Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1904-12-16
SAEICH OF THOMAS w. Law :

As w. l<d"eOu, Will pC Vi 'beSiNos ~
those VINO have lead his articles
"Frenzied Finance" which have been |
running for some months in Every
body's Magazine.
That Shomas w. Lawson is unique
American product is acknowledged
by his worst enemies.
He is tall, we'll built, with ruddy
complexion, a mass OF black hair, sharp
piercing eyes that look you Though
and through and square jaw. His
hands ave remarkably small for such
big man.
MIR. Lawson began his business ca
reer inIIS72. When at the age OF IS e
made fortune by specializing In
shares of Cincinnati, Sandusky and
Cleveland Railroad stock. which drop
ped from $50 a share TO So, He had
been = spender. even at the age Of IL
wears. At that time he received a
present OF 500. He spent S87 on a
present for his sister and the rest went
toward making his brother happy.
When he made the fortune in Gin
cinnati. Sardusky and Cleveland
stock he made the money fly while
it lasted. He mixed up In the Boston
Water Power Company and dropped
the modest sum Of 50, 81 in jig time.
But that left him with hundred and
6nv odd dollars. which he spent in
giving bis friends dinner; handing
his last S. note to the head water
That left Mr.. Lawson with clean
decks, but it did not take him long
to get into the game again. For the
last 80 years no man has male and
lost fortunes like him; no man has
spent the millions that he has in 80
many different ways. His motto Is:
If you spend money, spend 1t like
gentleman" and he has lived up to
this. If he wants thing he bays 1t
lust as he did when he paid $50. 900
Tor the famous Lawson pink.
So far as skyrocket speculatiod goes
{ he exccls even the 'Betcher- a-million'
John w. Gates When he loses fight
he likes to write a book abont his
troubles and show up the inside work
ings of the financial world from his
poiut OF view to illustrate what little
chance the general public has to make
money unless by blind luck.
No reverse in life ever stung him
So deeply as the wound inflicted by
the New York Yacht Club. He built
the sloop independence, and it looked
for time a If she might be chosen
to defend the American $ cup, but the
New York Yacht club declared the
boat to he barred becatse Mr.. Lawson
was not a member of the club.
After writing book about the dis
appointment, entitled The Lawson
History OF the Americans Cup: A
r cord OF Fifty Years. he smashed
the Independence to bits and made
souvenirs of her plates.s
Mr.. Lawson says that only one per-
son can help man in this world an
that persoa is himself Certainly few
have helped him, for he has many
enemies
They are all thoroughbreds,' be
says of his enemies. livery one OF
them wou'd rise from sound sleep 10
do me an injury, Long may they live.
They put spice into hfe."
To most men the loss of couple of /
million dollars would be blow from
which they would never recover. Not
so with MIR. Lawson More than once
he has lost tina amount with a smile,
and more than a dozen times he has
made that amount while the day
laborer. in front OF his office was carr
ing 81
Among other things Mr.. Lawson |
is noted for i, his beautiful homes.
His house in the exclusive Beacon
street, in Boston is a palace. He has
a half dozen beautiful farms where his |
crack trotters Craze. When he tires
of one place be buys another, for in
this, as well as every other phase of
his career, Ma. Lawson believes that
variety is the spice of life.
Even the quietest woman can make