Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-26
day in the history of Wall street.
CHAPTER VI.
MYSTERY ON MYSTERY.

devoted by the New York morning
papers to the great event could have
been condensed into n few para
graphs. so far as any true explanation
of the mystery was concerned.
Six men. whose combined wealth
was variously estimated AT from
$500, 100000 to $3.50, 0O0,o 900, had dis
appeared as suddenly and completely
as if the earth had opened and
swallowed them. Four of them
Messre. Pence, Kent. Haven and Nor
ton--had been in the lattcr's Office
about four o'clock on Monday after
noon. Mr.. Morton', secretary was
sure they held no conference at this
time. and said they soon left the
building. He thought they left to-
gcther, and supposed they went away
in carriages or in an automobile. 1t
was not uncommon for men distn-
guished in the world of affairs to
meet at MIR. Morton's office. Mr..
Morton had arranged for an impor-
tant conference with some railroad
men at his office for the following
morning at II o'cblock. The corre-
spondcnce files showed that fact CON
clusivcly. Mr.. Morton had tclcphoncd
TO his residence that he would not
be home 10 dinner. This was not UNI
usual. That was absolutely all that
was known of Mr.. Morton's move
meats or plans.
John NJ. Rockwell was in his Office
from II o'clock until about two in
the afternoon. lie transacted bust
ness as usual and had planned to
start on trip to Chicago the follow
ing day. His private car had been
ordered to the Pennsylvania depot.
Andrus Carmody was to accompany
him on this business journey. Both
of these gentlemen had left word at
their residences that they would not
be home to dinner. Hiram Haven did
not leave his office until nearly four
! o'clock. This was about his usual
hour. and there was nothing in his
correspondence or instructions to in.
dictate that he would fail to he On
hand at the regular hour ON Tuesday
morning.
Mr.. kent's failure to arrive at his
| once nearly drove ms hrbHprS clS-
! tractcd. They admitted that he had
| left them certain commissions to ill
on Tuesday morning. but the nature
of them or how they were executed
they declined To make public. lie
| left his office about four o'clock Mon
day afternoon. but did not say where
he was going.
! For the first time in 40 wears Simon
| Pence failed 10 come home. Only on
! rare orcn.ions did he remain AWAY
| from n home dinner. He had stated
! that n business cnrarcmcnt would
/ keep him in the city during the even
inc. but that he would be back at n
/ seasonablc hour. The police officials
were notified at midnight of his fail.
urc to return to his residence. Not
fully apprcciatinr the sipniticancc of
This event they made no search for
the missing man. and cla.scd it
among the eases Of This kind so ia.
4 miiar 10 the hardened members OF
the nipht notice force Of the metrop-
oils.
This completes all that was known
| concerning VIC Mystery.
That tL,. manic was brvond control
was apparent long before the stock
I Exchange opened Wednesday morn
ing. The governors, met and solemn
~ discussed the adviSablitv of clos
ing the Stock Exchange until some
light was thrown on the mystery
They dreaded to take this step. but
the situation was unprecedented In
ordinary emergencies the banks
trust companies. life insurance com.
panies and other representatives oi
capital had been able to meet and
adopt Il plan 10 protect the market
and thus avert n panic disastrous To
all interests. But the great heads of
the money power had vanished. The
smaller lights who remained were
in state of physical as well AZ finan.
val panic. Each imagined himself
the next victim. Special policemen
Guarded all the offices. and every Wis.
itOr was scrutiniIed as n possible kid
nappcr. Hundreds OF extra police Off
Gers were thrown into the financial
district. All suspicious characters
were arrested. Crowds were not per.
mittcd to assemble and a condition
approaching marital law prevailed.
Inc governors or me STOCK TX
change finally decided to open tho