The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-11-10
WARTIME DEAL ~ MUSLIN.
New Jersey Farmer Remembers with
Delight How He Got Ahead OF
A. 7. Stewart

There is an old farmer living al hilton,
~ J.. who holds it as one OF the joys OF
his life that once upon a time over ~
years ago, he proved himself clever
enough to get the better of A. T. Stewart
He is Henry JerolOman, who mas since
become little short of famous hlmseii
as the grower OF the Hilton strawoerry'
says the New York Sun.
But il was many years before re ever
thought of strawberries that he crossed
swords with A. T. Stewart. He owns
lumber mill and number of houses In a
western town, which he purchased from
the proceeds of his deal with Stewart
There are in all two dozen houses, and
for the possession of these and the lum-
| her mill Jeroloman has the civil war to
thank.
lust before the war began Jerolo-
man realized that II was bound to come.
He realized also that muslin, which was
then selling for from ~ to 10 cents
yard. would soon go up.
He thought over this for some time,
and then he made up his mind to put all
his available capital into muslin. He
logged thoughtfully over to New YORK
and moved quietly around In the dry
goods neighborhood, until he learned
that A. T. Stewart had nearly all the mus
lin there was in the city at that time.
He then went in and offered to buy all
the stock at the prevailing rate. The bill
came to $4,000. Stewards business as
sociates readily agreed to sell.
Jeroloman did not have that amount
of money. but he scraped around and
raised as much as he could and then Of
fered his note at so days for the balance,
The firm accepted the note, Jeroloman
then told the concern to keep the goods
until hs called for them. and west back
to Go some more thinking anG waiting.
In short time Fort Sumter was fired
on, and prices went up by bounds. When
A. T. Stewart & Co. sought to replace
their stock of muslin they found the price
almost prohibitive, and Mr.. Stewart be-
came very angry,
He sent for Jeroloman and the farme!
went over to see him. On arriving al the
store Jeroloman found that Stewart had
given his partner raking over and had
berated his muslin buyers for letting the
stock go.
Once Jeroloman was In Mr.. Stewards
Office and the door was shut, the mer
chant tried his best to get the Jerseymar
to give up the goods. He asked Jerolo
man what he wanted of so much muslin
anyway. since he was not a dealer.
Jeroloman replied that although h
wasn't in the business, he had sens
enough to see that muslin was bound t.
increase in value.
Stewart grew angrier. and finally be
J came abusive, but Jeroloman would no
, sell. He said he had seen chance t
make lot of money and he wasn't goinl
to lose It.
He told the merchant that he coul'
get 81 a yard for muslin and that II tn
firm wanted that which he had Dough
p from them 1t would have to pay tina
q price. The interview ended with Stew
art shouting to the farmer that he woul
; have to remove his muslin from tn
= store Immediately.
g Jeroloman at once went out and al
. ranged for removing the goods and tn
next day line Of wagons came toilin
in to Newark and drew up before tn
> door Jeroloman had no place to stol
It the goods but in his own house, and SOC
r. the paflor and some Of the bedroom
- were piled high with the cases. Evel
= available bit of space was soon taken
- with big boxes.
oi Jeroloman then went back to Ne
York and paid the balance due. He b
III gan by selling muslin at rs cents var
Soon it went up to so cents, then to
'0 and finally to 81 yard.
re When the muslin was all gone Jerol
be man found that he had cleared about $6
600 on the investment. and besides he h
the satisfaction. which to him was
doubt tremendous. of knowing that
had been shrewder than one of the gres
80 ~ erob n re of tho day