g-Card
Company. I never sold books at this time nor any time, and never "worked
trains" at this time nor any time, although I fail to see any disgrace
in such honest employment; nor had anything to do with trains in any way
whatever at this time nor any time except to ride in them. I have never
been a hanger-on at race-tracks, and have never had anything to do with
a race-track of any kind other than visiting one for the first time in
1899 to see my own horse, Boralma, race, and four or five times since to
see my own horses run. I desire to dwell on this especial accusation
because these character thugs have caused it to be published throughout
the country that I am and have always been a _habitue_ of race-tracks
and a plunging bettor upon races. I regret that it is my misfortune
never to have seen a horse-race until 1899, but if it can be shown that
I was ever upon a race-track before that time, I will agree to stop
writing this story of "Frenzied Finance."

In 1882, a concern known as the Briggs Printing Machine
Company was incorporated in Rhode Island ... to manufacture
a machine that was advertised to "print, cut, pack, and
fasten with twine 100,000 tags per hour." Thomas W. Lawson
secured the job of selling agent of this company, and he
proved so successful and the advertising matter which he
wrote brought such handsome returns, that we find him in
1884 promoted to the position of manager and enjoying a
salary of $150 per month. Later he became the secretary of
the company, and very shortly thereafter, in 1887, the
enterprise collapsed, was sold out by the sheriff, and
realized little or nothing for the numerous creditors....

It is true that I was the vice-president of the Briggs Printing Machine
Company, which was organized and owned by others before I had aught to
do with it. I was induced to invest considerable money in it and to take
charge of its affairs. The Briggs Company was a close corporation. Its
stock was never sold to the public, and after I left it it met with
failure.

In December, 1888, the Lamson Consolidated Store-Service
Company was incorporated at Boston. Its purpose was to
exploit an invention of W. S. Lamson ... the overhead
trolley system used in department-stores for carrying cash
and parcels.... The capital stock at the beginning was
$250,000--par value of shares, $50. The company was doing