The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1912-05-30

hope that the Cespedes revolution in Cuba
would have been sprung and junta estab-
lished with which | could work. / found that
the revolt was still Matching and that New
York agent had been appointed, SO, for want
of something better to do, | bought from Ben
jamin Wood, editor of the New York News, the
old Franklin avenue distillery in Brooklyn.
This venture resulted in an open and final
rupture with my family.
had been in the distlery business only a
few months, during which time the property
had shown a large profit, when, while attend
ing a performance at the old Grand Opera
House. / met Jim Fisk, with whom l had
become acquainted in my boyhood days, when
he was running gaudy peddlers wagon out
of Boston
Fisk asked what / was doing that looked
so prosperous. | told him briefly and he said
he wanted to buy half interest in the distil-
lery and asked me to put price on it. told
him | did not want partner. He insisted
and said he had influence at Washington
which he afterward proved--and that it would
be valuable to us.
"We will make a good team" he said.
"Here, and he scrubbed off a check for
100000 and tossed it over to me-"now we
are partners"
Not much!" / said, as l tossed it back to
him. Il am making too much money for you
to get in at that price, even If l wanted you
as partner"
"All right then" he replied as he wrote out
another check for $150,000, and handed it to
me; take that; am in half with you now"
Before l could enter another objection he
stalked out of the room and let it go at that,
for I had a scheme in mind and figured that
his influence, if it was as powerful as he
claimed, would be useful.
Then followed a year or more of prosperity,
favored with complications with the govern
me 6ra1 lv NIT h,lc Wi a
profit of about s350,0OO.
Fisk and / 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 cargo
of arms and ammunition and were just put
ting it 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 then
as later and the arms were delivered without
much trouble at Cape Maysi, at the extreme
eastern end of Cuba.
The junta then engaged us to deliver several
cargoes of arms to the rebels / was always
in command of these expeditions with sail
ing master in charge of the ship, while Fisk
stayed at home and attended to the Washing
ton end of the business
Along about 1868, after it had run half its
length, the Ten Years War began to bog down
There was nothing else doing in this part OF
the world, so I decided to go to Europe, being
attracted by the prospect of war between
France and Germany.
During the Cuban flibustering days gained
more notoriety than desired, and as | did not
wish to be known as trouble-maker on the
other side where the laws against the carry
ing of contraband were being rigidly enforced
on account of the recent Alabama affair, lost
my identity while crossing the Atlantic. When
reached London in the latter part OF 1858
was George MacFarlane, and in order that
might have an address and ostensible occupa
ton I established the commercial house of
George MacFarlane & Co.. at 10 Corn Hill My
partner who really was only clerk, was
young Engllshman named Cunningham, for
whom I had been able to do good turn while
living in Chicago. I opened an account in the
London & Westminster bank with an initial
deposit of close to e75,0O0, which gave me a
financial standing.
Fate was kind to me in throwing in my way
the little steamer Leckwith, which bought at
a bargain.
Don Carlos. the Spanish Pretender, was just