davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17
Operations of Munroe Brothers. the .Laun
dry" Brokers in Wall Street
BEGAN ON CAPITAL OF Sl,6OO.OO
Before Many Months the Two Young Men Were
Dealing in Millions and Hobnobbing With
Cotham's Most Influential Men
Their Dreams of Wealth
Rudely Shattered.

had sold goods 20 the Nationai City bank.
With that reference there seemed 70 be
no doubt that the firm was financially
good The furniture concern sent up
$500 worth Of goods. together with a
bill Munroe a Munroe made a few
more purchases in the course Of week.
raising the bill to 1888
The bin wasn't paid in October Still
the furniture man didn't think il worth
while 20 press such excellent Gus
toners IN November short and very
polite reminder was sent No answer
And srll McHugh & CO. were not wor-
ried until. on December >, along came a
collector for another firm TO whom they
were also indebted. who had heard that
McHueh had trusted Munroe q Munroe;
also that things didn't look quite right
He dropped in to give a friendly little
business tip
Joseph Mciiugh decided 90 brook the
possible wrath Of the National City
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

New York Failure in Wall Street
ql5 Is headline that Is often seen IN
Gotham dailies. but il seldom creates
m.rh comment 1t only records the
t,e- MAT another firm has been caught
o. 49, wrong side of the market and
forced 10 suspend.
But the bankruptcy proceedings re-
,.ntlt Instituted against the Munroe
trytlers reveal remarkable story OF
III. operat ous of two young men whose
. business experience before their
a ten, among bulls and bears had CON
sisted In the selling OF collars and neck
f.- h distant and virtually foreign
r.t,. Who came to New York with prac-
aly 10 capital and in the course OF
\ .ew months were dealing in millions
and negotiating with some Of the most
influential fnanciers OF the street T
unf the inevitable crash came
They hobnabbed with millionaires
afr me- Of the best men Of the metrop-
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

Until about four years ago. George
and Alexander Munroe kept little
Aaberaashery shop in 81 GATHERINGS
street, Montreal They were quite Dung
men and apparently devoted 70 their
business
70 was generally understood that they
received financial backing from J -
Greenshields a prominent Canadian
broker Of that cits George Munroe
married sister 81 Greenshieids and
through his influence the brothers were
Introduced in good circles There ha9
always been speculation as 10 whether
Or not tie haberdashery store prospered
but one day il was announced that the
Munroes had sold the store A. this
lime the mining craze was springing up
over the country and the brothers went
down 10 the financial center ~ Montreal.
opened up an Office and put out a sign.
"Munroe a Munroe Mining Brokers"
Move TO New York.
Although they dealt 90 few stocks on
commission. 81 was generally conceded
that their chief business was the hand
ling OF mining stocks in which Green
shields was interested Even in the
mining business. however. they failed
TO attract any attention in Montreal. and
not long afterward they came 10 New
York and established themselves on
Broad street u the very heart OF The
financial district
While in Montreal they had become
connected wish the Marconi Wireless
Telegraphy company Of Canada and, a.
ID was understood that the stock va.
valuable they began TO advertise il ex
tensiyely on their arrival here am
worked up wonderful trade among thu
Italians. who We're attracted in part. n'
doubt. because OF their kinship Of ma
tionality with the inventor
Meantime the Munroes had also be
4 come interested in the Montreal 4
Boston Consolidated Copper company
which IS al the bottom ~ the presen
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17
Reputed a Millionaire.

The friendship OF men like these
brought other frienos to the brothers.
and before long George MunrOe vas
reputed TO be q millionaire. 1t is saic
be lived al the rate Of from $4,000 10
100000 a year this young man who only
a little while before had been haber-
daSher lie had a luxurious home on
East Fifty-seventh street. aud another
az Southampton + T. and often be oc-
cupied a suite at the Wall0rf-As toria.
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

VOLCANOES WERE TAME AND IN
INTERESTING COMPARED TO DAD
LEANING OVER THE RAILING.
size Of ii. and he would eat or die. and
maybe he would die anyway and just
then a wicked looking negro with big
oyster knife came TO the table and
looked ugly at dad and said Have
another dozeng and dad said Yes
ard then he began to eat as though his
life depended on Il. and | could hear
the great wads of oysters strike with
dull thud on exposed places inside OF
dad. and before he got up from the ia
bic he had eaten them all. and he told
the man he would be In again 20 lunch
after awhile Dad is the bravest man
I ever saw. and don't you forget It.
He would have come out all right.
suppose. and lived. II Il hadn't been for
his devilish morbid appetite for travel
and adventure. Quick as We got out
Of the oyster place dad wanted 10 take
steamboat ride down the river 10 ths
Eads jetties at the mouth Of the river.
and We went on board. and had nice
ride down 10 the mouth After We
had looked over the ietties. where Eads
made an artificial canal big enough for
the largest ocean steamers 10 come up
10 New Dreams. the passengers wanted
the captain TO run the boat outside the
bar. into the blue ocean. where the
waves come from. Gee. but ! hope
may live long enough 10 forget the
ride. We hadn't got a boats length
outside the bar before The boat began
\ 10 roll and toes. and I held on 70 dads
hand and wished | was dead ! told
him my little tummy ached. and |
wanted a lemon. Dad said my little
tummy. with its three oysters in II.
was not worth mentioning. and told
me 10 look al him Talk about your
Mount Pelee and your Vesuvius. those
volcanoes were tame and uninteresting
compared TO dad. leaning over the rail-
irg and shouting words al the sharks
in the water. Why he just doubled mp
like a iackknife one minute and then
strairhtened up like an elephant stand
Jag On his hinc legs in circus the
next minute. and he kept saying:
sYe-up." and all the passengers said:
Poor man I told them he was not
so poor. for he owned a brewery at
home
Well. we finally got back 20 New
orleans. and dad took hack 10
the hotel. and told the driver not TO
pass any saloon where there were oys-
ter shells on the sidewalk. We came
home next day. Well. I guess I VIII
get my snake on. Of the iceboa. and
90 home and comfort dad.
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

bank and seat collector down 70 Nun
roe 4 Munroe Nv hy certainly sald
that firm. obliginely and drew al once
a check for The fui amcauf on a Mon
ireal bank
McHugh a Co deposited the check
that afternoon December and
thought no more Of it for week. Al
the end Of the week back came the check
marked n G
A member q the McHugh firm weni
down TO investigate He found q clerk
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17
& 90 600 HH HzE

o'I- and saw visions Of wealth beyond 7
tto reams of ayarice for themselves
bf as a shrewd veteran Of Wall street 4
the game grew too big for them. (
Plan Of the Brokers.
James Stnlman. president Of The $a-
t0ra Cl-y bank. desert 5os the transac-
ton by which Munroe & Munro. he
anrCry brokers. obtained from the
hank a daily loan Of $4,000 for eight
cays On an unindorsed and unsecured de-
mand notes for the purpose Of washing
hundreds of thousands Of shares OF Mon
Urea. & Boston Consolidated mining
stock IN the curb market as the act OF
Junior officer OF that institution.
That junior officer was Archibald q.
LOOMS. second vice president Of The
hank and the leading member Of the
Montreal and Boston underwriting syn
dicate. OF course there had 10 be some
body upon whom the responsibility could
b. placed by the public for the unusual
transactions and the curiosity OF men
on the street was satisfied when NJ.
Loomis resigned.
II should be said however. that in the
transactions the bank was In no way dis
credited The 100000 borrowed were
paid back by Munroc < Munroe before
the close Of banking hours each DAY so
that the bank lost nothing
An interesting phase Of the negotia
lions was that the Munroes. unknown
and untried youths. became close per
sOual friends OF LOOMS.
Began on Capital Of $1,000.
The worldly capital Of the Munroes
when they quit the genteel occupation OF
gents furnishers in Montreal to take up
even more genteel occupation in Ne"
York. was about 81 COO
The furniture in the Office would have
cost more than that-if IL had been paiu
for and reflected great credit upon the
good taste OF the gentlemen. The desks
We're of the finest and most expensive
make and the furnishings lavish. There
was a grill of chastely ornamental iron
work which confined the cashier, and
probably kept him from ASCENDING
with the firms heavily bonded debt.
The furniture included set OF big
easy .eather-lined chairs and an impos-
ing sofa There were other tasteful
touches about the place, and everything
suggested to the uninitiated that untold
wealth WINS at their command
But u was these same furnishings
that first brought the trouble that result
ed in ba.kcupcy proceedings.
Bankruptcy Proceedings Instituted.
About October 1. Munroe a. Munroe
approached McHueh A. Co. They want
ed a bill Of goods sent up 10 their Broad
street Offices
They mentioned as reference the Ma
uonal City bank the institution whica
aiterward lent them 100000 daily OF
their unset sd notes. McHugh a Go
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

holes. slammed il on the counter beside
the groceryman's legs and yelled;
Wake up, Rip Van Wrinkle the day
Of Judgment has come and you are
still buried. You got 10 get move on
YOU or the procession will go Of and
leave you Say. are YOU afraid OF rat
t!esnakes. and the bad boy shook the
pape- box when an ominous rattle
came from within. as though a snake
had shaken lbs tail good and plenty.
Great scott. boy. I believe you have
got a rattlesnake in that box " and he
Jumped of the counter and grabbed
an iron fire poker. while the boy got
out his knife TO cut the string on the
box. Now. io0kahere. / am suffering
from nervous prostration and a snake
turned loose in this store would settle
II with me"
well. wouldn't that skin YOU" said
the boy. as he sharpened his knife on
a piece Of old cheese. and felt OF the
edge Here you have been telling
me for years what a brave man you
we're and how you we're not afraid OF
anything LMdt WI q AaAAs anu NV -ON
have fits because a little fye-foot rat
tlesnake. with only ten rattles on
makes a formal call on you Gee, but
you are a squaw
Now. let MP until 7 wait on these
customers. said the old man. as he
went to the ,oor and let in a commit
Y tee OF women who were 10 buy some
7 supplies for church sociable. The
women lined up on each side OF the
store. looking al the canned things or
the shelves. and the old man was try
ing 10 be polite when the bad boy
opened the box and laid on the foor
a stuffed rattlesnake that was as nat
ural as life. and touched a rattlebo,
I'm his pocket. and the trouble began
TIE women saw the snake curled up
ready 10 spring and they all wen
through the door at once. tipping ovel
everything that was loose. and scream
ing. while the old nan. when he saw
the snake got into the front show win
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

"RY THE GREAT HORN SPOONs. 1
WILL EAT EVERY OYSTER IN THE
HOUSE
dow and tremhied and yelled for the
police. 4 Policeman rushed into the
store. and when he saw the snake he
backed out OF the door
Arrest that boy with The snake.
said the groceryTan
Come out Of that wild your menag-
erie" said the policeman. shaking his
his club
Come in and get the snake IL you
want M" said the boy Il don't want
It any more. anyway" md he took the
STAGED snake UP by the head and
lard It across his lap. ard began to
shake the rattles. and laugh al the gro
ceryman and the policeman and the
crowd that had collected in front Of
"a. store The policeman came in
laughing. and the old groceryman
crawled out Of the show window. and
all breathed free again. and finally the
policeman went out and drove the
crowd away. and went on his beat
again. after shaking his club at the
bov. and the boy. the groccryman, the
srale and the cat remained IN the
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

o', and saw visions Of wealth beyond
ttr reams 0f ayarice for themselves.
b as a shrewd veteran Of Wall street
the game grew too big for them
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

store. The groceryman took a swig
out OF bottle Of whisky 10 settle his
nerve. and the boy took up his snake
and pushed it towards the cat. which
ran up a step ladder and yowled.
Put that confolnded old stuffed snake
In the Ice box and 81. down here and
and tell me something. I saw your
father on the street yesterday, and 10
IS a sight His stomach is twice as big
as il was. and he looks troubled What
has got into him?'
We'll. III tell you: dad has got what
they call a morbid appetite Whatever
you do. old skate. don't sou ever get
morbid appetite"
What Is a morbid Appetite" asked
the old man. as he peeled banana and
began 70 eat it.
Scientists say a morbid appetite is
one that don't know when Il has got
enough Dad likes good things, but liz
wants all there Is on the table. Now.
az New Orleans. before We came home.
dad and ! went In a restaurant 10 ger
some oysters. and you know the oys-
tiers there are the biggest in the world.
When we got there dad was hungry.
and the thought Of raw oysters on tde
half shell made him morbid. He had a
blue point appetite. and ordered four
dozen on the half shell. for himself.
and one dozen fer me p. YOU
would have dropped dead in your
tracks II you had been there six
walters brought on the five dozen oys-
tiers, and each oyster was as big as
pie plate six dozen oysters would
cover this floor from the door 10 tbs
icebox. Dad almost tainted when he
saw them. but his pride was al stake.
and he made up his mind If he didn't
eat them all the walters would think
he was a tenderfoot and so he started
in The first oyster was as big as q
calrs liver. and nobody but a sword
swallower could ever have got IL down
Dad cut one oyster into quarters and
got away with IL. and after awhile he
murdered another. and after he had
eaten three he wanted 10 20 home and
leave them Then is the time his little
boy got in his work / told dad II he
didn't eat all the oysters the walters
and the people would mob him that Il
was a deadly ofTcnse 70 order oysters
and not eat them, and that they would
probably kill ms both before We got out
OF the place He said. 'Hennery.
don't like oysters like used TO, and II
seems 70 me / couldn't eat another one
to save my life but IT, as you say. We
are in a country whore a mans life !,
held so cheaply. by the great horn
spoon. I will eat every oyster in the
house and the Lord have mercy on
me- told him that was about ths
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17
The Bad Boys Joke with a Stuffed
Rattlesnake-He Tells the Old
Groceryman About His Dads
Morbid Appetite.
ny nos GEORGE ". PECK.

~ HON 1LUEIE W III =
(Tx-Goycrnor ~ Wisconsin. formerly pub
Usher ~ "Peck's sun. author " Peck .
Bad Boy. etc)
(Copyrigtt. 1914. by Joseph b Bow.es)
T HE old grocery man was sitting on
! the counter. with his legs stretched
lengthwlse. his heels resting on a sack
OF Hour, and his back against a pile Of
wrapping paper, his eyes closed. his
pipe gone out. and the ashes sitting
from IL on the cat that was asleep In
his lap The door opened and closed
with a slam. and the bad boy came in
with long paper box. perforated with
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

Tho biggest stock market coups in the
history Of the curb
A scheme as formed % have the stock
Of the company underwriiten with the
special provision that the work should
be done by stock exchange firms, as
Munroe & Munr0e we're not members Of
the exchange. The stock was Of par
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

from The sherIr's Office IN q arge OF the
place.
IN the week between the delivery Oh
that check and its return with me tWo
fatal letters across is face Munroe =
Munroe had quit laundering copper
stocks ard gone bust ana 'ne -" -
taken possession.
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

situation. After the smash in copper
TWO years ago however they had a hard
row 10 hce and little was heard OF
them in connection with this company
They nevertheless kept the Maroon
stock to the front. and when there came
a revival Of the demand for copper
abroad. their prospects frightened
The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1905-02-17

They reorganized the Montreal 4
Boston. got some other properties to-
gether. and then laid plans for one o.
The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-20
DOMESTIC SUPPLIES
OF BR[ADSTUFFS

The aggregate supplies OF breadstuffs-
flour and wheat-in the United States and
Canada on Feb, /. 1906. as compiled by
the Daily Trade Bulletin and the Minne-
apolis Market Record, exhibited decrease
during January equal to 7.0S6.000 bu, COM
pared with an increase of 1858, 600 bu dur
Ing December. and a decrease of 1.SS4.000
bu during January, 1904. The decrease
was quite general throughout the country.
though in some of the older sections Of
the country the reductions were slight.
Transfers OF wheat from the Pacific coast
TO some sections in the Central West tend
cd TO make slight changes in the supplies.
IDe recent advance in prices encouraged
farmers. especially in the winter wheat
districts, TO offer their wheat with a little
more freedom. Aggregate supplies of flour
in the United States and Canada were re-
duced $4,000 bbls during January. COM
pared with an increase of 131 900 bbls dur
ing December. and a decrease of $4,000
bbls during January, 1904. The reduction
was mainly i'm the Northwest, on Pacific
coast and in Canada. No doubt there is
considerabl flour in transit-more than
usual-which does not appear in the COM
pilation of stocks
The following table exhibits the stocks
of flour in the principal cities of the Unit
AUN
The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-20
THE RICE MARKET

Reported by Dan Talmage's Sons Co.
NEW YORK, Feb. 1S.-Only fair de-
mand is reported and dealers confess abil-
iIY TO compass more trade il it offered
Prices are well maintained rejecting in
a measure. taut conditions at primary
points. The untoward weather has inter-
fered with general distribution; railways
and country roads are blocked with snow
With the thermometer from 10 to 20 de-
grees below zero, farmers give preference
TO the warm fireside at home, hence re-
tailers report business at a standstill
This In turn has its effect on the move
ment at the larger distributing centers
confidence in the ground hog as weather
prophet has been restored, as the bright
sunshine on the I'd instant sent him back
TO winter quarters, showing excellent
Judgment on his part.
Advices from the South note quiet con-
ditions on the Atlantic coast. At New
Orleans market Is strong with fair inquiry,
although the unusually cold weather has
interfered with general movement for con-
sumption. In the interior Southwest
Louisiana and Texas. prices continue firm
with fair demand.
Cables and correspondence from abroad
note but little change.
The Saint Paul globe., 1905-02-20

Superior and in the interior at 5000, 900
up to the new crop, leaving a shortage of
100000. This requirement does not take
into consideration the amount of wheat
that will be shipped from Southern Min
nesota and South Dakota into other
states, so that the shortage will be even
greater than this estimate of 100000.
From the above it viii be seen that the
position of cash wheat is very strong
one and must influence the market for
futures sooner or later. 1t is not likely
these small stocks get away from them
If it is possible to hold them here by pay
ing strong prices for the wheat to keep
ii moving this way.
Inter Ocean SAYS: "There was no mis-
taking the position and intentions of the
Wail street bull pool in wheat from their
actions Thursday, as well as that of the
market. The top price. 81 .2112. was the
highest for May since the Letter deal in
1898. The best price that year was 81 50,
and the month ended with prices below
liar position in wheat. Neither has there
ever been as strong a combination under
the market 1t is the only chance Wall
street has ever had to make a killing in
wheat and control the market absolutely
without much work or the expenditure Of
a great deal of money. 1t may never oc-
cur again, and the bull pool headed by
Gates is going to make the best of its
opportunities. They are not out for an
ordinary scalp. but for big money If they
do not win out it will be a surprise. They
than Hutchinson did in September, 1888.
when he put 1t TO 81 and lost a lot of
money, The future of prices depends
upon the shorts. Their action yesterday
showed that they were becoming aware of
the congested condition of the market and
We're getting in.
Chicago-E. w. Wagner says: MAY
wheat will doubtless reach 81 50, and a
81 so is possibility. The price, however,
may depend on the bulls and the bears
alike. In case the former should refuse
to take care Of the shorts in these buy
ing rushes there is no telling where 1t will
be put TO, the market yesterday reached
the $1-1S mark, close to the highest
point 1t has yet attained and better bas-
ed than ever before. / am still bull even
at the present prices 1t has maintained
its footing five times longer than in any
previous record on the crop year. Who
before has ever seen a Chicago market so
enectually scatter its opponents, disprove
its assailants, cheat its enemies, and re-
ward its friends. Is a side of the mar
ket with a string of victories seven months
long 10 desert just as it has the fruits of
those victories to bestow for coming five
months more?"
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