A strange career closed the other day in Manitoba. Some
three years ago the commercial world of New York was dazzled and flattered by the appearance in its midst of an English millionaire who quietly allowed it to be understood that he Was "Lord Gordon Harcourt Gordon," heir to a Scottish dukedom and to immense estates. This personage had already won the hearts of Western men by his promises to establish a colony of Scachmen in Minnesota. He was, therefore, cordially welcomed in Wall Street. His wealth and his nobility brought him the confidence of all sorts of specu- lators, and he was entrusted with securities of all kinds to aid in floating every sort of reckless enterprise. Jay Gould, then President of the Erie Railway, was menaced by the long-suffering English shareholders ; "Lord Gordon," he was told, was not only a large shareholder himself, but was acting for many English friends, and the chance of securing his support was too good to be missed. A plan was arranged by which Gordon was to secure a majority on the Board of Directors, and afterwards to reinstate Gould as the nominee of the English shareholders. For this purpose Gould actually paid over half-a--million of dollars in cash and stock to Gordon, with various other sums that were to be presented to influential people as "marks of personal esteem" from the noble millionaire. Immediately afterwards Gould was evicted from his control of the Railway, and it then dawned upon him that Gordon was a swindler. The latter, on being challenged, consented to give up a part of the money, but when placed on trial for fraud he stoutly defended himself, and finally escaped over the border into Manitoba. He was pursued by American detectives, who attempted to kidnap him and bring him again within the jurisdiction of the United States' Courts. But the British authorities refused to sanction this violation of inter- national law. The other day, however, some Scotch detectives ar- rested him on a charge of stealing jewellery in Edinburgh, and finding himself unable to escape, he shot himself through the head.
Previous page
