The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-01

distinction of the Scottish nobleman,
whom he met on several occasions, and
when he returned to New York Lord
GO cor. consented s,t to accompany him.
ored by the friendship of the dis
tinguished foreigner, and when the
two reached New York MI. Roberts
was not slow in letting his influential
and fashionable friends there know
OF his noble guest.
: !. + +
The. scene now shifts to a luxuriously
furnished suite Of apartments in the
then fashionable Metropolitan hotel in
New York. The year is 1872, the month
February. At a table spread with the
whitest damask and loaded down with
Of the Gordons Of Scotland, sit at break
fast Lord Gordon and Horace Greeley,
editor and proprietor of the New York
Tribune, philanthropist and a few
months later nominee of a great party
for the presidency of the United States.
= Mr.: Greeley had dropped in, as was his
migration with his Iordship. omelettes
and immigration and colonization of
sturdy agriculturists from the old coun-
tries were Mr.. Greeley's hobbies at
that time, and he was deeply interested
in Lord Gordon IS vast purchases Of
land in the northwest. and his scheme
for the deportation Of his Scotch ten
antry after the close Of the British har-
vests. ..s.-<
The subject of the management Of
the Erie railway was at that time the
engrossing topic in the marts, in the
courts and in the legislature, and when
Lord Gordon, in a Whisper, confded to
moment the owner of 10000 shares Of
Erie, and that with this, together with
the holdings Of his English friends, he
intended to control the next election of
directors, the famous editor was de-
lighted. He at once enlisted in the
"Gordon reform movement" against
the alleged corrupt control Of the great
railway.
and his friend, Colonel Thomas A.. Scott
vice president of the Pennsylvania rail
road and then the ablest railroad man
ager in the world, in earnest consulta
: tion over dainty breakfast with Loro
Gordon in his apartments at the Met
ropolitan. Representing himself as 9
: large holder of Erie STOCK. and the agent
rope, LORD Gordon informed Colone
, Scott that he was DESTROYS Of havins
an interview with Jay Gould for the
l purpose of seeing whether he could mo-
make an arrangement with Mr.. Goule
, by which harmony OF mana gement coul(
be secured and he and his friends coult
get the control Of the property, t.
:. Lord Gordon referred to his estates ant
income in Europe as very large and t.
' his desire to put some OF his mean
: in this country. He told Of his enorm
Gus purchases of land on the Northern
Pacific and of his intention Of buyln|
- 1o-
e home there, at which to entertain hi
!, titled friends from abroad. Colone
4 Scott was much impressed with Lor'
= Gordon's knowledge of Erie affairs. Is.
t careful study and investigation ,Gordo3
: had made himself master OF the sur
z ject, or Scott would lnev1tably nav
! d;sccpssion at the breakfast table.
I It was on March 2, 1872, that ia
t Gould. in accordance with a Telegram
a from Colonel Scott, respectfully sent NJ
e. card no to Lord Gordon. The grea
= man at once admitted the railway mag
! nate, whose own verbatim account Q
:. the interview, contained IN sworn az
: position, is in part as follows:
= = a1He opened the subject by Stain
~ that he had very large interest In tn
= Erie line, both personally and thru n
= noble friends in England and ScotlanH
d He said that individually he owne
v thirty millions; his friends twenty mi
Q lions more; that he had the. entire an
exclusive control Of that entire interes
q He stated that he had been making il
n designations for considerable perio
II and that he had become satisfied thu
l. it was the best thing to keep the roa
d under my management; that he wante
d to reorganize the board and put in
,e rev board to be selected by himself an
Is Horace Greeley, whom he represen
ed as his intimate friend and adviser
d the names Of the gentlemen to be a
n proved by me. They were all to |
i prominent gentlemen in this countr
:; excepting three, whom he wished to |
a. English noblemen, more particularly
3 represent that interest. He told n
- :, that he had already arranged with
= majority Of the directors for their re
81 ignations.
= During this conversation he told n
n much about his antecedents, his care
to and his family, stating that he entert
co parliament at the age of %, took b
e. seat and was the youngest member
Of the house of lords; spoke Of the gre
NJ confidence the queen had in his abili
he and discretion and as an instance