New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-10-19
THAT NAN WOLCOTT.
ONE OF Hrs EARLy MICHIGAN
EXPERIENCES.
Thomas Hawaiian Tells an Episode
in HIS Career--FfoW He Used
the Pioneers OF Larimore
North Dakota.

in HIS Career--HoW He Used
the Pioneers Of Larimore
North Dakota.
The career of G. G. Wolcott, the man
responsible for issuing the .tGigantic
Conspiracy pamphlet, is one Of the
most remarkable that has been
brought to the notice of the American
public. A careful and painstaking
search into his past record demon
strates that he is one of the most
dangerous men in the country. Avarice
seems to be the ruling passion of the
man and his entire career is an exempli-
fcatlon of the dangers into which the
mordinate passion for the accumula-
tion OF money will lead a man.
The early years of his life were spent
IN the state of Michigan, where he had
several business ventures, keeping q
hotel, running q hardware store, and
agricultural implement depot, etc., in
all OF which he appears to have "fail-
ed"
| WOLCOTT AND FRANK HOWARD.
One notable incident in his career Is
told by Frank Howard, formerly
manager OF the Ann Arbor Agricultur-
al Works. Wolcott was residing and
doing business, after his particular
fashion, at jackson, Michigan, and
having a large quantity OF money
in his possession, thought it a good
time to fail In business and turn over
what trash he had no further use
for to his creditors. The concern
| closed its doors.
Howard soon heard of the
failure and proceeded to Jack
son to learn what he could
save out Of. the wreck. The
claim held by the Ann Arbor Agricul-
tural works was between four and five
thousand dollars. Wolcott was at
the hotel but sent word from his
room that be was sick and could not
be seen. Howard went up to his
room and knocked at his door. There
was no answer. Then Howard called
out, "Wolcott, you may as we'll save
expense by opening this door, If
you don't | will kick it off the hinges!"
The door was opened and there stood
Mr.. Wolcott. smiling and smoking q
good cigar. IT,
81 want our account settled in FULL"
said Howard
"You will have to wait, Mr.. How
ard, and take your chance with the
rest of our creditors" said Wolcott
Howard stepped inside, closed the
door and locked it, putting the key in
his pocket. He then notified his Gus
toner that he would never leave the
room till he had his money. Wolcott
| pleaded with him and assured him
| th + ho Il 4 lo1 4
| Howard was firm. He told him
that he would about as soon be sent
to jail for assault as to lose that
amount Of money, He was alone with
him, and it was his deliberate intention
to break every bone in his body-one
! at time unless his money Wasforth
coming. Wolcott opened his trunk
and paid the claim in full in money,
and Howard went on his way rejoic-
ing. -s"~a- '~ .sszs.s s:.izsaa- 2.4s
Some Of Wolcott's Jackson credi-
tors who did not fare as well as Frank
Howard will read here for the first
! time how the Ann Arbor man collect
ed his claim against the bankrupt out
fit. ~ .=sa4s.s,... .- --~a.-.--> - .
Tracing the early carer Of this
! man, Incidents of the above general
character multiply. Wherever his
business career touches there follows
| disaster, lawsuits, litigation. quarrels,
poverty and ruin for his victims and
associates. " :,
! After several failures in Michigan,
about the year 1880 or 81 he deter
mined to change the scene of his oper-
atlOns, and removed to North Dako-
lathe field Of his operations being
from Grand Forks, West to Devils
Lake. Here, with a capital OF from
$4,000 tQ $4,000, he opened
! q private a. bank which was
sometime afterward merged into the
First National Bank of Larimore.
Here he commenced a financial career
which for utter heartlessness and
recklessness has never yet been equal
led in the history Of even the wild and
woolly financiering of the North
western frontier. s- ..-.
Wolcott had no regular method of
fleeing the customers Of his banking
institution. All modes were alike to
him provided only that they were of
a character to transfer the hard
earned dollars Of the pioDeer settlers
to his capacious pockets. One of his
favorite schemes was to loan few
hundreds OF dollars to an ignorant
customer, on a verbal agreement for
one year, draw the note payable in
three months, and when that brief
period had expired to compel the
victim to add one, two, or three
hundred dollars to the original sum,
and take q mortgage for the entire
sum on all the worldly possessions OF
his victim. Let one OF his victims tell
this story in his own language:
WOLCOTTs AND HANRAHAN.
Thomas Hanrahan is an Irishman
by birth, and an early settler in the
western portion of Grand Forks
county. He has the confidence, res
pect and esteem OF every one who
knows him in the vicinity Of his home
= H. e 1. = e