The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-27
BULL AND BEAR FIGHT.
Frank b. Hayne and Lamar l.. Flem-
ing Engaged i'm Fisticuff i'm New
York Restaurant

lnlan VINO has been so conspicuous in
recent years in the fight to keep up
the price of cotton, was attacked in
Delmonico's last Tuesday by Lamar
Fleming. Mr.. Hayne is now a resi-
dent of New Orleans, but he has
many friends in his native State. The
following account of the fight is from
the New York Tribune.
"A cotton mill was in operation in
downtown New York on Tuesday af-
ternoon, with Frank B. Hayne of New
Orleans, one of the leading members
of the so-called bull party, and La
mar l.. Fleming, a prominent bear,
who is associated with Hayden, Stone
& Co., as it's active executive. 1t was
opened in the old Delmonico's, at
William and Beaver streets, just
across from the New York cotton ex-
change. Unlike the type familiar in
New England and the South, to which
the raw material dealt in on the ex-
change is sent, this mill turned out
no finished product, but may be said
to have been itself a cotton product,
since it was started as a result of do
ings on the exchange, and after a very
short time it's machinery was stilled,
probably forever.
"In other words. there was a brief
season of 'fisticuffs in Delmonico.s,
with Mr.. Hayne and Mr.. Fleming as
the principals. The cotton market
had sensational break on Tuesday.
July falling about so points, or s4 a
bale, and serious declines occurring in
all of the leading futures. The bear
party made a determined and sue
cessful drive at the market, their op-
erations being materially assisted by
heavy selling from out-of-town
points, due to reports that the bull
party had liquidated it's holdings and
that it's deal had collapsed.
Many bear houses had sent out
letters in the morning to their corre-
spondents, giving this report; but Mr.
fleming, it was said, followed up his
letter with dispatches to the same eff
feet. The bull houses soon began to
receive from many parts Of the coun-
try, especially the South. inquiries as
to the accuracy of the statement, and
Mr.. Hayne, who was among those to
whom the dispatches were addressed,
sent answers characterizing the re-
port as a lie.
After the close of the market
many of the brokers, among them
Mr.. Hayne, went over to Delmonico's
to have luncheon for the session on
the exchange had been too important
and exciting to make it safe for them
to leave the trading pit before the
closing gong sounded. Soon Mr.
Fleming came in, and noticing Mr.
Hayne sitting at a table, walked over
to him and placing before him a copy
of one Of the dispatches in which he
had strongly denounced Mr.. Flem-
ing's sending out of the report that
the bull deal had collapsed asked him
If he was responsible for that tele~
gram.
"Mr. Hayne adjusted his glasses,
read the dispatch and answered: 4
am
NJ t,,rr AIr
him and Mr.. Hayne retorted in kind
Friends Of Mr.. Hayne say that he
knocked Fleming fiat as a founder
but the Fleming adherents deny it,
and in proof point out that Mr. Flem-
ing shows no marks of a blow Of
sufficient force to have brought him
to the floor. Some of the brokers
have 1t on the best authority that
there was only what prizefght ex-
perts might call 'mix-up,' but it was
sufficiently lively TO involve the pull
ing down of a tablecloth, which
brought with it Gathering and
cracking medley Of china and glass
and silver.
"Mr. Fleming was averse yesterday
TO giving an authentic and official ac-
count of the encounter, saying:
When two gentlemen settle a matter
in that way it is better not to discuss
it,
''The last recorded fist fights be-
tween members of the cotton ex-
change took place about five years
ago, both on the floor Of the ex-
change, the participants therefore be-
ing liable to discipline by the govern
ing body. One round was between b.
S. Castles and J. J. Chew, and the
other between G. II. McGhee and
Charles Mayhoff. All were suspend
ed on January S, 1905, for 60 days"