The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-06-07
Charles Pliers Speedy
Transition
FROM AFFLUENCE TO POVERTY
Ventured Into Business After
Leading Sportsman's Career
All His Life.
WAS A WEALTHY NEW YORKER

one year was the story revealed in
the New York Supreme Court sew
eral days ago when Charles Pfzer,
one time noted sportsman, told the
examining Judge that he was fiat
broke, and in addition owed $780,
900.
Pfizer was a sportsman of inter-
national reputation. His horses won
the best events on the best race
courses of France. He inherited a
fortune from his father, founder of
a noted chemical works, which still
bear his name. He played polo, was
interested in tandem driving,
coaching, horse racing and breeding
and the chase. His country estate
at Bernardsville, N. j., his shooting
box at Gladstone, were scenes of So
ciety's sporty outings. For years he
was master of the hounds at the Es-
sex county hunt.
He was over fifty years of age
before he entered business. 1t was
limited that perhaps his racing estab-
lishments demanded more money
than the estate yielded.
Just how he went about it, how
he began, is not clear, but early in
1915 it became known that Pfizer
was interested in the schemes of
Henry l.. Britain, a promoter who
had been treated to considerable no.
toriety. In April of that year Pr
ger and Britain wrote together an
agreement guaranteeing three of
Brittain's concerns-the II. l.. Brit
tain Company, the Simplex Home
Motion Picture Company, and the
Anchor Metal Novelty Company.
Within the year all three of them
failed and Pfizer was called upon to
make good the guarantee.
Not long afterward Charles Pfizer
reappeared in the ranks of business,
this time in more extensive manip-
ulations. 1t was announced that he
and his associates had taken con-
troll of the Erie & Pennsylvania Cen
trail Railway Company and were
building a crOss-country line from
Titusville, Pa, to Cambridge
Springs. He was also interested in
oil and gas properties in the neigh
borhood and expected to open up a
stretch of country formerly inacces-
siAe and reap the harvest.
Early in 1915, when he entered
on the Britain promotion, Pfizer
scheduled his assets for the benefit
of Anquiring creditors of Britain.
He listed:
4, A one-fourth interest in Charles
Pfzer & Co. the chemical works.
100000; interest in Titusville trac-
ton line, $40O,OO0; Titusville gas
and oil properties, $1OO,OOO; resi-
dence in Bernardsville, N. j., $780,
900; residence at 80 West Fifteenth
street, New York City. $4,000; real
estate at Peapack and Gladstone, N.
j., 100000.
Here are assets estimated by their
owner at $1,25O,00O. On the stand
the court asked him If he meant
that all this had been swept away.
Eyes, ALL" he said, land there
are $4,000 of unpaid claims"
So this is what happened to
Charles Pfizer in business in the
brief interval of a year, for, while 1t
took somewhat longer for the full
collapse to come, it was on its way
a few months after the investments
were made.
Clark l.. Jordan, one of Pliers
attorneys, was willing to talk, re-
servedly, about the case.
Naturally" he said, pityingly,
81 cannot tell you many things-it
would be a breach of faith. But 1t
is quite true that this mans fortune
was swept away from him in a year
or SO. l haven't seen Mr.. Pfizer in
months, and remember our last
tdlh. Hie cahe H. slim coy ih"h
with his distinguished manner, and
talked with me about appealing one
of the judgments against him. When
he left he said he would let me
know in a few days. He asked care
fully for an estimate of the cost.
Several days later he telephoned.
4 guess there's no use Of an APP
peal.' he told me, cant afford 1t. l
suppose I'm wiped out
"You can't imagine how he took
1t, tiyfs man who had been million
aire all his life and had lost his
whole fortune in year or SO. He
was game--a good loser"