Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-04-23
PATTEN FLEES
FROM Scene
Of STRIFE
CHICAGO WHEAT KING
I'M NORTHERN NEW MEXICO
Seeks Rest After Strenuous
Struggle in Grain Pit on Lone
" Cattle Ranch Near VernejO
Park,


CT NJ
my Morning journal speciai Ieanas wirsI
Trinidad Colo. April 22.-James A.
Pattcn. ChioaRo's famous wheat king
Who was reported to have deserted
tho battle Ia tho wheat pit to Inspect
for himself the wheat situation in the
central west. arrived IN Trinidad this
morning ana left shortly afterwards
for Tersio. Colo little post station
near the New Mexico llne. From there
Mr. Patton win arrive overland sixty
miles 20 the ranch of w II. Bartlett,
near Normejo Park, y. NJ.
The trip viii not be a pleasant one.
either. for a binding snow storm is
prevailing today and twenty-five miles
oi the ride must be made over the
mountains through heavy snow drifts.
Mr. Patton appeared tired and ex-
trcmely nervous and he was not in the
best OF temper when approached by
a reporter In fact ne was rather
pcevish
"Nono Of your business" was his
answer to question as to his mis-
sion ia Trinidad i've been bounded
10 death by reporters for weeks
ANktN AVlttIIlIk tlAA ifpVll Nbtt
he had experts gathering data on July
wheat throughout the west, Mr.. Pat
ten refused to answer 1t iS under
stood Mr.. Patton will spend some time
"a che ranch, and as il is remote from
telcgraphic and railroad communica-
ton, his desire FOR rest and relaxa-
tion VIII he gratified.
Patten displayed great anger when
the reporter persisted in questioning
tth hgat annHitinps
ITS none OF your business what 1
think" he snapped at the reporter. II
want to forget wheat and I'm tired OF
reporters. Get out That settled IL.
Mr. Patten shut up and 50 did the re-
porter.
Mr Patton reached Trinidad az
/ o'eiock THIS motnmR, and left here at
| s O'Clock after a short rest at a ho-
| tel fIo is travelling alone. He board
g. the smoker of the train TO Tcrsio
and sticking a big cigar In hts mouth,
! n. II and sat stulidly smoking. oc-
casionaliy glariug AZ tho curious crowd
which had Invaded the smoking car
ana was gathered on the depot plat
form to get a glimpse of the famous
''Nhoat king"
AT the hotel when Mr. Patten rested
for q few hours lac was warned by the
clerk that II would be dangerous 20
attempt the overland trip from Tersio
to the BARTLETT ranch today, as d furi-
Gus blizzard is raging IN the noun
tains
Il don't care said Patten. Il want
81 eolusion and rest, aud I'm going after
The stages cannot reach the Bart
lett ranch before nightfall and the
roads are in "a dangerous condition as
a result Of the almost unprecedented
snoWfalls, snow slides boin~ OF FREE
qucnt occurrence over the mountain
passes,
The Patton vorcx OF other ana more
huilish days. into which the cereal
might be poured seemingly without
affecting its appc was not IN evil
dencc 1t was q Tremendous liquidat-
ing market and Patton might have
been buying secretly through others
than his own houses. From him there
has come no word that he has chang
cd his Views as TO the value of wheat.
He called May wheat cheap at Sf29
and If he still thinks so. II is pointed
out that the same option ofA$1.2l to-
dav was an excellent investment Tho
sume was said Of July at $l,UyM The
prices were about nine cents under
the high price of last Friday
While Mr. Patton quoted As say
ing he was fleeing from reporters. was
making for the ranch OF his friend
and partner, W II Bartlett IN New
Mexico detection was pictured on the
face OF many q small specui0tor haunt
ing the tickcrs
Many a. fortune has been wiped out
10y the decline this week and many "A
man who had handsome profit on
paper but stii hung on FOR more now
cOnironts deficit Tho wide pub
Ucity given the market brought into /.
numerous men who, ordinarily walk
ed in quieter paths. Even the "regu'
lars for the most part followed tho
bull leader with unusual enthusiasm
and until today saw nothing further
In the declines but furry Mr Pat
ten So characterized ii and his word
was accepted. They held 10 the limit
of their resources and today were
wiped off the speculative slate when
their margins were exhausted.
"rhcv would like to have known If
Mr. Patton had lett orders, secretly to
make further purchases.
I'm tho absence OF certain lnfOrma-
tion however. Mr. Patten's absence
pnd the utter weakness indicated hS
tudaY's decline gave rise to gloomy
hints that "Patten was Well ont,
They went so far as 10 declare the
present slump was due to the liuuida
tion of the big Pattcn line OF wheat
rather than Go improved crop condt-
tioua.
% is admitted that this suppositiou
may hf absolutely wrong Mr.. rat
tens irc against reporters was large
ly due to published reference TO him
self a. "a manipulator of the market.
the engineer of a great corner of the
world staple food
"Its fact that he ran away from
the newspapers" said one OF Patten's
friends today He wasn't running
corn,r aud published statements to tho
contrary are wrong Tie IS looking
for rest and he ought TO find It for
AIR Bartlctts ranch comprises some
300 900 acres aud no reporter IS
/ there
HAS he sold his wheat"
~ don't know. 4 doubt a.. He can
well afford 60 hold his line. for tho
pinch was not expected until the
shortage began really To be felt ia
June and july. He expected a high
price then and expected 10 market his