The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-12
klE,. AL
Observation-Disclosures
M RICHARD sr1LLANE.

In the most stately room of one OF,
the most magnificent buildings III the
world there assemblies al regular times
small group of men. most Of them
Il gray haired, most Of them cold blooded.
( most Of them millionaires many times
over Uniformed Servitors guard the
doors and patrol the corridor while
they are in session, for nothing is per-
mittcd 10 disturb their deliberations.
They WELD mighty power, the power
OF money, for they form the finance
committee OF an insurance company
with hundreds Of millions of dollars at
!ts disposal. Ten thousand or more
applications arc made to them each
year for loans. They pass Judgment III
every case. but for the most part their
work is perfunctory In every instance
an applicnt ton must be scrutinized BY
the controller before il reaches them.
md in ninctN-nne cases out of hun
fired his action is approved.
One dan in 100, the board met as
usual. The nation was in the throes
of one of the greatest panics in history.
Bank after bank had tailed. thousands
Of persons were bankrupt, more thous
nnds were threatened With disaster.
business was paralyzed, and every day
brought a new tale of ruin.
Gentlemen" said the chairman, at
ter the ordinary routine work Of the |
meeting had been disposed Of, ~ have
i q letter mere winch i WoulQ ike 10
bring to Your attention. 1t is from a
gentleman connected with q real estate !
concern in Pine street and he asks |
the privilege of addressing the board. |
The request is rather unusual What
is your pleasure?'
DO YOU know what he wants?" asked !
one of the members.
"No,', replied the chairman. '.hut am
Informed he represented man named |
Jacobson, who recently applied to us ,
for loan on some property"
And the application was rejectcd?" /
'Of course" !
Then what is the use Of wasting his !
time and ours with any discussion OF
the matter? We are not lending money |
now. Who is? l, for one, wish knew.
I'd like to borrow some myself"
The chairman reminded the members
that It was for them to say II they
would give audience to the gentleman.
Well, said the man who had spo
ken before, "let him come here II lie
wishes. It won't do any harm to listen |
20 him"
The others nodded in assent, AMI it |
was 81 ordered.
Probably the matter had been forgot
Ten by most of the members, and they |
we're about 10 adjourn NJ the next |
meeting. when the controller mentioned |
the fact TO the chairman that Mr. Rad
clnc was outside.
oh. YES said the chairman: TASK |
him in"
Mr.. Radcliffe entered and was intro
dnced. lie looked at tho cold, calm |
group Of men, and then, after thanking
,len for the privilege they had extend
ed 10 him he began his story
i"iientlemcn,' he said "a man for
whom ] would do anything in the world
came 10 my Office tho oti'. day and
asked me to help him. ! any man
eho,id help him, I should A few
months ago he was compare lively rich
To-day he is on the brink Of ruin. rIo
is one of the countless victims of this
panic. The earnings of lifetime will
be swept away unless a helping hand IL
extended to him.
4 He is not prominent, and he is moi
known, perhaps, to any of you. He is
Just q plain. ordinary person. who has
gone through life simply and unosten.
tatiously, but he has done more good
than any one knows, He has his own
Ideas OF what is honest and right and
the world would he q better place to
live in If more men lived by his code
THE mans name is jacobson. When
he came to me he had exhausted every
other resource. For weeks he has been
doing everything in his power to raise
money. The hank in which he had his
deposit has closed. The business which
he built up through years of effort Will
be destroyed unless he gets assistance.
He had thousands of dollars in out
standing accounts, -but he cannot collect
cent. The building which he owns
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