The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-07-11
THE FuGITIvE's CAREER.
Lewis started in Life with Nothing,
hut Things Came His Way.

hut Things Came His why.
CINCINNATI, July lo.-The Enquirer
says: Zachariah Taylor Lewis. the Urbana
capitalist. whose deals in stock and grain
have frequently given even the Chicago
market a perceptible twist, was poorer than
the proverbial church mouse in his early
life. AT thirty years of age the most des-
perate speculation he ever engaged in was
swap OF horses. up in a little country
town in one of the hill counties OF Ohio.
he 1as married early to handsome young
woman of his own station, and two faxen-
haired children. a boy and girl. were born
Of the union. The little family struggled
along in the life OF poor farmers In about
the poorest farming country on earth. One
morning the tall, raw-boned farmer awoke
70 i,nd himself a rich man. Prospectors had
discovered a big vein of coal upon the few
stony acres which were his patrimony. and
an agent was at the door of the three-room
log farm house offering to buy the farm for
sum which seemed fabulous. Even then
the business shrewdness of Lewis asserted
itself. He calmly offered TO sell a half in
terest in the coal vein for the amount
which the agent named for the whole farm;
aad he stuck stubbornly to his proposition
until ii was accepted.
he'd developed into the keen-witted speculs-
tor. No man OF more deceptive appearance
scheme The relaxation from physical Ia
nof which came with the sudden accession
10 wealth seemed to have seized the man
langllid motion and soft-spoken accent Lew
is apparently exhibited an utter inability 10
summon up physical energy: But ne s,,a was as
daring, shrewd and cold-blooded a specuia-
tor ever took flyer.
His wealth. which at one time may have
amounted to 100000 began TO ship through
hi |.,ero fro, fhf, n
session of IT, Whenever he made a deal
which would have contented the ordinary
man he followed 1t with an attempt at
full. When he went TO trbana, along ABOUT
1880. he built handsome residence on COLI
team. and deferentiaIiy, but persistently,
called the attention OF the town to himself
and his family. He opened a private bank
e ess eroe' crossed waiting for for BUSINESS to come
to him. He was willing to take hand, IN
a financial way. in almost anything He
to make il winner. Among the ballplayers
were Billy Hart, who is now pitching for
the Pittsburgs, and Morris Myer, the crack
second baseman of the Cincinnati Arctics.
Lewis took a great fancy TO Myer, gave
him clerkship in his bank and started him
on successful business career. he Is now
cashier of bank at Forest, q.
No one in Urbana knew just how much
Lewis was worth. He was supposed to
have barrel OF money st and s TO noe oe m maHng
ward and his daughter, who is beautiful
girl to Vassar Mrs. Lewis, a most es-
Unable woman of the capable type, was
devoted TO her children and entertained
| for them lavishly. AS a matter or fact,
however. the prosperity. of the Lewises
| was largely on the surface. The banker
| was steadily losing the money which came
| to him with the discovery OF the coal vein.
| At one time Mr.. Lewis entertained two
strangers over sunGay; They were detec-
tiyes representing a Chicago bucket shop.
and they came down to Urbana to see why
Mr. Lewis didn't "come up with the cash
| to cover some margins.
About four years ago Mr.. Lewis pur-
chased property on Scioto street, the ultra
select residence street of the town, and
erected residence even handsomer than
the one on College way. 1T ad1oined the
magnificent home of the Kirbys. the wealth
lest of Urbana families. and 1t was ap-
parent that the desire OF Mr.. Lewis was
to vie with his neighbors in the luxury Of
his living.
Society people in urbana have always be-
| lieyed that the wealth of the Lewises was
practically unlimited. Conservative busi-
ness men have been noncommittal con-
| cerning the methods and standing of the
| private banker The news of his present
difficulties will carry much less surprise 10
| the latter class than to the former.