But Mr. Connor was not Gould’s only broker. Charles J. Osborn was for years one of Gould’s closest lieutenants and associates, and a more dashing broker never stepped into the Stock Exchange. William Heath, “the antelope of Wall street,” as he was called because of his long legs and slender body, was also long a favorite with Gould. Heath was a master at keeping secrets. None of his customers could ever learn what his other customers were doing. His faithfulness, experience and ability, however, availed him little in the end. He assisted Gould in Black Friday and helped him in many a risky transaction. When Heath failed with Henry N. Smith in 1885, Mr. Gould, though, with Morosini, the principal creditor, did not come to his assistance. It was thought that Gould would put him on his feet again, but he did not do so, and Heath--alone, broken in spirit and in fortune--died shortly after in Staten Island, but not until he had been lodged for a while in Ludlow street jail, a prisoner for debt. On the dissolution of W. E. Conner & Co., Dec. 31, 1885, Mr. Gould announced his permanent retirement from the street. That perhaps was his intention (though he was as prolific in retirements as Charlotte Cushman), but it was not long before his presence was again felt in the Stock Exchange. Gould had other personal encounters besides the one with Major Selover. Once, while lunching in Delmonico’s, a lawyer named Marrin addressed him and asked him to accompany him to a private room. Mr. Gould declined. Marrin struck him in the face, saying: “If you have no time to see me, take that!” Mr. Gould quietly continued his lunch. Mr. Marrin was summoned before a magistrate and compelled to give $500 bonds. It was his habit to have duplicated reports from corporation officers before the originals were presented. He was now and then cheated, but not often. On one occasion a leading editorial severely animadverting on him and Fisk was shown to him before any considerable part of the paper’s edition had gone to press. He handed the party who brought him the paper $10,000 in greenbacks and the edition appeared without the disturbing criticism. His enemies were numerous, not that he hated any one himself, but his operations necessarily involved men of small means and often ruined them outright. Congressman John B. Alley is said to have remarked of him at twenty-four: “I won’t go into anything with that lad. He is the only person I ever saw who inspires me with fear.” Vanderbilt said, “His face is a scoundrel’s.” He was often accused of “milking the street,” “forcing quotations,” “washing,” and “covering his shorts,” but on the other hand, when he agreed to enter a pool he acted squarely with his associates unless he caught them at treachery, and then he quietly waited for an opportunity to pay them off. He was a special partner in several firms of brokers and carefully concealed from each his operations with the others. [Illustration: JAY GOULD’S DEATHBED.]