The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-11-17
Philadelphia North Ameriean)

has been known to an inside Wall
street group fo7 years, though no hint
Of IL has reached the reading public.
An attempt was made to kidnap Mr..
Gould AL hold him for a ransom OF
value cOmpai ID with which that de-
manded for Miss Ellen Stone seems
Insignificant The plot was developed
not in Bulgaria, Italy or in the fast
nesses Of the Rocky mountains, but in
the metropolitan district of New York
City. The would-be kidnapers were
not professional criminals or brigands,
but men ~ standing in the social and
financial world For sheer audacity
and desperation the plot mas no equal
in romance or history. The facts have
come te the surface through the re-
cent publication Of a novel having kid
naping as its theme.
Since Frederick Uphara Adams wrote
and published The Kidnapped Million
aires he has been in receipt Of hun
dreds Of letters from all types OF WTi-
ters.
Ar. Adams is visiting with friends
in Philadelphia, to whom he has shown
some OF the remarkable letters which
he has received since his book was
published. Among them are two which
give in detail the story Of the attempt
10 kiduap Jay Gould, and while these
outlines of narrative seemingly
founded on facts and written by men
who participated in or were familiar
with the plot described.
I'm the years spent as a Vail street
correspondent" said Mr.. Adams. It
heard many rum0rs of the attempt
made to kidnap Mr. Gould but they
possessed SO little verisimilitude that
they were not worthy of mention or
q 4 q
my book I have received many un-
signed letters from men who are lead
ing factors in Wall street. Some of
these were ongratulatory. while 9th
ers warned me against taking liberties
with our ali-pOwerful milliOnaires
These cautious critics assured me that
in case New York millionaire ever
is kidnapped I will be held responsible.
o %
Last week" continued Mr.. Adams
Il received two letters, both pertaining
70 the same SUBJECTIVE alleged at
tempt to kidnap Jay Gould Both
We're typewriter. on paper which gave
no hint of the address of the writer's
Both told substantially the same story,
differing only IN details. There was
that difference in style and in the use
Of words and phrase which, to the
product of different writer's.
zone gave the dates of the various
alleged events, while the other was
silent on this point One gave the
names of two parties who were innO-
cent figures IN the drama while the
other Indicated them by dashes, but
neither letter cave any clue to the
identity of thu ten men who formed
and stood ready to carry out the plot.
Mr.. Adams would not consent to the
publication Of the letters, saying that
they contained certain statements
which might cast suspicion on persons
absolutely innocent of any completely
i'm the plot. One Of the writer's asserts
that seven Of the ten cOnspirators are
living and virtually admits that he is
one Of them. The other tells the story
from the standpoint of a historian.
without any intimation as to how he
obtained possession Of the facts. Both
substantially agree on the following
remarkable narrative:
After a camDaign Of manipulation
which stirred Wall street to its depth,
Jay Gould had succeeded in SO seCur-
ing control of certain stock as to
become the absO.Use dictator of terms
to a powerful opposing interest Dur
ing this long and bitter struggle TO
quarter was given or expected by the
COntendiug factions. BY a series Of
moves brilliant and audacious almost
to the point Of being unscruBulous. the
great operator COMPOUNDED his Op-
ponents. and the day was at hand
when they must submit to the terms
named by the wizard 0f Wall street.
q q =
Mr.. Gould received scores OF anony-
H-A
who had been caught in the net set
for larger fish. These letters INDUCED
in The usual threats against his life
unless he would release his grasp on
the market. Though usually impervi-
Gus TO matters of this kind. Mr.. Gould
called on Inspector Byrnes and turned
these letters over to him in the hope
thar some of the writer's could be dem
tined Acting on the advice of he
famous detective, he employed a holy
guard and the Wall street magnate
and Byrnes had daily conferences.
There was one man whose feet were
entangie1 IN the GOulG net who wrote
no threatening letters. He was young.
handsome, athletic and resOurceful In
q fateful moment he entered into a
speculative deal. and almost before he
knew it ruin was confronting him. His
fortune was i'm the balance. He occu-
pied a high position In society. His
approaching marriage TO d beautiful
girl was the topic of conversation in
the gilded circles.
Like others, he realized that it was
Useless TO appeal to Mr.. Gould for
mercy, and he knew fun well that there
was nothing in the market situation
which promised relief But, unlike
ytEers who saw ruin w. the impending
surrender. The crisis nerved him to an
act which for boldn5ss of conception
has TO parallel in the history Of specu- /
latiOn.
He preached his plan to friend, who
stood 70 lose q million At first he met
indignant refusal But so elOquently
did re urge his cause and so speciOus
was he in extenuatiOn OF the proposed
crime that he won the support and CO.
operation Of his fellow victim. They
con fded their plot to eight others, and
the ten bound themselves to a compact
by oath.
These ten men were worth millions
and most of them were prominent in
the fna lcial and speculative affairs Of
the metropolis They pledged them
selves to kidnap Jay Gould and to hold
HIN until such time as he signed such
papers or delivered such stock as
would cancel the contracts which
threatened them Will ruin.
Confident of the success Of their
plans they did not hesitate TO sell large
blocks Of stock in anticipation of the
panic which certainly would follow the
disappearance OF the master mind of
Wall street Unconscious Of the plot
ting of these wealthy desperadoes and
secure IN bis position. Mr. Gould OBJ
- a Z Il
the rashness Of those who dared chal- /
lenge his supremacy.
e q =
The Mot atrreed 77r.,77 wac q ror,