The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-06-21
ESTABLISHING A CREDIT.
A Bold Financial Bluff That Saved 1
Prospective Millionaire.

Major w. T. Sutherlin is president
of the Virginia Board of Agriculture.
His home is in the outskirts of Dan
vile. Major Sutherlin tells story
which carries a revelation of southern
character.
81 came down to Richmond once"
he said, "to see a business man who
had sent for me. He had extensive
interests, but had become SO tied up
through partners operations that he
didn't know what to do. He said to
me:
"'I have made up my mind that
there is nothing for me to do but to
assign. l am broken up. There isn't
any way out. But want your advice
before 1 act
"'Does any one know how you are
fixed?' / asked.
"'No one but you,' he replied. 4
haven't told soul but you. Every
body else thinks I'm all right
allow about the banks?' asked.
"SThey don't know he answered.
"Then had him 90 over the whole
situation until knew as much of his
affairs as he did. He was involved
badly, but could see the way out for
him. He couldn't see anything but
ruin ahead. l felt perfectly certain
that if he could maintain the existing
confidence in him for few months he
would be all right. l could see that
his business would carry him if he
could only get out of the entangle-
ments. After l had learned every
thing I made him promise that he
would do exactly as l told him. He
was ready for that, and he did it
blindly.
@Can you borrow $1,000 cash from
the bank?" asked.
"'Oh, yes,' he said. 4 can do that
easy enough
"'Go and get it, said. Give your
wife $4,000, and send her to New York
and Philadelphia to buy the finest car
riage and team which the money will
get. Tell her to bring back something
that will outshine anything Richmond
has SEEM
81 went away. Some days later l
was in New York on business and met
the wife of my business friend. She
said she was up there to buy car
riage and horses. She wanted me to
go and look at carriages.
".No,' said. you have taste. Go
ahead and get the most attractive and
stylish carriage you can find in New
York. Then go down to Philadelphia
and buy your horses
when l returned to Richmond l
saw my friend.
"'When your wife gets back with
the OUTFIT said l, you give her the
other $1,000. Tell her to put it in her
pocket and 60 shopping. She needn't
buy great deal, but she can look a t
things. buy occasionally. and always
pay, showing her pocketbook full of
money and explaining that you have
insisted that you want no bills run,
but prefer to pay cash. Meantime
you keep away from that carriage.
Don't you be seen in or near it. Wear
your old clothes and stick to your
business just as if you couldn't afford
to be away long enough to sleep and
eat
"Then l went off about my own bus
mess. was walking down Broad
street several weeks afterward, when
saw the most splendid stablishment
on wheels that Richmond ever knew,
expect. Great Scotti how that car
riage did shine. And the horses! And
the gold-mounted harness.! Whewl
1t was gorgeous, tell you. 1 met
some body knew, and asked:
"Whose rig is that?'
"'Why,' was the answer, that's Jim
Blanks. He bought it in New York
for his wife. Blanks making more
money than he knows what to dc
with
II walked down on Main street and
went into one of the banks. After
some conversation l asked the presi
dent of the concern how Blank was
doing.
".Making more money than any man
in this town. was the reply.
81 made few more inquiries. The
answers were all the same. Every
body was impressed with the idea that
Blank was coming money, and he and
l alone knew that he was as near
bankruptcy as a man ever gets with
out going down. But it wasn't six
months until he was doing what every
body thought he had been doing all OF
the time--making money. Blank kept
right along, exactly as l told him. toe
busy to talk He cleared away all OF
the entanglements and went on with
out the world ever knowing. To-day
he is worth million and half. He
had possibility when he was just
ready to give up. That possibility
and the $4,000 borrowed Investment
in carriage, horses and pocket money
did the whole thing"
The major leaned back and shooE
with laughter as he recalled how the
biggest business bluff ever played il
the city on the James won out.-St
, Louis GLOBE Democrat.
t Near Tranquebar, ON the southeast