The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-27

he had risen TO be senior member. and
by 1871. when still young man, he was
one of the foremost brokers in Phila-
delphia.
Among the customers of the broker
was Joseph F. Marcer. who had been
recently elected city treasurer Previous
TO Marcers time, through some laxity
OF the laws, the city treasurer had not
been obliged to account for the interest
on city moneys. Accordingly. each
treasurer had been in the habit of In
vesting on his own account. and for
years every incumbent of the office had
realized a snug fortune. So, when Mar
Ger became a customer of Yerkes, it
was municipal funds and not the pri-
vate funds of the treasurer that were
intrusted to the brokers' care.
Although this was strictly in accord
ance with the practice of previous treas
urers, it was technically illegal, and
disaster followed. Marcer could not
produce all the money he had received,
ana there was a judicial inquiry, re-
sulting In the indictment of both men,
Their trial followed, after some delay,
and, on Feb. 10. 1872. Yerkes was con-
ylcted or endorsement and larceny and
sentenced to prison for two years and
nine months. Marcer was also con-
victed, and they were both incarcerated
in the same institution Neither Marcer
nor Yerkes served out his sentence, for
after seven months imprisonment both
were pardoned.
1t has been declared that Yerkes's
conviction was entirely unwarranted,
inasmuch as he was not city official.
but had acted simply as Marcer's
broker and in perfect good faith. How
ever, he was imprisoned and his
progress was temporarily cut short
During his confinement he made excel
lent use of his time. He read and
indulge in regular physical exercise.
Attached to his cell was one of the flow
err gardens so we'll described by Charles
Dickens in his account of the Philadel-
phia penitentiary, and Yerkes culti-
waited the little patch of ground as faith
fully as did the convict whose work at
tracted the eye of the BRITISH novelist.
When released Yerkes was in excel
lent health, his nerve was apparently
undiminished and his friends prophesed
that he would be heard of yet. Time
has proven the truth of this prediction.
PHILADELPHIA TO CHICAGO
So far as accessible records go there
is a blank in the life story of Mr.. Yerkes
covering the few years Immediately fol-
lowing his pardon.
During his Imprisonment his wife had
been devoted in her attentions to him,
but upon his release he left Philadel-
phia without her. Only his most init
mate friends, and possibly none of
them. knew of his exact whereabouts,
though it was understood that he had
gone West somewhere to begin life
again and grow up with the country.
Early in the eighties he turned up in
chicago apparently in excellent health
ana with enough money to enable him
10 enter the arena of speculation. In
this he was as successful as ne had
been during his earlier career-in fact
ne seemed a second Midas. for every
thing he touched turned into gold. After
little he went into the street-railroad
business, and the story oe his opera
tons. first as manager and afterward
as one or the stockholders of the Chi
eago cable system, is one of those
notable business romances by which the
latter half of the present century has
been distinguished.
In Chicago Mr.. Yerkes made a friend
eof nearly every one with whom he came
IN contact, and this in spite of the fact
that, as a leading spirit in the manage
ment OF the cable roads, he was and
still is attacked daily by the Chicago
newspapers. He had not long been in
Chicago when he furnished the editor
or each of the journals there with
manuscript story of his life saying that
he supposed 1t would all have to come
out some time and he preferred that
1T should be told correctly. Very natur-
ally It was not told at all by the Chi
cago newspapers. AS his wealth in
creased Mr.. Yerkes made himself prom
inent by reason of his charities. The
telescope recently erected in Chicago at
his expense is one of the largest and
finest in the world.
Mr.. Yerkes's business romance was
not. his only one. For some reason,
with which the public is not familiar.
ne secured a divorce from the wife who
apparently had been so faithful to him
during the dark days he spent in the
Philadelphia prison, and after that he
married the present Mrs Yerkes
The second Mrs. Yerkes has often
been spoken of as beautiful woman
It would be, perhaps, more accurate to
characterize her as woman of fine
appearance, for, although she is un-
doubtedly attractive, her face has not
the lines of classical beauty. She is
tall. we'll formed and possessed of a
most striking personality. POSSIBLY she
may not be considered intellectual in
the highest sense of the term, but she
Is certainly bright woman. and one
whose powers of adaptation are far
| above the average 1t goes without
| saying that she will have abundant op-
| portunity to exercise these powers dur
| ing the campaign which she and her
husband are about to undertake.
Although society refused absolutely
TO accept her overtureS in Chicago, she
| has many friends among the smart set
| In New York. and they describe her as
| one who will make a charming and de-
| lightful hostess. She has read about
i oil tudI 10 WOIlH IGduiuS ana nef liter
| airy taste is excellent Her Judgment
in pictures. too, is correct and discrim-
| mating, and it is said that she selected
most of the pictures included in the
| famous collection OF canvases TO be
hung in the vast gallery of the new
| mansion.
| Mr.. Yerlles has many friends in New
| York, as has his wife, and he expects,
| no doubt, to enter some of the swell
| clubs here. Possibly il will be easier
| to get into society than into cl,t he
| for more than one man of high stand
| ing and Of great success financially
and professionally has found entrance
to the sacred precincts of the New York
club houses barred by insurmountabl BILE
| obstacles.
/ Whatever may be the outcome of the
| social campaign, Mr.. Yerkes proposes
to rest his bones near New York, and
| to that end has built mausoleum in
| Greenwood at an expense of $4,000.
/ Where Poverty Is Not Want.
| Charles II. Lummis, in Harpers Magazine