Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-07

Wall street revels in an enigma. why
has James r. Keene gone to EuropeF
Friends say it's for rest and recreation.
Cynical commentators insinuate that the
purpose ts very, very different-but these
mysterious souls divulge no Information.
one set OF yarns has It that he has sailed
to be close to J. p. Morgan, that they are
cooperating in the development Of plans
whereby q boom in American stocks can
be started from European capitals-amply
large this dream. Another tale represents
collision between him and Mr.. Morgan
over the Steel Trusts market, and his
cancellation OF all relation with the bull
side of the market-this stalwart creation
being fringed with representations that
before he left us he sold out every share
OF stock he owned or was carrying and
can be henceforth accounted vengeful
bear buccaneer.
Mr.. Keene's own statement on the day
he went aboard ship was that he was
simply taking a vacation, that he expect
ed to be back by or before autumn, and
that another OF his expectations was that
the American security market could be
depended upon to give its friends COM
Portable thanksgiving and Christmas
feasts.
None the less Wall street wouldn't be
happy II 1t couldn't worry, be mystical
and mystifed.'
It would have been greeted as a jest
satirical to the furthest degree IL when
Mr.. Keene last went to Europe any
Wall street report had Joined his name
with that OF Mr.. Morgan's finance plans.
Then Mr.. Keene had been figuring in
tempestuous campaign wherein many OF
the Morgan contingent had become &C
auainted with the tearing quality OF his
bear claws. He had been smashing away.
indeed. at the whole list. He saw nothing
bright in any part Of the business world.
Bryan was going to be elected, dreadful
things galore were impending; there were
too many Securities and they were all
too high. And later reports from across
the ocean represented him as spreading
blue cast all over London, so that when
he came back home and declined to dis
cuss market affairs, Wall street was sure
that he was merely waiting and watching
for a chance to play smash. Instead.
came the revelation Of Morgan-Keene
compact; the converted bear was Stock
Exchange bull leader and has been ever
since.
One slippery winter day soon after pub
lie disclosure OF this market partnership,
Mr.. Keene, journeying over to call upon
Mr.. Morgan, had the luck to make mis-
step and stumble just at the entrance.
You are not hurt, / trust" said Mr..
Morgan graciously.
"Oh, no." was the Keene answer, ct
was not far enough inside the ONCE for
that"
This was a joke, so the six-foot-tall
doorkeper explained to a clerk who was
wondering at a stalwart Morgan laugh.
When James r. Keene first arrived in
Wall street with his dozen California mil
lions he did not much fellowship the gall
liant crew OF leaders then making historic
plunges He and Addison Cammack were
on friendly terms. and he used sometimes
to hobnob OF evenings with Charles F.
Woerishoffer. It was Keene who first
started on its rounds the story that Ursa
Major Cammack refused to approve a new
moon because IT was too blanked high"
But the Wall street figure most attract
ing the western man was Travers, genial
and genuine William, who suffered mid
summer away out on Long island farm,
whereupon one Sunday Mr.. Keene de-
scended.
''Have something to drink?'' urged tho
host. Have a glass Of champagne?"
mo, I'd prefer, II you please" inter-
vened the visitor; "I really would prefer
a glass Of milk from one OF those glorious
Attorneys out there on the lawn"
May, nay" estopped Travers. Take
the cham-champagne It's-it's-it's cheap
erl''
There are many veterans in Wall street
who do not discredit the theory that many
a current 'story" attributed to local nota-
bles and started on its round by Keene has
been invented and located by the Cali
fornia party himself.
He would be promptly scofred, however,
who attempted to distribute the informa-