The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-05
a STORY o. RANKER GAGE.

(From the St Louis Globe-Democrat)
Stories of Lyman J. Gage. the big
Chicago banker, who is to become Pres
ident-elect Mckinley's secretary of the
treasury, are now much IN evidence
and scores of them, good and bad, many
of them without the slightest founda-
ton in fact, are going the rounds. But
here is one that is absolutely, true and
has never been in print. 1t is related
by Frank H. Brooks. a well known Chi
cago journalist, as one of his own ex-
periences with the great banker:
Every Chicago newspaper man of any
character is the friend of Mr.. Gage and
probably no man of prominence in Chi
cago is so accessible at all hours as he.
His little room at the bank is always
Open-there is nobody at the door to
take cards or announce visitOrS-you
just walk in and no matter what your
business or what fool errand you may
have been sent on, the reputable news
paper man is always sure of a WelcOm-
ing smile, and cordial hand shake. Mr..
, Brooks told his story to brother writ
er, now on the democrat, in this
way:
IF you remember about a year ago
the Chicago paper 1 was attached to
conceived the idea of having every
prominent man in the city interviewed
upon some silly prOblen1-Such, for in
stance as, Where and How Did You
Spend Your First Christmas ?'or Which
do you remember in your boyhood days
as being your most enjoyable Fourth of
q
question, or how absurd, Lyman ].
Gage, because of his ready accessibility
and excessive good nature, was always
singled out to be first visited.
lone day it fell to my lot to hunt up
a lot of nabobs, such as c. t. Yerkes,
Marshall Field, Sam Allerton, 1. z: Lei
ter and half a dozen others and put
to them this question:
- If you should suddenly lose every
dollar of your property, find yourself
deprived of credit. health and friends,
and could not get work anywhere, what
would you do?'
Il made for Mr. Gage the first thing
of course, as we always did. After the
usual kindly greeting I fired my ques-
ton at him. He gave me Qu1zzlcal
look and said:
Did - - mentioning the ven
cradle editor upon whose paper l was
working) send you on any such fool
errand as that? What is Journalism
coming TOP
Being assured that my assignment
was genuine, Mr.. Gage said:
:" Well, put your question again
q repeated it: IF l should lose every
dollar I had and my credit too? Is that
it?'
g Yes, sir
Why, 1 would hunt a job of course.
But, suppose nobody would give
you job?'
g wen, that is hardly possible, but
granted that it is, why, in that case
I'd get a shovel and clean sidewalks,
or set up a peanut stand, or do some
thing like that and Mr.. Gage smiled
confidently.
but, Mr.; Gage, suppose you hadn't
even capital enough to buy shovel,
or lot of peanuts, what them
q We'll, then, 1 suppose said Mr..
Gage, thoughtfully, I'd have to beg on
the Streets.
And, suppose again, nobody would
give you a cent, same as thousands are
refused on the streets every night"
Here Mr.. Gage showed just a trace
of Impotence, and, waving his hand,
said
oh, well, d-n it, in that case I
would steal, and you can tell -
(the name of my editor) that 1 believe
he would too, under the same circum-
stances
I said thank you, Mr.. Cage and
grabbing my hat, made for the door.
" Here, here, Young man, come back
yelled Mr.. Gage, but by that time
was half way out Of the bank and a
scare head line. asLyman Gage Says He
Would Stea1l' had formed itself in my
mind He ran sitter me and sent a
messenger to chase me, but lodged in
a saloon and made for the office
had hardly got seated to write the sto-
ry when the editor sent for me. went
to his room and there was Mr.. Gage,
very much excited and flushed.
1T is needless to say that my inter-
view did not go.