The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-04-25
A GOLDEN CAREER
William Sttlrgis' Peculiar Journey
in This Life.
PRINCE OF PROMOTERS
Stricken Down by tho Farwell Shit After
Half Century of Labor In Flu
riching Others.


CHICAGO, April 90 William Sturgis
who was stricken down during the first
day of the last trial of his contest with
John v. Farwell for the possession Of
81 $50, 900, will not probably live to heal
the result of the famous battle now be
ing tried. He has continued to sinh
from the day of the tragic end of his
most active business life, and the ply
sicians say the grave is very near.
Mr.. Sturgis came of old Connecticut
stock. with most rigorous principles Of
honesty inherited. He never knew the
hills of his native state until he became
a man, as his father came west and
and brought the son to GAINESVILLE, Ohio
This dates the beginning of the fame OF
the name In commercial circles, for soou
Solomon Sturgis became banker and
he prospered. He was schrewd to
superlative degree and this was quail
ity he handed down to William Sturges'
The boy early gave evidence of his
fathers capacity for good bargains and
as lad he made his first deal. 1t was
with his mother, from whom he borrow.
ed few dollars. He was not yet 81,
but he started in banking operations.
Success simply overwhelmed him, and
in a time, extraordinarily brief, his as
sets had reached $685.
The attendant calamity was close
upon such phenomenal good fortune.
He was induced to invest in the Ohio
Loan and Trust Company. Ithad gilt
tering prospectus, with assurances of
profit which paused at no wealth of ad-
jectives in their proclamation. 1t was
a gold mine without question, a mint,
and its great scope and purposes ap.
pealed to young Sturges. His entire
capital went into it. He never knew
where it went, for he had no sooner re-
ceived his shares than an assignment
followed.
One of the strongest friendships he
ever owned resulted from this failure,
and the man who shared it was credi-
tor who came to murder Mr.. Sturges In
return for deposit of $1,000 which the
company had used. He was alone in
the Office during an evening when shut
fling steps stopped at the door and
lnsty knock announced muscular pres
ence Just outside. 1t was circum-
Atance to make an ordinary man trem-
BILE, but Mr.. Sturges never would admit
he had ever trembled In his life. He
walked to the door and asked in a sig
foot stranger.
The tall stranger was giant, whose
figure was as wide as his muscles were
large In circumference, and without
any hesitation he announced his bust
ness. As preface he walked to the
desk and deposited two revolvers, such
as they used in 1857. He then took
chair in front of the director and said:
at will be necessary for you to get
my 81 900 at once. 1t represented all
my savings. The money came by ha1d
work and this failure is queer"
"Well, you are candid. don't blame
you for asking for your money. I would
like to see 81 600 myself, but" and
here Mr.. Sturges was compelled to stop
his explanation. The stranger did not
like the tone of the reply and reached
for his weapons.
"Well, sir, since you have ruined me,
and left me penniless there is little to
live for; will just shoot you here in
the ONCE and suffer the consequences"
and both revolvers were instantly cock.
ed for action.
"You are just the man have been
looking for. Night after night as have
worried over these affairs have longed
to die. should have killed myself but
for my lack of courage; ire away" and
the banker stood up and barred his bosom
for the bullets. he did not mean the
speech as any dramatic episode, but as
earnest truth. 1t IL hardly necessary
to add the shots were not fred, and that
the stranger was convinced there was
no money in the vaults. He later be-
came partner in certain of the Stur-
ges enterprises.
The conception of the Atchison, To-
peka and Santa Fe system was one of
Mr.. Sturges' greatest triumphs. He
raised the money for the preliminary
work In the midst of panic, when
older heads said 1t was folly to even
talk Of the scheme at the time. The
route lay through the territory owned
by the Usage Indians. 1t carried with
1t an immense land graft, subject to In.
dian ratification and this ratification
was only secured by clever ruse. The
government had had a commission on
the ground for three months. The red
men refused to act, failing in their
promises and neglectingto attend meet.
ings. The commission at last gave up
the task and returned t. Washington.
Mr.. Sturges remained on the spot.
He conceived the plan of having a ma.