The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-03-30
TheLion sShare
By SADIE ollcoTT
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1911.
3, SADIE oIcoTT

. few OF these cases come out TO the az
vantage of the person oyerreached.
Peter Inslee. a prospector, discoy
cred rich vein Of ore in Colorado
and sold half interest to Enocl
SmithsOn. who organized compan
for its development. lnslee's shar,
was all in the stock OF the company
he owning few shares less thai
Smithson, thus giving the purchase
full control in the premises. Insle,
did not get any dividends ON his stock
and being very poor. with a wife an,
: couple of kids to support, he was
obliged to sell few shares oc:a siona H.!
to keep the wolf from the door.
Meanwhile the price Of the stock or
the exchange was gradually settling
When the company was organized a
few shares were sold at 30 per cen
of their par value. AS InsIee kept
putting 1t ont he got less and less foI
II till he was obliged to part with con
siderable shares ut a time to supply
his necessities. After awhile he sold
the last OF 1t for cents on the dollar
About this time, going by the mine
he saw that high fence had been
put around 1t. He strolled up to the
gate and was refused admittauce For
the first time 1t occurred to him tina t
tSmthson had pretended that the mine
was not paying in order to depress the
stock .-g. ...
Inslee went TO Potter, broker in
| Colorado Springs, and asked him to
| find out what floating stock of the
company there was on the market
Potter investigated subrosa and, dis
covered that there was alt of lnsiees
original stock and a part Of Smith
sons. which the latter had given in
payment for mining machinery and
other necessities. lnslee told the
broker about the fence recently put
| around the property, saying also that
he suspected there was a "nigger" be
hind it. Potter agreed that il Inslee
would at any time find ont that the
mine was doing well he would ad
vance money to buy the stock, he get
ting a slice OF all he bought besides
his commissions. So they got up a
code of communication and Inslee
went home. --- -.... ... 49,
Staining bis face so as to pass as
half breed Indian, Inslee went to the
mine and applied for work. He was
obliged to apply several times before
being employed. When he got in be-
hind the fence he found that he was
not allowed to go out. Nor was he
or any other man in the mine Kermit
ted TO communicate with those out
side except by letter. and all letters
were inspected before being sent.
IDslee felt assured that the manage
ment were expecting something re-
inarkabIe Then one day it was evil
dent that something remarkable had
occurred. Smithson went by. talking
excitedly to a man Inslee knew TO be
a capitalist, and Inslee heard Smithson
say, "Six hundred dollars to the tom"
Inslee dared not communicate with
Potter direct. He could with his wife.
though only about family affairs, and
had told her before leaving her to heat
his letters. The day he heard Smith
sons remark he wrote her, inclosing
some wages he had received. Mrs.
lnslee heated the paper and brown
letters came out on it.
Wire Potter to buy all he can get.
Six hundred to the tom
Mrs. mslee at once sent the message.
Potter found that already small or
ders to buy the stock were being exc
cuted. and the price had gone up from
6 to cents. He had learned who held
the shares and went round buying it
at private sale. In this way he kept
the price down till he had bought all
lnslee's original stock and so much Of
Smithson's as was OH the market.
SmithsOn's brokers were now ell
advanced price through the exchanges,
hut found none for sale. ..
One morning Inslee walked into Pot
ter's office and told him that mag
nificent strike had been made at the
mine. Potter at once began to bid la
open market for the stock He secured
none, but effected his purpose, which
was 10 give better value 10 the shares
as quoted.
Then Inslee. undisguised, went TO
the mine, called for Smithson and de-
manded an accounting. Smithson told
him that he had paid him for his in
terest and ordered him of the prem
ises. Inslee advised him to be ready
10 turn the property over to new
mana cement one month from that day.
on which was TO he held the annual
election of directors.
When that day came around Inslee,
who held his own original half OF the
stock and one-third Of Smithson's. ap-
pesred at the meeting OF stockholders
he and Smithson held IL all-and vot-
ed In new board with himself as
president.
And now, Mr. Smithson," he said,
I'm trouble you TO vscate these prem
tses."
There WAS nothing for Smithson to
do but 10 turn the mine over 10 It's dis
coverers, under the law governing cor
porations Smithson. who was ambi-
tfous 10 have both his own and Inslee's
share. found himself obliged 10 be con
tent with the lesser part. This he even.
tuaIly sold 10 Inslee mt private sale.
The mine proved far more valuable