The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1920-08-13
PGNzI DUBIOUS
OF own Scheme
Wizard OF Finance Will Not
Reopen Office On
Old Basis.
Louisville Herald.
BY Lorry A. Jacobs.

Boston money wizard" of Pie Alley,
does not dare reopen his offices.
So he told me today in an exclusive
interview.
P0nzi said this was not because OF
fear of the law; not because of fear
of failure; but because of fear that
his success would be too tremendous,
Too far-reaching in effect for him to
handle
We sat in the sun parlor of the
beantiful home the wizard" has built
for his black-haired, black-eyed wife,
Rosie Ponzi says his success
dates from his marriage to this pretty
daughter of wealthy importer.
Would Close Banks.
81 have another fear that prevents
me from reopening on my former
basis" said he. 81 firmly believe
that if l announced that l would re-
open my business at the former rates
paid investors ESQ per cent in ninety
days,l hardly bank in Boston could
survive
81 suppose he said, smiling quiz
zicaIly You think that sounds as tho
i sm a braggart. But let me assure
you that / do not mean to be. Let
me explain
ANY plan / would adopt would
necessarily secure the most wide
spread publicity, and the result would
be that not hundreds, not thousands,
but millions of dollars would pour in
every day. / would hesitate to pre-
dict what would happen. There
could be no law to stop me, as far as
4 can lind out. Who can pass law
to prevent a man from borrowing
money and paying it back within a
given time with interest?
THOSE who criticize me say that
my statements can not be true. They
ave tTue and 1 know that they are
trUe
My critics base their conclusions
on the fact that government officials
say Thar international reply ecu
poRs. which are the basis of my opera
fions, have not been issued in the
amounts that / have dealt in them.
Secret Is Safe.
Let me tell you and them that
they can not say that because there
are available absolutely no figures
and data accessible to decide that
paint and probably never will be-"
Ponzi MAS interrupted at this point
by "a telegram. l had a chance to
look around the sun room. Handsome
cansd chairs, tables and chaise
lounges were placed in carelessly cor
rect positions around the room, and !
az eaEh corner of the room were two !
birds in a cage.
Notice my birds?" he asked, look
ing at them dreamily' Il am so hap
py in married life that l could not |
bear 10 see even a bird without low
ing mate"
P0nzi has the large rowing, brown
eyes of the dreamer. But when he be-
comes interested they snap fire like
IIgh1 ming bugs. He is very courteous
Er ais youth he studied medicine at
Naples
But" he added, 81 can not say
thai ] did much studying l was lit
tie more than registered there. l
played hockey most of the time.
And always ] dreamed of the success
tAG3 was 10 cUme sometime, | knew
ROT bOw-but somehow. OF course,
my Imagination could not possibly
have encompassed the success have
had"
Wall Street Friendly.
Ponzi handed me the telegram he
hnd received after | had promised to
keep the name of the sender secret.
The Esessage bore the signature of
vsGn-kBown New York financier, ask !.
ing for an appointment to talk over
with POnzi a plan whereby Ponzi
womb add to the immense fortune he
claims to have made. /
Pnnzi smiled 81 think, said he.
that Wall street is getting more fav-
Orable and l know that Wall street
UVBld get enthusiastically favorable
II N0M street knew my one, great Sc
eret.
Il have been offered $4,000, 900
fri that secret and my business and l /
err Esecept, but l do not think so.
- aaink | shall reopen my offices
amer Jhe government investigations
and coEl1bct il on a 10 per cent in
ssyest basis every six months. That
"a conservative enough to keep the
EnsRey from flooding in and yet
adTOrg enough to make me more mil 4
Mons until foreign exchange is adjust
ed am0 the business ended
And here POnzi drew his dressing
gown about him, called his Italian
Il IL. A 4. 7