The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-07-23
Famous Gambler and Gun Man
George Wingheld, Nevada's New Senator, Has Had a Re-
markabe Career.

There were plenty Of saloons and
gambling houses. Not many years be-
fore men had died of thirst in the
desert which was there. Wingfield was
making big money at TOnOpah, but
he saw in Goldfield a chance to make
more. What gave him the idea was
another lucky stroke of fortune.
one night a Mr.. Elliott. who had
cleaned up in Bullfrog and who had
become a partner in a mine prOmot-
ing firm at Goldfield was at the Tono-
pah club. Elliott was a plunger. and
that night he dropped 5000 at
Wingfield's place. When asked to set
tie he rendered a check for $1,000
and a certificate for 100, 900 shares Of
Goldfield Laguna Mining company
stock, which was then selling at Is
cents. This was accepted. Wingfield
began to take an interest in mining
stocks from that time forth. In a
short time Laguna was selling freely
at s. a share.
incidentally, every one Who worked
at the Tonopah club got to making
money in mining shares. Wingfield
was the Andrew Carnegie Of Nevada.
All his young men prospered. One
OF his faro dealers promoted GOldfield
daisy, which balloOned up to a Sc
on a capitalization of 10000
Shares. At the market price in those
days the mine was worth 5000. 900,
but it never earned a dollar for it's
stockholders.
That sort of thing made Wjnsfield
keener than ever. He and Nixon drew
closer together. They made some
profitable deals in mining properties
and then they formed a pool and ac-
quired ownership Of control of the
merged $4,000, 900 Goldtield Consol-
Into r,L ~ --,-, = 49,: -
alton.
After that Wintield's connection
with the Tonopah club did not take
much OF his time. He was in the
thick Of things at GOldtield, and was
reputed to be the power behind the
market in mining stocks. once Nixon
had been the bigger man; now Wing
field was regarded as the chief, mo
Nixon only a circumstance in the
partnership. Wingfield belonged to
the Goldfield stock exchange and was
an active and conspicuous member.
Even out on the curb, where there
was buying and selling far into the
night, he always was in the thick Of
the fray. What he said-and he said
l1ttle-Was t~elegraphed to the mining
stock markets of the East as authOri-
tative opinion. The leading citizens Of
the place used to cOngregate at the
Montezuma club, and there Wingfield
would remark cautiously that such
and such a stock would sell at $40
before it would sell at $40. The New
ork curb market would have the
news by the time it opened, and the
GOldfield stock exchange would have
a lot Of fresh buying orders from the
public by the time it began business
next morning, always at higher prices.
those were golden days.
Wlngfield just had turned his thir-
leth year then. He is described by
one who knew him we'll as being of
meager frame. His face showed an
extreme pallOr that might have come
from Ill health, years of hardship or
careless habits. This was all the more
strlklng because nearly every one in
Goldfeld or Reno or Tonopah or any
where else in Nevada is deeply sun
burned. Only the dealers and look
outs IN the gambling houses are un.
tanned, even by the suns of other
years. Wingfeld's gaze never was
steady. 1t continually shifted to anG
fro, perhaps a matter Of habit. A
man who deals or works as lookout
IN a gambling house has to keep 6
swiftly shifting eye on every par
of the board. Wingfeld was cold Of
and taciturn Of disposition
He was noted for his s-ecretiveness. He
was rated as a cool, calculating, self
AoAAS NV VIII
had turned man of affairs. He wa.
infinitely patient in waiting for thing!
to come his way, at, the same ti1ns
accelerating them as quietly an(
safely as he could. But, master O.
the mining stock market and bos
gambler that he was, he found hi
sole relaxation at playing stud poker
In this, the stiffest Of all games t.
play. he was a consistent n n H
was famed all over Nevada for tn
~half-cunning expression he was won
to assume, which deceived his oppon
ents into believing he was b1uffin!
when he wasn't. Many tried to imi
tate him in this respect. but failed
There was only one Wingfield. Lik
} Napoleon, he was unique.
AS the years went on Wingfeld an
e Nixon frightened their hold on tn
t mines and the banks of Nevada NixO]
: was below middle height, rather in
: clined to Stoutness. but very dappel
His steel-gray eyes We're abSolutel
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