Semi-weekly herald., 1913-01-06

Sali1ornia, James X. keene began his
career as COW puncher. He did not
remain at this occupation long, how
ever, but successively earned living
as reporter, an editor, a school
teacher and even as a milk peddler
of mining camps.
Eventually young Keene drifted to
San Francisco which, at that time,
was in the throes of the gold mining
fever. There fortunes were made and
others lost in day and the atmos
phere of speculation suited "a young
man of Keene's disposition. He went
to Virginia City, New, to mine for
gold and succeeded in accommodating
about 100000. With this capital he
returned to San Francisco and became
curb broker. His first ventures
were so successful that within few
months he increased his capital to
more than Sl25,000. He began to in
dulge the dream of becoming Bon
anza king, for other deals continued
to add to his funds.
Hopeful of great future, he plan
ned to marry Miss Sarah Danger
field, Virginia beauty, with whom
young Keene had fallen in love. The
girls brother, Judge William p. Dam
gerfield of the United States circuit
court in California, objected to the
marriage, but young Keene won his
bride nevertheless. Scarcely had they
become united in marriage, when Sc
rious financial reverses overlook
them. 1t was in 1870, that the market
went the wrong way for the young
Spectator and he lost his whole for
tune of 100000.
1t was kecne's good fortune that
he had made staunch friend of
Senator FELTON,, then powerful fac
tor in finance. When FELTON, became
assistant treasurer of the United
States he was compelled to retire
from the San Francisco mining ex-
change and he sold his seat to Keene
on trust. Thus Keene became recog-
''"N' p'ONNi oh tHdhSe. lie SDUn De-
came known by his remarkable bear
campaign against the inflated stocks
of the Bonanza manas. which met
ted him $3,000,00O. The bank of Cali
fornia, which was involved in the min
ing deal, failed, but Keene helped to
organize a syndicate to protect the
depositors of the bank
To recuperate from the strenuous
work of that campaign Keene. upon
tho advice of his physician, decided
to go to Europe for rest. He came
as far as New York, but the fas-
cination Of Wall street, where Jay
Gould was then one of the most po-
tent factors, was too great and Mr.
keene postponed his trip to Europe,
plunging, instead, into the stock mar
ket, with the supposed intention of
measuring swords with Gould. For
while Keene and Gould worked to-
gether in several important deals and
keene prospered, but Gould, who was
believed to be jealous of Keene, soon
turned against him at critical mo-
ment.
1t was in the year 1878 that Keene
was swept off his feet. He had at
tempted to corner the wheat market
and had gone to the full limit of his
fortune, but Gould caused his agents
to throw enormous quantities of
wheat upon the market, breaking the
corner and financially running Keene
With the shattered remains of his for
mer fortune Keene sought to recov-
er from, this defeat, but Gould con-
tinued his warfare and so complete
ly ruined Keene, that the latter on
April 80, 1885, was compelled TO sus-
pend and to sell his house, his house.
hold effects, his paintings and other
works of art which he accumulated
and his already famous stables, to
satisfy his creditors.
Keene retired to a modest home in
Far Rockaway, l.. L., but his spirit
was by no means broken. With bor-
rowed money he began to speculate
greatly helped by his combination
with the Havermeyers. His deals in
American sugar refining stocks soon
put him on his feet again and in a
short time he had repaid every cent
of the $3,000,000, which he owed to
his creditors. 1t was understood that
he represented the Standard Oil in
terests and the Whitney -Widener-El-
kins syndicate and these connections
enabled him to accumulate several
million dollars in few years. His
bear campaign in Cordage trust also
netted him large profits. Soon he
was able to buy string of fine horses,
many of which, like Domino, Comman-
do, Sysonby, Colin, Peter Pan. Cap
and Bells, Tommy Atkins, Celt and
Ballot, won fortunes for their owner
on the track. During the last years Of
his life Mr.. Keene's activity as stock
operator was more conservative, yet
he engineered bitter campaign
against William c. Whitney and made
an enormous fortune in United States
steel corporation.