The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-01-30
SHAW WOULD NOT
Bow TO WEALTH
WE, Erin WAYS DIDN'T SUIT MuL-
pvoNs OF WALL STREET.
IS TOO MUCH LIKE LINCOLN
Fond ofsTelllng Stories And Refuses
\ to be Serious All Of The Time,
7Reviewed BY Mr.
Curtis.

= i y
Chicago. Jan. 2S-- Writing from New
York. William e. Curtiss says: Il
have asked "a number of well-informed
financiers what is the matter with
Shaw, our esteemed friend from Iowa,
Leslie M. Shaw, and with one accord
they say that he is misfit in New
York and that is the reason he re-
signs distinguished and influential
position in financial circles and sal
airy OF $4,000 a year.
Gle realizes that he has not been
successful; he has not quarreled with
the controlling interests of the Carne-
gle Trust Company, but they have dis
scented to his political aspirations and,
as you already know, he has resigned,
to take effect on the first of March.
When Mr.. Shaw left the treasury
department at Washington he was
elected president of newly organized
trust company named in honor of An.
drew Carnegie. Although that gen.
tleman has had no financial interest
in the institution and did not sub
scribe to share of the stock, it is
generally understood that the promot-
ers expected. or at least desired, him
to do so. There is a story floating
around the street which may or may
not be true, that when the ghost
dance" broke out in New York in No
vember, and all the bankers began to
fortify and fill their magazines with
ammunition, the directors of the Car
negie Trust Company went to the man
ieir bank was named for to ask for
help. But they could not find him.
His secretary told them that he was
on the ocean. They sent him a wire
4 less message, which, Il am told, was
effective in securing from Mr.. Carne-
gie's secretary bunch of gilt-edged
securities that were held in reserve
in the vaults of the bank in case it
became necessary to use them. This
was done by Mr.. Carnegie for senti-
mental rather th business reasons.
Nobody would want baby that was
named after him to be injured.
"The bank sailed through the panic
all right without a scratch, although
Mr.. Shaw spent many an anxious
hour. He has not many friends
among the other bank presidents.
They do not like him; they do not
admire HIS habits and customs, and
many Of them are very candid in ex-
pressing their disproval of what they
consider his fiippant and trifliDg man.
ners. Mr.. Shaw is a "josher" and a
"jollier," and likes to tighten up the
meetings of his directors and other
bankers with jokes and drOll stories,
just as President Lincoln used to do
with his cabinet during the dark days
of the civil war. Shaw is one of the
best story-tellers in the universe, as
everybody knows, the best since Lin
coin, many people think, and his
repertory is inexhaustible. And while
his associates and neighbors, the
mighty moguls of Wall street and
lower broadway, the presidents of the
banks and trust companies, were
amused for the moment, this talent
which Mr.. Shaws friends in the west
admire so much was not highly APP
preeiated and many of the people he
was operating with considered his
levity inappropriate and out of place.
In other Words ME- Shaw declined to
adapt himself to the solemnity of New
York financial circles and his breezy
western way did not win the conf
dence of the serious, solid Muldoons
of this city.
Besides that, New York is heart
less place Every western man who
has come here Will tell you that the
atmosphere is different from that to
which they have been accustomed
There is less bonhomie in business
circles. Every man of large affairs
is looking out for himself and seldom
permits friendship to get mixed up
in his business relations. The devil
is allowed to catch the hindmost here
without interference from those who
are the head of the procession, while
in Chicago. ST. Louis and elsewhere
the stronger always help the weaker
and lame ducks are protected"
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