The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, February 13, 1917, Image 6

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    THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
HOW TOM LAWSON
Spectacular Career of Boston Fi
nancier Who Has Been Much
in Public Eye.
RAN AWAY FROM SCHOOL
Making and Losing of a Fortune Com
mon Thing to Lawson Has Pic
tureoquo Command of the Eng
llsh Language.
Now York. Of no ninn In American
history can It so truly bo Bald that tho
making and losing of a fortune wan a
common tiling to lilm than Thomas V.
Lawson.
Tho Boston financier, who hns beon
tho center of tho political stage In tho
last month, by reason of his accusa
tions regarding wrongful use of secret
diplomatic information to gain mil
lions in Wall street, has been n kind
of financial volcano, erupting fitfully
but powerfully, for 25 years.
No one can say how ninny tens of
thousands have made money and how
many more thousands havo lost by
paying heed to his widely advertised
stock-market advice.
Ho has been attacked savagely time
and ngnln in tho public prints, while
his own onslaughts on "tho system"
(of which he confesses ho was once a
Thomas W. Lawson.
prominent member), tho Stundurd Oil
Interests, und tho "monoy trust" are
mutters of recent history.
His command of lunguago both
slang and tho king's English Is re-
nmrknblo. Ho has spent millions In
promulgating his opinions through big
advertisements In tho newspapers. Ho
can't remember, ho Buys, hpw manv
times lie has been sued criminally anil
civilly for libel yet ho hns won every
enso brought agulnst him.
A Boston nowspuper once printed u
slx-pugo attack of lurid character on
Lawson. Tho financier got out an In
junction, but tho nowspaper proprietor
barred tho door against tho Injunction
server; tho presses ground out tho edi
tion, nnd Boston road tho story. The
effect wub slight. Lawson continued
on his way serenely although what
would bo serene and ordlnury for
Thomas V. would ba n trip through
tho Whirlpool rapids of Niagara for un
ordinary man.
Started Tempestuously.
Ills career, started tempestuously, for
ho rah. away twice In a finnlly suc
cessful . effort to substitute business
for school.
Lawson is a Now Englander by
birth nnd a Southerner by descent.
Three of his uncles woro Episcopal
clergymen. He was born In Cambridge,
Mass., In 1850, aud. brought up by his
mother nftor his futher was killed on
it battlefield of tho Civil war.
When he was twelve years old ho
skipped frtmi school and got n place
as an errand boy In the banking house
of Stevens, Amory & Co., in Slate
strcot, Boston,. Ho was speedily up
prchended and returned to his books,
only soon to mnko another break for
tho realms of trado. This tlmo his
guardians decided they had better let
him stay nt work and get sick of it
But he didn't get sick.
Instead ho had n meteoric rise If
this simile wsb ever appropriate. At
twenty-one ho was an operator on tho
Boston 'Street." At twonty-four ho
was n man of grout wealth, and Bat
nround green tables with millionaires
as n director in big corporations.
At thirty ho had becomo a man to
bo watched by tho big financial inter
ests, for ho was "n speculative factor
of importance."
Meantime ho had turned out a largo
number of successful mechanical In
ventlonn. When hardly moro than n
hoy ho put on tho market a substitute
for playing canto, which had qulta n
run of success. He also wrote, prluted
and published n booklet on baseball,
of which he Is an enthusiastic devotee.
The book was called "Tho Krunk ; Ills
Lunguago and What It Meant," aud for
tho vork hu Invented u speclul paper,
"blood parchment."
Ho look u prominent part In tho
presidential cnmpulgu of 1&S8. In a.1
days ho compiled a campaign history
of political parties, with facsimile re
productions or many letters from Bo-
mil, it...... .,, , .
publlcun party lenders expressing their
views. Of this Hbout Hf.0,000 copies J
ROSE TO WEALTH
were distributed by Republican cum
palgn committees.
First Financial Undertaking.
His first financial undeitcklng was
me reorganization of the Lawson
Story Service company. He lost n lnn?n
amount Just after this successful coup
wnen no tried to rebuild tho Band
Avary Publishing company. But he
recouped quickly by operating In West-
iiigiioiisc jiiectrie.
Ho lost another fortune In southern
land "booms," especially the' Grand
"ivcr i,nnu company. Then came his
Kem nay htuto (Jus operations, which
made him thousands nf nnniillnu nrwl
thousands of friends. Out of the maze
of conflicting stories It Is Impossible
iw uciormnio just how much Lawson
hud to do with what hnnncnod. Kiidlcn
it to say that under Lawson's master
iinnti me stock of this company gy
rated to giddy heights and then sank
Into the abyss, having today a nominal
value of 12 cents n share.
Lnwson's operations had now be
como gigantic". He entered the "sys
tern," as he himself cxtilulned. with
tho object of combining all the copper
interests or the country.
Here one Hindu limnmni I
a muss of disputed details. Lawson
sold Hutte and Boston Copper stock
short from S10 n share to 75 cents.
denning up a fortune. Then he began
to buy, nnd urired his friends in Imv.
saying ho believed In tho future of the
company. He paid .T10 a share assess
ment, acquired a majority of tho stock,
nnd soon was Invited to loin the crotin
Including II. II. Itogers, John D. Rocke
feller and others of the "Standard Oil
crowd" In consolidating uL1 the cop
per companies of tho United States.
What happened Lawson describes nt
length In "Frenzied Finance." but few
of his statements regarding tho matter
stand unchallenged.
Made Great Fortune.
At any rate. Lawson nulled out with
n great fortune, nnd changed from a
friendly to a hostile nttltml
the "Standard Oil crowd," whom he
now vigorously denounced.
llo built un u creat I'muu-iiii "fn.
lowing" of investors and smml specu
lators, wiiom ho Influenced by sprend
oaglo newspaper advertisements In
flamboyant style.
Of Iato years his name Is not heard
so often, ami his financial Influence hns
declined.
Besides finance, Lawson is Intensely
Interested In flowers, paintings, bronzes,
yachts and horses. And ho has one
other great hobby his six children.
For his wife, who was Miss Good
wills of Cambridge, ho paid $30,000
to got the famous flower now cnllcd
the "Mrs. Thomas W. Lawson pink."
He bought tho yucht Dreamer and
other craft and built a beautiful Mas
sachusetts country mansion, Drenm
world. Ho bred famous thoroughbreds
on his Massachusetts farm. Ho took
Israelites Wer
Kansas Woman, a Foreign Mis
sionary, Makes an Important
Discovery.
CARRIED MANNA TO PEOPLE
How Moses and the Children of Israel
Were Fed During Flight From
Egypt Is Explained by
Miss Oldroyd.
Anil when the (low that lay was cone
Up, behold, upon tho faca of tho wild
ernPHM thuro luy u small, round thing,
as urn all us tho hour ' trust on , tho
ground. And tho children of Israel
suw It, and thoy said ono to another,
It la nuuina; for thoy wist not what
It wub. And Hoses said unto them,
this breml which tho Lord hath given
you to cat. . , . 11 ut some ot them left
It until lnornlnK, and It bred worms.
. . and when tho sun waxed hot. It
molted. -ljxodus 16.
Kansas City, Mo. It took a Uni
versity of Kansas woman graduate,
Miss Koxtinn Oldroyd, of Arkutisus
City, to prove thut the Israelites were
fed manna in the desert on their flight
from Egypt by bugs!
Miss Oldroyd is now n missionary.
Her Interesting discovery was pub
lished to tho world by I'rof. W. It,
Robertson of the zoological depart
ment of the university.
First, trees made tho mannu that
was already well known In scientific
circles.
Then, second, tho hut's that worn
thereabouts waxed ltidustrlous and
served It.
Cousins of Green Hopper.
Tim bugs In the case uro Indian
cousins of thu American green hop
per. Their average length Is three
Utiarters of un Inch, the female being
larger than the mule. Tho bugs uro
it palo green. These insects, Miss
Oldroyd reports, have been observed
to attack a tree lu great numbers
when hungry. Tho trees in nuosttinn
excrete through the holes in their
iinrK made by tho Insects, small par
ticles of sap, which, after u simrt
time, congeal In oblong formations on
tne outside or the bark.
When Miss Oldroyd, on u vacation
tramp through tho northern hills In
Indlu, saw these small, round particles
attached to tho Bap-bearing trees, sho
tastod of tliein and found them
palatable. A little probing soon con-
lf(II.l.1 4tl, linBi. ....... .
""vvti u4 Mm i. ui-iu hub iiiunuu anu
the manner of Its provision. In this
sho wns supported by scientists
his stables to Europe, and raced It?
many countries.
No sketch of Lawson would be com
plete without the story of how ho built
a city, was elected Its first mayor, and
sold It charier, highways, city hall,
pollen department, fire apparatus,
wharves, public franchises and nil for
n goodly sum.
In 1800 he became Interested In the
rich coal and Iron bearing' region In
the State of ICpntuckv ulnni? tlin tintiks
of the Tennessee and Cumberland riv
ers. He conceived the Idea of n city
In that portion of Kentucky lying be
tween tho two rivers. By coincidence
this bit of Innd wiih then also tho
center of population of tho nation. Ho
named his city Grand Rivers, nnd
hustled It Into being with no delay. Ho
was a great sight rushing about his
municipality In slourh hat, flannel shirt
aud top boots.
But life In Grant! Rivers soon Irked
him. He sold out and enme-to New
York for real action which took the
form of n snectncular bear campaign
In General Electric.
Million In Sugar.
In March. 1SD0. Lawson made a
million dollars, he admitted, by specu
lation In sugar stock; but he said this
WHS tin moro thun lin tin fl lost In tills
same stock on previous occasions.
How Lawson does things w'as shown
In Ills mircliiiKn nf thn Imv coldinc
Itnrnlinn. tn Optnliiir 1R')0. the finan
cier paid a visit to Lexington, Ky., for
t he nurooso or attend nc tuc running
of the Kentucky Futurity. Bornltna,
who hnd stepped the mllo In 2 row, was
pointed out to lilm us the probable win
ner.
So ho hnnirht thn hnrsn fnr SI 7.000.
on condition that Bornltna won the Fu
turity. Then he entered the betting
rinir nnd nuf tin S.Tt.000 on his nur-
clinsn. Hnrnlinn won. mill Lnwson not
only got n fine horse but much moro
than enough to pay for It.
Tn thn mldqt nf thn Aninlcnulntcd
Copper consolidation Lawson Unshed
into tne public eyo by ruling irom uos-
tnn tn Now Ynrlf In 11 snpclnl tmlll at
the rato of 00 miles an hour for tho
mi Htm ,llKtnnpi Tin fit fl It In four hours
and fifteen minutes, while the fastest
egular train takes live hours. lie said
Itfirrorn mill Tlnrlrnfnllr -had tole-
nhonod him thev needed him Immedi
ately for Important business.
Lnwson's ofllce in Boston looks more
111(0 an art museum than a broker's
sanctum. Fine flowers, bronzes nnd
rare books surround lilm and competo
fnr room with thn stork ticker. One
of the great sorrows of Lawson's Hfo
was when ho failed to secure tho four
famous bronzes by Julian cxliiDiteu in
a French salon.
Three or these. SO Inches in liclcht.
look down on htm In his nrlvnti, ofllce.
Tltey are "Cuesar Crossing the Rubi
con" anu two equestrian studies or
Frederick tho Great and George Wash
ington. Tho fourth piece, Napoleon,
wub purchased by the municipality of
Purl 8 before Lawson could arrango to
buy the quartet. He had to bo satis
fied with a replica of the Napoleon.
e Fed by Bugs
Until n Inter trip, however, tho man
ner In which tho manna was carried
to the neighborhood of the fleeing Is
raelites was unknown.
However, Miss Oldroyd observed pa
tiently. Sho eventually surprised the
Insects in the act of flying away with
the llttlo bars of sap, or manna, and
following in tho wake of their flight
sho fcuud thnt tho first thing n swurra
of the Insects would do, if they were
frightened or met something strange
In their path, would be to drop their
mannu.
Plain to Scientists.
It Is perfectly plain, now, say tho
learned scientists, supporting Profes
sor Robertson, to whom Miss Oldroyd
reported nnd sent two dead bugs and
a sample of the manna they had been
caught carrying uwny. -A swarm of
hoppers started from tho foivst with
a loud of mannu, met the children of
T ...... , .1 ..... I
uiuui ii mi uronncu tnoir mini. Mncnc i
wns caught lu tho shower and called
upon his followers to eat thoreof.
The specimen of innnnit'sent by Miss
Oldroyd Is four Inches long and two
Inches thick. It Is sweet to the taste
and has tho same food properties as
maple treo sap.
Miss Oldroyd Is a member of tho
faculty of Henry Thobuin college, Cal
cutta, Imlln.
I
TRIES TO LIVE ON
10 CENTS A DAY
Dover, O. Davis Gartman.
ago sixty-three, worth $15,000,
died us a result of being under
nourished, according to physi
cians who have been attending
lilm. Gartman was a noted ex
ponent of chonp living. On
ono occasion ho won n valuable
prlzo for the best artlclo on
"How to Llvo Cheaply." For a
long time ho Is said to havo sub
ststud on nn allowance of !1
cents a day, but since tho cast
of living had Increased this sum
wns Increased to 10 cents n day.
I
I
Gave Life to Avert Wreck.
Iola, Kan. IUchard Moore, n sec
tion hund, recently sacrificed his Hfo
hero to prevent tiro wrecking of a Mis
sourl, Kansas & Texas passenger train.
Heating tho train, ho remembered thut'
ho hud left some Umbers stacked on
tho track and ran to remove them. As
hu cleared tho rails lie was struck bj
i he engine,
Washington Caring for Many French Orphans
it ASIIINGTON. Within tho last year 1(50 war orphans of France havt
been "adopted" by Wnshlngtonlnns, according to Miss Hnrrlcl
WInslow, secrctnry-treasurcr of tho Fatherless Children of France, un orgnnl
ma i t , , , - current Events club of Hngerstown,
Md., nnd St. Mary's school of Knoxvlllc, Term., also havo "adopted" French
children made fatherless by tho war. At present there nre in Washington four
subscription clubs that have taken over part of the euro of such children
These clubs consist of several members.
The trench government Is paying half the amount Jf monoy required tc
rear nnd educate the children of men killed In the war, giving' $30.G0 a year.
The sum of $73 a year Is needed for each child, and the people of France
look to tho United States to help by giving the other half.
The country so fnr hns responded well, but more efforts nre necessary
Tho periods for which some children have been taken are about to expire
and every day there nre hundreds more children made dependent upon the
support of their government nnd tho people of tho United Stntes
Washington especially has done well. In addition to the 1G0 children
"adopted" more than $4,000 has been subscribed to u general fund.
How China Keeps Watch on Its Students Here
J N AN ultra-American brick dwelling, which stands in one of tho capital's
best residential districts, la tim ni.i
----- f
Is n.n institution, but it is also u home.
"'vuw viiiuvou OLUUL'lllv) V11U JUU
studying in American colleges and
universities nt present some COO in
number.
Here T. T. Wong, an energetic
young Chinaman who speaks excellent
English, keeps track of tho educa
tional advancement of each Chinese
student sent to Amerlcn, whllo Mrs.
Wong writes them motherly letters of
good ndvlco. If a student fulls In
Latin or gets too many colds the
Wong family goes to his university
nnd inquires Into the causes. Formerly when the Chinese government sent
young- men to American universities there wns no systfcra of supervision
......iouotci uuu uhkh uu trace ot tne stuaent wns lost. He might turn ur.
seven years later a graduate of Yale or Harvard, but meantime the govern
ment did not know what had heenmi nf him
. , .....
munlcnto with his university, and tlds
not always satisfactory. Any great
........j u i KuvurumeiK ivoum oe
huivmt, mi; luiuruiuiiyi) iu mill.
Under these circumstnnces, tho need of some central means of communi
cation with every Chlncso student in America from New Englnnd to Cali
fornia was apparent, so the Chinese educational mission was established.
It Is located within walking distance of tho Chinese embassy, which is con
sulted in affairs of importance.
The Chinese government hns been sending students to America to be edu
cated since 1875, but in the beginning, ns hns been said, there was no system
An occasional youth who showed strong indications of becoming a scholat
wns sent over, but in many cases was recalled before he had finished his
courso becnuse tho government wns unposted as to his movements nnd could
not understand whnt kept lilm so long. Then in 1000 enmo the Boxer upris
ing nnd China was compelled to pay the United States government un enor
mous indemnity, Imlf of which was to he returned to China with tho provislor
that it bo used to educate Chinese students In America.
Plan for -National Athletic Field Progresses
THAT stadium in East Potomac park, which is designed ns the eventual
grounds for tho holding of nil national championships in all sports hat
moved n little bit nearer. It will take $1,545,000 to build the great athletic
...,,,
athletes In the United States Interested
,.m ' " W,UI wu 8Ucn Pushlng, watch how It will advance.
This Is n great proposition for tho District, and It is a great proposltioc
for ull tho boys and girls of the United States who are interested in clear
sport. When 1ve havo our next hearing I hope to have representatives from
ull parts of the United States present to boost this plan.
"Clean, healthy sport means clenn. healthy boys nnd girls, nnd I consldei
it u very essentiul part of our education. If we get this big stadium and
recreation grounds in Washington and havo natlonnl schoolboy and schoolgirl
championships here every year, It Is? n great stimulus to the high school boys
und girls to got out and try to make their mark in sports.
"A trip to Washington is an epoch In the lives of most schoolchildren
nnd If wo hivl this grand concourso where they could meet nnd strlvo foi
national honors It would prove n great stimulus to sport. '
.."YrU c?n Say for 11)0 1!mt 1 d011'1 l,roIoso to let this mntter slumber
While I am in congress I will work to the utmost for this proposition. Not fot
tho District, but for tho hoys and girls of the United States."
Redfield's Search for Medal-Winning Heroes
SECRETARY OF COMMERCE REDFIELD Is gradually rounding up the
- heroes on tho Amorlcan S. S. Kroonlnnd, who were voted medals by con
sress for rescuing SO persons from the burning steamer Volturno In the North
Atlantic in October, 1T13. Tho men,
nostly foreigners, scivUered all over
tho globe, after cou vess had recog
nized their b-avery, and for more thnn
two years Secretary Retinoid has been
trying to get in touch with them. He
aus beon successful lh mutiy Instunces,
5ut still bus 11 medula awaiting
:lnlnutnts.
The latest to bo found were Franz
on Hymen, now at tho western front
with tho German army, who was ta
inted by the American consul wnoml
nt Antwerp, Belgium, and J. A. Roll, who was discovered nt Galveston, Tex.
Tho secretary Is still seeking Hillko M. P. Janssen, Gerard Frana Ilorrenherg
Franz Quednnu, Henry Guellnck, Holnrich Schatib, Deslro Augusto Coopnuui
Ernst Benecke, Petrus Stobbeluur, Leon Coppens, Gustnv Ebllng nnd August
Frledrlch Iteckzugel. The belief hero Is that theso men, like Von Hymen
hnvo been drawn Into tho European conflict, nnd It Is fenrcd some of them'
U lenst, mny htno given their lives on battlefields without ever having known
,'lmt the American congress had ofllcinlly praised their heroism.
zntion formed for the relief of such
children. Some of these children have
been taken for two years, and some
for longer periods.
Among the Inter subscribers to the
organization uro tho Hynttsvllle high
school, tho Potomac school, Sldwell's
Friends' school, Kendall Green Sunday
school, tho Misses Marets' French
school, the Lafuyette Memorial sub
scription, the Mnrlo Loulso millinery
establishment und the Home club, the
vuuv,awuuui iiussiuii, i xne mission
It is the official home or headquarters
1 M V"JJ UUUUiU LU UUUl
required a good deal of tlmo nmi wn$
catastrophe might happen to n man's
weens or months in locating him nnd
iicia and recreation ground on the
shores of tho Potomac, which tho A
A. U. would like to see and which
Representative Murray Hulbert ol
New York has sought In a bill now
before congress.
Congress has already grunted $05,
000 of the amount deemed necessary.
Tills provides n shelter house and o
part of tho bout harbor. Representa
tive Hulbert wants congress to go
further.
"I want to get all the nmnteut
in this proposition," said Congress-
nipninrm
inyons
For sick headache, bad breath,
Sour Stomach and
constipation.
Get a 10-cont box now.
No odds how bad your livor, stomach
or bowolsj how much your head
achos, how miserable and uncomfort
ablo you nro from constipation, Indiges
tion, biliousness and sluggish bowels
you alwnyB got tho desired result
with Cascarets.
Don't lot your stomach, liver and
bowels malto you miserable Tako
Cascarets to-night; put an end to the
headache, biliousness, dlzzinoss, nerv
ousness, sick, sour, gassy stomach,
bnckacho and all other distress;
cloanso your insldo organs of all tho
bile, gasos nnd constipated mattoi
which is producing the misdry.
A 10-cent box means health, happi
ness and a clear head for months.
No moro days of gloom and dlstrest
If you will tako a Cascaret now and
then. All stores sell Cascarets. Don't
forgot tho children their little u
sides need a cleansing, too. Adv.
Authority on Mushrooms.
Mrs. Flora W. Patterson of Washing
ton, D. 0., will never dio of eating o
toadstool thinking it Is a mushroom.
Mrs. Patterson Is a government sci
entist whoso specialty is a knowledge
of f nngl. Sho knows more about mush
rooms nnd toadstools, as well as tho
microscopic fungi which cause plant
diseases, than any other person in the
government service. Her writings on
tho subject are the standard works in
thd scientific libraries. Mrs. Patter
son begnn tho study of fungi as a
hobby. When her husband died tho
government offered her a plnco Id
which sho could use her special knowl
edge for the public good. Her stud
ies of the fungous diseases of plants
have had an Important effect upop
American agriculture.
OLD PRESCRIPTION -
FOR WEAK KIDNEYS
A medicinal preparation like Dr. Kil
mer! Swamp-Root, that has real curativo
value almost sells itself. Like an endlett
chain system tho remedy is recommended
by those who have been benefited to thos
who are in need of it.
Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root is a physi
clan's prescription. It has been teste
for years and has brought results to count
less numbers who have suffered.
The success of Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root
is due to the fact that it fulfills almost ev
fy wish in overcoming kidney, liver and
bladder diseases, corrects urinary troubles
and neutralizes the uric acid which came
rheumatism.
Do not suffer. Get a" bottle of Swamp
Root from any druggist now. Start treat
mcnt today.
However, if you wish first to test thi
great preparation send ten cents to Dr.
Kilmer & Co., Binghamton, N. Y., for e
sample bottle. When writing bo sure and
mention this paper. Adv.
Of Course Not! ,
The Rev. Shybird I hnd such u cu
rious dream last night. I dreamt 3
was In the Garden of Eden.
Miss Kensington Oh, how odd I
And did Eve appear ns she is general
ly represented?
Tho Roy. Shybird I I er I didn't
look. London Sketch.
To keep clean and healthy take Dr.
Pierce's Pleasant Pellets. They regulatj
liver, bowels and stomach. Adv,
A New Trade.
Skeets I don't see you on the mes
senger gang now, Skinny. Where are
you workln'?
Skinny Oh, I've got'n good Job -with
n dog fancier. When a lady comes In
and buys a dog I tench her how tub
whistle.
THOSE AWFUL
CRAMPS
Suggestions that may save
Much Suffering
Marysville, Pa. "For twelve yeatx
I Buffered with terrible cramps. I
wouianave to stay
in bed several days
every month. I
tried all kinds of
remedies and was
treated by" doctors,
but my trouble con
tinued until one day
I read about Lydia
E.Pinkham'fl Vege
table Compound and
what it bad done for
others. I tried It
and now I am never
troubled with cramps and feel liko a
different woman. I cannot praise
Lydia E. Pinkham'a Vegetable Com
pound too highly and I am recommend
ing it to my friends who suffer as I did. '
Mrs. George R. Naylob, Box 72
Maryaville, Pa.
Young women who are troubled witb
painful or irregular periods, backache,
headache, dragging-down .sensations,
fainting spells or indigestion should
tako Lydia E. Pinkliam's Vegetable
Compound. Thousands havo beon re
stored to health by this root and herb
remedy.
Write for free and helpful advice to
Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Co. (con
fidential), Lynn, Mass. Only womeo
opea and read such letters.