The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-08-25
Chauncey Depew, "Hired Man.
Troubles Affect Him.
No Tainted Money for the New
Workers.; Other Gossip.
Especial to The Free Press.l

submitted the other day for probate,
there is contained between the lines a
financial suggestion of large interest to
! Wall street and in fact to the money
world at large. The document is elo-
quent, in the same way, of that loyalty
which was possibly the trait most clear
ly outstanding in the character of Col
onel Lamont. 1t provided that in case
Northern Pacific Railroad stock they
shall be at liberty to do so, but on the
condition that it be first offered to his
friend, James J. Hill, and by him de
clined. 1t would seem by this to be
clearly indicated that the old fight over
Northern Pacific in which Colonel La
mont bore a part and all details of
which he knew so thoroughly, was not
settled, but that he recognized the pres
ent quiescence rather as an armistice or
modus vivendi Of some sort. and that
some day or other it would come to pass
that Mr.. Hill might need the stock to
defend himself. In this wise, Lamont,
even though long dead would be lending
a strong hand in the hour of need to the
man who made him rich. The story
of how Colonel Lamont came into
wealth is not widely known, and will
bear brief relation here.
Hill had long had an envious eye on
Lamont, and upon his leaving the cabi-
net employed him upon comfortable
salary to assist i'll looking after the
enormous Hill concerns which were then
in war up to the ears. That was in
| 1897. The stock of Northern Pacific
was low, and Hill, with characteristic
sagacty offered to Lamont an option
on several thousand shares, which he
was at liberty to take up at any time
within two years. Before that time
had elapsed, the stock had doubled in
value and Lamont, after liquidating his
obligations found himself rich to the
extent it is said of between two and
three million dollars. In his will he
made material recognition of the kind
ness. No one who knew Lamont will
be surprised at his having done so. He
! was man with a most extraordinary
| g., i1,tin Of or
putting himself in other mems shoes,
seeing every proposition with their
eyes, divining, with almost inspiration
al ease and accuracy their thoughts and
wishes. He could and did to this end,
submerge his own personality complete
ly, although it was very strong one,
and by the very ability to do so made
himself of incalculable value to the men
with whom he was identified. Whatever
Mr. HiIl-or any other employer-ever
did for Daniel S. Lamont was in the
nature of a gilt-edged investment and
| they knew it. But it is likely that even
Mr.. Hill himself may have been surpris
ed at the latest proof of Lamont's APP
probation, and of his farsightedness.
Depew as "Hired Man."
The case of Chauncey NJ. Depew, who
has always taken humorous Joy and
pride in the self boosted title of "The
| Hired Manufacturing no doubt to his
former job as president of The New York
Central rather than that as guide, coun
sellor and friend to the Equitable Life
presents fortuitous but timely con-
| trast to that of Lamont. When La
mont worked for man he worked for
| him like beaver, mind and body and
all the time. Was it Joseph Fl. Manley
or "Sam" Fessenden of Connecticut
who made the toast: ''Here's to our
friends. When they're right, they're
right, and when they're wrong they're
doubly right" Whoever said it, the at
titude it defines is rather expressive of
Lamont. If as director of the Equit-
dDlo. IIdHlOHJ ever Could nave IoICcu
an improvement company loan, with a
verbal guarantee, he would have made
it good if it had taken his last dollar.
Reputation was not in his catalogue
of possibilities. a
Another point of difference between
Lamont and Depew recalls a remark
made in the street, during the Equitable
revelations. In all his years of ser
vice, no man ever courted prominence
less than Lamont. He was as modest as
it was possible for man to be. When
Depew's doings in the Equitable COM
pany were made public, a well-known
financier said 'That's the pure sar-
casm of fate. Chauncey made toy of
the limelight so lopg@sand so inces- !,
sanity that he got to thinking it was his
! - - "a -