Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-05-16

hope that the Cespedes revolution IN CuDa
would have been sprung and a ]unta estap-
lished with which l could work. ! found that
the revolt was still Matching and that no new
York agent had been appointed, SO, for want
of something better to do, l bought from Ben
jamin Wood, editor Of the New YORK news tne
old Franklin avenue distillery in Brooklyn.
This venture resulted in an open and final
rupture with my family.
had been in the distillery business only a
few months, during which time the properly
had shown a large profit, when, Wnlle attend
ing a performance at the old Grand opera
House. T met Yin" Fisk, with whom l had
become acquainted in my boyhood days When
he was running a gaudy p%eddler's wagon out
Of Boston.
Flax asked what l was doing that I looked
an prosperous. I told him briefly and he said
he wanted to buy a half interest in the distil-
lery and asked me to put a price on 1t. told
him I did not want a partner. He insisted
and said he had influence at Washington
which he afterward proved-and that 1t Woulo
be valuable to us.
w will make a good team" he said.
"Here,"-and he scrubbed off a check for
100000 and tossed 1t over to me-"now we
are partners" ~
mot much!" | said, as / tossed 1t back 10
him. 81 am making too much money for you
TO get III dt Iud piiNS wv
as a partner"
"All right, then" he replied as he wrote out
another check. for $150,000, and handed 1t to
me: take that; l am in half with you now.
Before | could enter another objection ne
stalked out of the room and / let 1t go at tnat,
for I had a scheme in mind and figured that
his influence. IL it was as powerful as ne
claimed, would be useful.
Then followed a year or more OF prosperity
favored with complications with the govern
ment, and we finally quit the business with a
profit Of about $35O,O00.
Fisk and 1 continued in partnership and In
the summer Of 1866 we bought the fast and
stanch little steamer Edgar Stuart, which had
been a blockade-runner. We bought a cargo
Of arms and ammunition and were Just put
ting 1t on board when the first CUBAN Junta
came to New York and opened offices on New
street. They sent for me and wanted to buy
our cargo.
The Spaniards were not so Watchful tnen
as later and the arms we're delivered w1tnou'
much trouble at Cape Maysi. at the extreme
eastern end Of Cuba.
The iunta then engaged us to deliver severa
cargoes of arms to the rebels. I was always
in omman Of these expeditions, with a sail
ing master In charge Of the ship, while FISH
STAYED at home and attended to the Washing
ton end of the business.
Along about 1858, after it had run half II
length, the Ten Years Wal began to bog down
There was nothing else doing in this part 0
the world, so l decided to go to Europe, bein'
attracted by the prospect Of war between
France and Germany.
During the Cuban flibustering days l game
/, more n~otoriety than I desired, and as did nc
wish to be known as a trouble-maker on tn
other side, where tHe laws against the carr!
I, ing Of contraband were being rigidly enforce
! on account Of the recent Alabama AFFAIR, l los
2 my identity while crossing the Atlantic. Whe
I L reached London in the latter part OF 1855
was George MacFarlane, and In order that
might have an address and ostensible occup
q ton / established the commercial house
' George MacFarlane 6 Co, at 10 Corn Hill. M
partner, who really was only a clerk, was
4 young Englishman named Cunningham, Il
q whom I had been able to do a good turn Will
q living in Chicago. / opened an account in u
/. London & Westminster bank with an init
+ deposit Of, close to e75,000, which gave me
h financial standing.
y Fate was kind to me in throwing In my WI
" the little steamer Leckwith, which bought
sr a bargain.
e Don Carlos, the Spanish Pretender. was ~