In fact the whole speculative field was laid out before me in its most seductive guise.
All these allurements I declined.

The most notable offer of this kind I ever received was one morning in the Windsor Hotel soon after my removal to New York.

Jay Gould, then in the height of his career, approached me and said he had heard of me and he would purchase control of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and give me one half of all profits if I would agree to devote myself to its management.

I thanked him and said that, although Mr.Scott and I had parted company in business matters, I would never raise my hand against him.
Subsequently Mr.Scott told me he had heard I had been selected by New York interests to succeed him.

I do not know how he had learned this, as I had never mentioned it.