss Helen Gould, the daughter of Jay
Gould. The only basis for the publication
was the fact that crazy foreigner, calling
himself Count Won Michaels. ''the heir to
vast estates in France" had got the notion
lodged into his distorted brain that he
would like to marry her. There is no like
ihood that he had ever seen Miss Gould,
but he wrote few letters to an insurance
agent whom he knew, stating that he had
tender feeling for Miss Gould, and ask
ing the insurance man for his valuable
assistance in bringing about a match. 1t
was a part of the counts distorted no
ton that Jay Gould was in need
OF a son-in-law to cheer him up and
divert his mind from business, and it was
as much on Mr.. GouldPs account as his
own that he sought an alliance with his
int at oil
ment or kidnapping, and the matter would
not have found its way into the newspa-
pers had not the insurance man seen in it
fine opportunity to secure valuable adj
vertising by associating himself with
story about the Goulds.
This is not the first time that Miss
Gould has been made the victim of a
crazy sutton. The newspapers, in writing
up the present story, have, strangely
enough, overlooked an affair somewhat
similar which occurred in 1887. The Daily
Graphic was then in existence, and one
day it surprised New York by printing
among its society items this announce
ment: The engagement is announced of
Miss Nellie Gould, eldest daughter of the
New York millionaire, to Mr.. j. NJ.
Traher. bright young railroad employe
at Kings Creek. 1t is said the nuptials
will be solemnized early next year"
No one in New York had apparently
ever heard of this bright young railroad
employee at Kings Creek who was going TO
marry Jay Gould's daughter. and the an
nouncement created something akin to a
sensation. One OF the few cards with
which Mr.. Gould has favored the news
papers was to contradict this statement,
and was couched in these brief lines:
To the Editor of the Grapkic-Dear Sir: The
Enclosed card crept into yesterdays Graphic.
Traher is undoubtedly the hslf-crazy crank
who has been writing letters for the past two
years to my daughter, though a total stranger.
l should like TO know how such renort was
set afioat. Yours truly, JAY GOULD.
George Gould subsequently, threw some
light on Traber and his peculiar actions.
He said that some months previous to the
announcement in the Graphic young man
named Traber called on him at his Office
in the Western Union building, and sent
in letter of introduction purporting to
be signed by Fred Gerhard. Certain pecu-
iiarities about the letter led Mr.. Gould to
believe it was forgery, but he saw Traber
and found out that he wanted employ
ment on some railroad. When Gould
questioned him in regard to Gerhard and
the letter, the young man took a hasty de-
parture and he saw no more of him. Subse-
quently TRADER succeeded on several occa-
sions in securing complimentary mention
OF himself in country newspapers, and
these notices, carefully marked, he
mailed to Miss Gould. Occasion
ally he varied this performance
by sending Miss Gould an offering
OF a box of candy or basket of fruit,
mailed to the family address. As guar
antee of good faith, and TO show that there
was nothing clandestine In the courtship,
he sent the packages in care of Miss
Gould's mother, and once or twice in care
o. her father. Everything he sent was de-
posted in the ash barrel, and the young
lady, as far as possible, spared all annoy
ance of seeing or hearing Of his letters or
packages. Miss Gould had never seen
1.-THE bright young railroad employee" to
her knowledge, and the announcement of
the proposed nuptiais, which were to be
soiemnlZed In the spring, naturally dis
tressed her great deal. Traber had pro-
cured the announcement to be printed in
the Graphic, though the wonder Is that
newspaper would publish the statement
without having it confirmed by the family.
Since that time Traber seems tc have dis
appeared from the scene.
Miss GOu,d's formal entrance in society.
during Christmas week, was a notable
event, an interesting feature of which was
that but few Of the so-called Four Hundred
were present. On the other hand, large
percentage of the financially substantial
people of the town were there. 1t would
have been impossible for Ward McAllister
to have gotten together such an assem-
blage of wealthy but respectable people.
Ii IS strange that none OF the reporters as
sumed the task of figuring up the exact
money that was represented at the gather
ing. Leaving the Goulds themselves out of
the estimate, it ran far into the hundreds
of millions. The newspapers some time
ago settled it among themselves that Jaw
Gould's wealth is very close to $125, 600, GOO.
and they can furnish list OF his securi-
ties, with the exact amount of each. to
prove it. This matter having been settled.
it now becomes their business and their
duty to say how he shall dispose of il by
will. 1t is agreed that he will not make
any public requests, but will distribute his
wealth among members of his family as
follows:
HeolES uoulu $Io0DO,0O0
MISS Helen Gould. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l0nO0OOO
i.o"Au nouiu 49,. 1900 900
Howard Gould. ..........,...... 10 00o '0O9
Mrs. George Gould ............ I0O0 con
MISE huce YOU'D ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 5000, COO
jay Gould, Observation-Disclosures, 5oOD'O1O
Daps hihsuon uouiu. ................ 100000
othef oequests ..-........-.....-..... 100000
iotai...... S12j, Zoo
The only thing for Mr.. Gould to do is To
paste this in his hat, and be ar in mind that
the matter has been kindly arranged for
him by the newspapers. For man who
has so much to lie we as Mr.. Gould. this
really IS very great service the news
papers have performed for hin.
Four Minutes to London AMI Return.