The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-19
SIX MILLIONS IN SIX WEEKS.
uov JAMES r.. KEENE PROPHE-
Sled THE RECENT BOON.

Advance in StOchs-ANee"S Us nc
,.uo,v He Made His First For
concentrating wall Strcet-A
meath struggle with jay Gould.
caught in Wheat COrner-After
,,ts creat FaiIure-Making a Sec
ond Fortune.
Nm York. March lin the recent Wall
,.r.et boom James R. Keene recovered his
o5-ume position as the most daring and
.rcceseful Spectator on change. He was
~. only prominent trader who saw the
odvauce coming, and he has made between
100000 and 100000 in six weeks, with
more in prospect.
But Keene has helped the public as well
a. himself. On Dec 8 last he came out
ur,tb an interview in which he predicted a
General and sustained rise in values. In
,be three months since then the stocks
ora securities handled in Wall street have
advanced over slOo,COO COO A large part
nj this increase has gone TO small inves-
tors all over the country, who took
Keene's advice and went in at the begin
ming of the advance.
Nobody except Keene could have done it,
There are bigger operators here and men
whose names are more familiar. but not
one who occupies his unique position. For
one thing he is the veteran, or one of the
veterans, of the street. He was here in
the DAYS of Jay Gould and the elder Van
derblt. He has seen the rise and fall of
many fortunes, including his own. He has
made millions, lost them and made others
TO replace them. But the chief influence
that led investors to accept his judgment
as to the course of prices was his reputa-
tIon for absolute honesty. Everybody
knows that jim Keene is honest. If an
ether man had come out with the same
statements he would have been accused of
trying to influence the market for the ben
eft Of deals that he had on foot. When
Keene said It the people believed It.
Keene King of Spectators.
Keene has indicated his financial sagac-
ity by accommodating two great fortunes
He has done battle with some of the mas
tiers of the street and has. not come off
vanquished. He may not be so great
manager as Flower or Pierpont Morgan,
but he is the king of spectators. His hon
esty was proved when he paid $1,000 600 for
which he was not legally responsible lie
has been in many deals and has always
acted on the square. He has been "euch-
cred" sold out" ruined by men whom
he had made but Keene himself has never
been accused of a mean or dishonest act.
The James r. Keene of to-day is a man
Of medium hight and compact build His
gray heard close oraprla1 10 fba obfp 1oae
not hide the firm outlines of his jaw. His
gray eyes are searching, kindly and
bright. His manner In transacting bust
ness is abrupt and decisive. But he viii
stop in the middle of the most important
transaction to shake hands with an old
friend or to give ear TO a dependent ac-
quantance, and he has many of the latter.
story of Big Gift.
keene's charities are characteristic of
The man. During the recent blizzard in
New York he was sitting with two friends
IN the Waldorf-Astoria. This is the
Tine said Keene, when the well-to-do
ought TO put their hands into their pock-
eis TO relieve the poor. The people in
this hotel should give $4,000 toward ii,
and if they don't 1 will"
TN give $1,000" said one of his COM
panions.
keene walked to the telephone. called
up the Mayor and told him that $1,000 was
Walung to relieve the sufferings of the
destitute poor. The only stipulation was
mat II should reach them Immediately.
1t was holiday, and the Mayor had
10 get hold of the commissioner of chart
ties before he could promise that the
money would be applied Immediately
MeahWhlle keene sent for the head of one
.. the principal charitable organizations
OF the city and placed in his hands S1O.-
Wo-eight from his own pocket and two
from his two friends. The only proviso
attached to the gift was: Get 1t to the
needy to-day"
ittIe later the Mayor, having made
MS arrangements, called up Mr.. Keene
ana announced that his gift was accept
Gu heehe's response was Gan right"
ana SO he gave $4,000 to a very practical
eharity instead of the 5000 he had at
nISt intended for the purpose.
Aeene's Remarkable Rise to Fortune
heenes rise to fortune has been re-
nlaIkaole and In some respects a roman
W one. He was born in London a little
U'OIe IMAM sixty years ago. He came to
america at the age of H.. For a few years
me hVed in the South and studied law
,uere. AS soon as he was admitted to the
~ t4le tate 0U S, ne joined the thrOng
ol young men drawn westward by the
SLahIorhia gold discoveries, and began
HiS practice in San Francisco.
me young lawyers practice related
enleny TO mining claims. He became ia
Hnndr with mining stocks and properties,
u "Nu soon was more a mining Spectator
nan lawyer. He made money in his
.Sulures but his health was poor. and a
SnS Slcian advised him to take a long trip.
80 ne closed up his business affairs. pack
~, MS e1eSts, and started for the Allan
Nv coast to be absent year.
:, iuat was an important trip for Keene.
- uade him rich man. Some time be-
a sp.e ne had become possessed of some
s.dIes of a mining stock that was selling
almost nothing. 1t was believed to
" Practically worthless, but soon after
f,T departure it PANIED out wonder
rich. The stock went up like rock.
o,.- ton one figure TO three. Keene was
Ii' news Travelled slowly in those DAYS.
q AneW nothing of his good fortune for
ions time, but when he returned 10 San
aHcisco ne found that his few hundreds
-. crown TO 100000. Had he remained
" nome he would have sold out probablv
We nrst advance, netting perbans one