VOObyM

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
swelled head an expensive disease everywhere to everybody, but particularly in Wall
Street to a speculator.
I was not happy in New York, feeling the way I did. I didn't want to trade, because I
wasn't in good trading trim. I decided to go away and seek a stake elsewhere. The
change of scene could help me to find myself again, I thought. So once more I left New
York, beaten by the game of speculation. I was worse than broke, since I owed over one
hundred thousand dollars spread among various brokers.
I went to Chicago and there found a stake. It was not a very substantial stake, but that
merely meant that I would need a little more time to win back my fortune. A house that I
once had done business with had faith in my ability as a trader and they were willing to
prove it by allowing me to trade in their office in a small way.
I began very conservatively. I don't know how I might have fared had I stayed there. But
one of the most remarkable experiences in my career cut short my stay in Chicago It is
an almost incredible story.
One day I got a telegram from Lucius Tucker. I had known him when he was the office
manager of a Stock Exchange firm that I had at times given some business to, but I had
lost track of him. The telegram read:
Come to New York at once. L. TUCKER.
I knew that he knew from mutual friends how I was fixed and therefore it was certain he
had something up his sleeve. At the same time I had no money to throw away on an
unnecessary trip to New York; so instead of doing what he asked me to do I got him on
the long distance.
"I got your telegram," I said. "What does it mean?"
"It means that a big banker in New York wants to see you/' he answered.
"Who is it?" I asked. I couldn't imagine who it could be.
"I'll tell you when you get to New York. No use otherwise."
"You say he wants to see me?"
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