按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Further testimony came in the form of a letter from the cashier of one of the New Haven banks； expressing the highest confidence in the financial strength of the company。 Barnum afterwards learned that his correspondent represented a bank which was one of the largest creditors of the concern。
Barnum finally agreed to lend the clock company his notes for a sum not to exceed 50；000； and to accept drafts to an amount not to exceed 60；000。 He also received the written guarantee of the President； Chauncey Jerome； that in no event should he lose by the loan； as he would be personally responsible for the repayment。 Mr。 Barnum was willing that his notes should be taken up and renewed an indefinite number of times just so the maximum of 110；000 was not exceeded。 Upon the representation that it was impossible to say exactly when it would be necessary to use the notes； Barnum was induced to put his name to several notes for 3；000； 5；000 and 10；000； leaving the date of payment blank； it being stipulated that the blanks should be filled to make the notes payable in five； ten； or even sixty days from date。 On the other hand； it was agreed that the Jerome Company should exchange its stock with the Terry and Barnum stockholders； thus absorbing that concern； and unite the whole business in East Bridgeport。
Three months later Barnum's memoranda showed that the entire 110；000 had been used。 He was then solicited by the New York agent of the company for five additional notes for 5；000 each。 The request was refused unless they would return an equal amount of his own cancelled notes； since the agent assured him that they were cancelling these notes 〃every week。〃 The cancelled notes were brought him next day and he renewed them。 This he did afterwards very frequently； until at last his confidence in their integrity became so firmly established that he ceased to ask to see the notes that had been taken up； but furnished new paper as often as it was desired。
But gradually the rumor that the banks were hesitating about discounting his paper came to Barnum's ears。 Wondering at this； he made a few inquiries； which resulted in the startling discovery that his notes had never been taken up； as represented by the Jerome Company； and that some of the blank…date notes had been made payable in twelve； eighteen and twenty…four months。 Further investigation revealed the fact that he had indorsed for the company to the amount of over half a million dollars； and that most of the notes had been exchanged for old Jerome Company notes due to the banks and other creditors。
Barnum simply went to work； paid every debt he owed in the world； andfailed！
The Jerome Company also failed； and in addition to absorbing Barnum's fortune； was able to pay only about fifteen per cent。 of its own obligations。 Of course it never removed to East Bridgeport at all。
The failure was a nine…days' wonder all over the country。 Never had Barnum achieved such notoriety。 As he expressed it； he was taken to pieces； analyzed； put together again； kicked； 〃pitched into；〃 tumbled about； preached to； preached about； and made to serve every purpose to which a sensation loving world could put him。
Barnum declared that he could stand the abuse； the cooling of false friends and even the loss of fortune； but it made him furious to read and hear the moralizings over the 〃instability of ill…gotten gains。〃 His fortune； if made quickly； had been honestly worked for and honorably acquired； though envious people pretended not to believe it。
CHAPTER XXV。 THE WHEAT AND THE CHAFF。
FALSE AND TRUE FRIENDSMEETING OF BRIDGEPORT CITIZENSBARNUM'S LETTERTOM THUMB'S OFFERSHILLABER'S POEMBARNUM'S MESSAGE TO THE CREDITORS OF THE JEROME CLOCK COMPANYREMOVAL TO NEW YORKBEGINNING LIFE ANEW AT FORTY…SIX。
But while misfortune reveals a man his foes； it also shows him his friends。 Barnum was overwhelmed with offers of assistance； funds were declared at his disposal； both for the support of his family and to re…establish him in business。 〃Benefits〃 by the score were offered him； and there was even a proposition among leading citizens of New York to give a series of benefits。
Every one of these offers Barnum declined on his unvarying principle of never accepting a money favor。 The following correspondence is taken from the New York papers of the time； and will show the stand he took in the matter：
NEW YORK； June 2d； 1856。
MR。 P。 T。 BARNUM：
Dear Sir。 The financial ruin of a man of acknowledged energy and enterprise is a public calamity。 The sudden blow； therefore； that has swept away； from a man like yourself； the accumulated wealth of years； justifies； we think； the public sympathy。 The better to manifest our sincere respect for your liberal example in prosperity； as well as exhibit our honest admiration of your fortitude under overwhelming reverses； we propose to give that sympathy a tangible expression by soliciting your acceptance of a series of benefits for your family； the result of which may possibly secure for your wife and children a future home； or at least rescue them from the more immediate consequences of your misfortune。
Freeman Hunt； E。 K。 Collins； Isaac V。 Fowler； James Phalen； Cornelius Vanderbilt； F。 B。 Cutting； James W。 Gerard； Simeon Draper； Thomas McElrath； Park Godwin； R。 F。 Carman； Gen。 C。 W。 Sanford； Philo Hurd； President H。 R。 R。； Wm。 Ellsworth； President Brooklyn Ins。 Co。； George S。 Doughty； President Excelsior Ins。 Co。； Chas。 T。 Cromwell； Robert Stuyvesant； E。 L。 Livingston； R。 Busteed； Wm。 P。 Fettridge； E。 N。 Haughwout； Geo。 F。 Nesbitt； Osborne Boardman & Townsend； Charles H。 Delavan； I。 & C。 Berrien； Fisher & Bird； Solomon & Hart； B。 Young； M。 D。； Treadwell； Acker & Co。； St。 Nicholas Hotel； John Wheeler； Union Square Hotel； S。 Leland & Co。； Metropolitan Hotel； Albert Clark； Brevoort House； H。 D。 Clapp； Everett House； John Taylor； International Hotel； Sydney Hopman； Smithsonian Hotel； Messrs。 Delmonico； Delmonico's； Geo。 W。 Sherman； Florence's Hotel； Kingsley & Ainslee； Howard Hotel； Libby & Whitney； Lovejoy's Hotel； Howard & Brown； Tammany Hall； Jonas Bartlett； Washington Hotel； Patten & Lynde； Pacific Hotel； J。 Johnson； Johnson's Hotel； and over 1；000 others。
To this gratifying communication he replied as follows：
LONG ISLAND； Tuesday； June 3d； 1856。
GENTLEMEN： I can hardly find words to express my gratitude for your very kind proposition。 The popular sympathy is to me far more precious than gold； and that sympathy seems in my case to extend from my immediate neighbors； in Bridgeport； to all parts of our Union。
Proffers of pecuniary assistance have reached me from every quarter； not only from friends； but from entire strangers。 Mr。 Wm。 E。 Burton； Miss Laura Keene； and Mr。 Wm。 Niblo have in the kindest manner tendered me the receipts of their theatres for one evening； Mr。 Gough volunteered he proceeds of one of his attractive lectures； Mr。 James Phalon generously offered me the free use of the Academy of Music； many professional ladies and gentlemen have urged me to accept their gratuitous services。 I have； on principle； respectfully declined them all； as I beg； with the most grateful a