The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-08-20
Curb Brokers Give the Firm
of Mining Specialists a
Lively Afternoon.
RAID ON STOCK, SAY THEY
Their Bank Kept Busy Certify
Ing Checks Until After
Closing Hours.

| Inc corporation OF u. ~ rfneIteS 6No'
curb brokers, which has n habit OF sending
out suggestions about mining stocks from
its offices At - Broad street. and OF which
Nat Goodwin once held the rank OF third
vice-prssident. had an uncomfortable
time yesterday afternoon about the GER
tification OF a bundle Of its checks. A few
minutes after o'clock. when the curb
merchants are scheduled to roll down their
sleeves and 60 in out Of the weather for
the night. the report jumped from mouth
to mouth that the National Reserve Bank.
which carries at least part Of the Schef-
tells deposits had refused To- stamp with its
authority a number Of the checks issued
by that company
! In that neighborhood. where things
happen before yoI know IL. no time was
wasted. The firms Offices are on the first
! floor and accessible. and long before the
clock had reached the half hour "A very
large man backed up by a special police
man was having the job Of his life trying
to keep out the inquisitive souls who
wanted TO know what about IT, Then the
telephone exchanges. cigar stores and
! lunch rooms in the neighborhood became
the scenes OF an uncommon form Of trad
ing. Men were calling out quotations and
asking for takers. and in their hands they
held some OF these same Scheftels checks.
Presently this marketing overfiowed it,
quarters and spread into the street and
oil over the asphalt where the days trad
ing had been done were little groups.
Men ran from one TO the other with
sheaves Of checks futterng in their
hands Traders who had 10 checks
and didn't expect to buy any gathered
around the frinRes and helped to make
every knot larger. The solitary police
man who usually has nothing to do hut
trundle away the pedestals that support
the traffic ropes at the end OF each days
dealings was simply swamped. He had
To call for outside help. and half dozen
bluecoats rambled from curb to curb
dispersng the fast talking traders.
Directly in front Of the Scheftels Office
there was a hig sefni-circle OF Interested
watchers. They kept their eyes on the
steady line OF excited men that streamed
up and down the steps into the firms
Offices and awaited the news that each
exciting dealer could bring them. arms
were raised above the crowd and waved
in the direction OF the Scheftels front
windows. behind which a stenographer
sat patiently pounding out letters with
out InterInIssIon.
The bag man at the door was forceful.
discrim mating. Unrsmitting In his labors.
ANY one he didn't know stood no change
at all Of ehecting an entrance. On the
assumption that some news about the
validity 81 the checks. for that was In
question on the curb. could he learned
inside the brokers did everything they
could TO get into the Offices Runners.
Office boys. hagstonc plungers and scouts
from the crowd outside did the best
they could To got past the largo person
with the cigar and the Panama. but he
was adamant and very lavish with his
repartee.
b. n Scheftels. the ostensible head
OF the house and George Graham Rice.
the mining stock litterateur and the
generally acknowledged controlling spirit
Of the house. were not accessible Tn
visitors They were very busy. and
there was nothing TO be said beyond the
fact that everything was all night.
At the National Reserve Bank II. W.
Mains. the assistant cashier. declared
that a large number Of tho firms checks
had been presented for certifcation
al aboat o'clock. This paper had been
stamped up 20 nearly $50. and then the
lateness Of the hour demanded that the
rest be put ovso until this morning MIR
Mains said that hs believed the balance
by the firm at present was
enough TO honor oil the checks.
For about two hours the groups on the
curb dispersed. only 10 form again a few
feet away. IL was impossible To get
anything like an accurate Inst Of the total
by the paper that was being
offered for sale on the street, and in a
statement the firm did not
specify any amount.
One man approached a circle yelling:
Here's one for $751; What am bid?-
There was a gathering about him and
in a few minutes hes came away stuffinR
something into his pockets He said that
he had parted with his check for 500.
About this time cries Of I'm take 9S!'
Give me SO'- and Ten per cent. OF to
any onel- were Swimming over the crowd
and in any direction you looked there
was a man exhibiting one % the Schef-
tells checks One holder declared that
he had let one for 81 500 90 for an even
thousand dollars The rlImors on tn.
total amount fixed u anywhere from
,a3. COO to ssoOOo.
When tho selling was progressing
actively some one happened 90 murmur
that the firm ot Charles 4. Stoneham \
70. at 50 Broad street was willing to tao
no all tho Scheftels checks Il could 90
sure at 100 per cent. Immediately thsr
WIS something q a rush for their offices
The manager ot this firm. J. Ross Robin
son. met all corners with tho assurance