The Wizard of Wall Street and His Wealth; or, The Life and Deeds of Jay GouldWhite, Trumbull
History
The Wizard of Wall Street and His Wealth; or, The Life and Deeds of Jay Gould
White, Trumbull
Businessmen -- United States -- Biography; Capitalists and financiers -- United States -- Biography; Gould, Jay, 1836-1892
Mr. Gould then negotiated with Leupp’s daughters for the control of
the tannery. It is stated that they demanded sixty thousand dollars,
the amount Leupp had originally advanced. Gould agreed to this, but
proposed a plan by which the payments should extend over a term of
years--ten thousand dollars cash and a like amount every year until
the entire indebtedness had been liquidated. When the papers were
drawn up it was found Gould had made no provision for paying interest.
Negotiations were broken off, and Mr. Lee, a relative and partner of
Leupp, hastened to Gouldsboro and took possession of the tannery in
the name of Leupp’s heirs, taking the precaution to hire a lot of men
to help him barricade and guard it. Gould arrived a day or two later
and determined to capture the tannery at all hazards. Gouldsboro was
a village of about three hundred inhabitants, situated some distance
from the railway station, and besides the tannery the most important
building was the hotel. Mr. Lee, who, like Mr. Leupp, is described as
an honorable, warm-hearted man, but with more courage and grit, had
the tannery guarded by about thirty or forty men whom he had hired at
Scranton.
Gould, as soon as he arrived, began active operations. He interested
nearly the entire population of the place in his behalf. They knew him
and Lee was a comparative stranger. Gould told every one he met that
he owned the tannery, that Lee and his cutthroats were endeavoring
to get the property away from him, and that if they succeeded the
business would go to wreck and ruin and the place would suffer a big
loss. He had soon an armed gang of about 150 men around him prepared
to fight for him. They were a tough looking set of men. He took them
to the hotel, where he gave them an oyster supper, and then mounting
an empty box addressed his forces, telling them to use no unnecessary
violence, but to “be sure and get the tannery.” This was probably the
first and only speech Gould ever made in all his life. Filled with
oysters and whisky, the men made a determined charge on the tannery,
Gould directing everything, but prudently keeping in the background,
for he heard that Lee had a loaded musket ready for him. The battle
was fierce but short. The barricaded doors were battered in and Lee’s
men were driven from the tannery. Two men were badly wounded. One of
Lee’s party was shot through the breast. Warrants were issued for the
arrest of all concerned. Many of the men fled from the place never to
return. Those arrested were afterward released on bail. Gould was left
in possession of the property, but it did him little good. Lee began
legal proceedings against him and Gould brought counter-suits, and
this litigation was continued until the business was destroyed and the
tannery abandoned.
In the New York _Herald_ of March 16, 1860, is given the following
account of the battle:
TANNERY INSURRECTION IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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