The times., 1901-05-17
FORTUNES MADE AND MISSED.
Interesting happenings Caused by
the Corner Northern Paciflc.


NEW YORK, May lG.-Although the ex-
citement over the cornering of Northern
Pacific has died down. stories of the
fortunes that might have been made keep
coming in from all parts of the country.
One of the most Remarkable of all the
tales comes from Philadelphia
1t seems a woman there owned 200
shares of the stock, bought years ago
when the stock was selling cheaply The
stock was located by some one in New
York and on the morning of the panic
she was advised to sell and realize a
handsome profit on her investment. She
thought the matter over for while and
concluded to follow the aIyice. The stock
was sold at 900 and in course of time
the woman received check for $4,000.
The transaction presented a profit of con-
siderably more than S100,OGO.
Between the time she authorized the
sale of the stock and the time she re-
ceived the check the woman read about
the panic and the corner, and the great
losses they had caused. Her conscience
started to work and she concluded that
the prof. she had received might have
come from some one whose fortune had
been wrecked She refused to accept the
check. Returning it, she said it was too
great profit to be made on such
transaction, and that she felt that she
would be guilty of great wrongdoing If
she accepted the check.
The broker through whom the stock
was sold still has the check and is at
loss at present to know just how the
trouble which the woman's conscience
HIS occasioned can be adjusted.
The real thing in the way of a North
n. 4,.rI
member of one of the largest mercantile
houses in New York who married into
one of the richest families in this coun-
try. He has been abroad for some time,
but has been where he could keep in
touch through the foreign newspapers
with what was going on in New York.
On Wednesday or Thursday Of last week
he noticed in the papers that an at
tempt was being made to corner Northern
Pacific and that the price of the stock
had gone kiting.
He had 1900 shares and concluded to
sell at once. Accordingly. he cabled to
his New York brokers to sell him out
at the market. They tried to execute the
order when the stock was up around
400 or 800. Kuhn, Loeb & Co. were ready
to take the stock, but the brokers had
no power of attorney under which the
stock could be transferred Although
the responsibility of the brokers to their
was not doubted for a moment,
Kuhn, Loeb & Co. were taking ne
chances; therefore the stock was not
sold and the owner lost not far from
81. 100000 profit.
When the world was being combed for
the stock in the days Immediately pre-
ceding the panic it was learned that a
certain fashionable New York dowager
was the possessor of something like 400
shares. The stock was bought years ago
by her late husband, when bushel Of
shares could be obtained for song, and
not much of a song at that.
On Wednesday evening of last week
broker called up the woman's residence
on the telephone. He learned that she
was at dinner party and got the name
Of her hostess on the plea Of highly i'm
oortant business The hostess had tel
aphone and the broker finally succeeded
IN getting the dowager to it. He told her
hat her stock was wanted, that she could
realize a small fortune by selling, and
asked IL he might sell the stock. The
substance of the reply he got was:
This is the greatest piece of imperu-
lence / ever heard Of You have actually
caled me from a dinner party to discuss |
/ matter of business. Please be good |
enough never. to annoy me like TINS |
igain.
Then she hung up the receiver, and the |
lroker, as he hung up his, said to himself |
What he would not say to a lady. Later |
le had the satisfaction of knowing that |
he dowager regretted more than she will |
.ver be able to tell that she did not sell |
he stock