The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-27

the financial world once attracted the at
tention OF his fellow-nen. So rapid
does the world move and SO crowded with
events. that few men Of the present time
will remember Lewis G. Tewksbury, the
brilliant Wall street broker, who came
down from little obscure town IN New
Hampshire one day in the SOS. leay-
ing his modest elerkship In a drug store
behind him forever tmuch to his future
loss Of peace of mind. as It turned OUT.
and then threw himself into the mael-
strom of finance in New York City, from
which few emerge unscathed. Tewks-
bury rapidly rose to national prominence
as a daring financier, and came into the
limelight of light harness popularity when
he purchased the slick observation-disclosures
PAGER, Robert J.. 2:Oll4. and drove him
every fair morning in Central Park.
Later he appeared in Madison Square
Garden, when John R. Gentry, 2:001l6
fell to his bid of sls,OOO, and the two COM
panions toured the country under the
name of the Gold and Black Stable
This was in 1897. The then fastest pac-
ing gelding and the then fastest pac-
la style worthy of great emperors. They
rode in a special car painted in gold and
black, carried with them a skilled black
smith and a veterinary and attendants
in rich and attractive livery. and every
thing else connected with the menage,
from tents to harness and boots, were
in harmony-the best that could be pur-
chased.
1t was at Belmont Park the writer first
encountered the striking outfit. and 1t was
at the historic track that he first saw
john R. Gentry; and Robert J. Gentry
was at the period of which we write, the
handsornest stallion that ever stood on
iron, and in manners verify a king In
deed He was in color a rich bay, and
his coat was as soft as silk and shone
like satin. AS he was brought TO the door
OF his stall 10 be haFnessed for his trial
OF speed he appeared as blase as any
much travelled and much admired gentle
man, and actually seemed bored and
yawned with ennui, don't you know"
While the harness was being placed on
his back by his attendants, he patiently
submitted, as a gentleman should, who
was being ministered to by his Wallets
There was neither flashing out of heels
or attempts at biting. He seemed almost
human as he ieisurely and nonchalantly
surveyed the vast eoncourse about him,
and with an indifference that was anus
/ ing as It was remarkable.
Hitched, he ambled of until he reached
/ he as-l~
| up the stretch for the score. Turned, he
came down three times for the word like
whirlwind, each time a trihe faster.
Tie third time down he was well into his
stride; Bovine. his driver nodded and
the little red horse was OFF. on his Jour
ney, pacing like a machine-made horse,
and going TO the half-mile pole in Just
one minute fiat. As hOrsemen know. the
last half of Belmont is up grade. This
fact stopped Gentry some. and he came
home in 2'0Ss4 Under the conditions It
was fast mile, as good. at least, as q
mile in 2:o2l< on a fast track.
While the tour was fine advertisement
for Tewksbury it did not bring him the
coin expected. In the midst of it all. the
pitcher. one day, went to the we'll once
too often The market went against the
brilliant young hnancier. and he found
himself broke. His palace, on West
Seyenty-second street. was lost in the
ruck Of his misfortune; his art treasures
and his wines. the latter. cobwebbed with
spiders he had purchased and turned
loose in his cellars, we're sold 10 the
highest bidders.
He wriggled and twisted and backed
and filed, and exercised all his ingenuity
70 reeoup. but ill-fortune had set in
against him. He saw the inside of prisons
more than once in this country and Mex
leo. He became hunted man. He made
a brave fight to again get on his feet,
but, finally broken IN health. heart. and
purse, he laid himself down to die on the
pallet Of a charity hospital. The good
sisters ministered to his last wants and
closed his eyes. Doubtless IN his last
hours of existence he prayed for the end |
And this reminds us of the fate OF
Henry y. Smith, of the celebrated |
Fashion Farm. of New jersey. where |
Goldsmith Maid Lady Thorn, and Lucy
spent their declining days, and where they
lie buried. He. too, played the stock |
market and handled millions, none of |
which finally stuck to him. He was the /
prince Of entertainers. a gentleman
breeder. a eonnoisseur OF horsehesh, and l
an aimable and cultured gentleman. He /
quarrelled with Jay Gould over some |
stock transaction. they became bitter /
enemies, and Gould swore he would break /
him, and he did. In his old age he found |
himself without a dollar TO bless him /
self with. He lived to see all of his /
fine horses sold by his creditors. even |
poor, old, and emsciated Jay Gould, |
22lh, under the hammer for S65 and his /
fine estate sacrificed. Jay Gould. whose
millions have been scattered TO the four
winds of heaven by some of his heirs,
had his revenge, while Smith found the
grave of a pauper.
Then there was Charles Bachman.
who made Stony Ford the nursery of
trotters, and who did so much for
the upbuilding OF the light harness
howse. He. too. was one of the
lambs who entered Wall street to in
crease his fortune, and in his old age
came back shorn Of evey bit of property /
he possessed and spent the few remaining
days Of his life an object of charity on
the estate, no longer his which he had
made great by his activities and excel
lent judgment. Strong drink can count
its victims by the thousands. but the
greed, the lust Of the man for
gold, who likes te. take a gamblers
chance 10 get IL has slain s,rores of oood |
men. beggared families almost without
number, and caused countless misery.
The evil men do lives after them; the