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of St。 Louis； had suspended。 I was； of course； surprised； but not sorry； for I had always contended that a man of so much visible wealth as Mr。 Lucas should not be engaged in a business subject to such vicissitudes。 I hurried down to the office； where I received the same information officially； by telegraph； with instructions to make proper disposition of the affairs of the bank； and to come out to St。 Louis； with such assets as would be available there。 I transferred the funds belonging to all our correspondents； with lists of outstanding checks； to one or other of our bankers； and with the cash balance of the St。 Louis house and their available assets started for St。 Louis。 I may say with confidence that no man lost a cent by either of the banking firms of Lucas； Turner & Co。； of San Francisco or New York； but； as usual； those who owed us were not always as just。 I reached St。 Louis October 17th； and found the partners engaged in liquidating the balances due depositors as fast as collections could be forced； and； as the panic began to subside； this process became quite rapid； and Mr。 Lucas； by making a loan in Philadelphia； was enabled to close out all accounts without having made any serious sacrifices； Of course； no person ever lost a cent by him： he has recently died； leaving an estate of eight million dollars。 During his lifetime； I had opportunities to know him well； and take much pleasure in bearing testimony to his great worth and personal kindness。 On the failure of his bank； he assumed personally all the liabilities； released his partners of all responsibility； and offered to assist me to engage in business； which he supposed was due to me because I had resigned my army commission。 I remained in St。 Louis till the 17th of December； 1857； assisting in collecting for the bank； and in controlling all matters which came from the New York and San Francisco branches。 B。 R。 Nisbet was still in San Francisco； but had married a Miss Thornton； and was coming home。 There still remained in California a good deal of real estate； and notes； valued at about two hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate； so that； at Mr。 Lucas's request； I agreed to go out again； to bring matters； if possible； nearer a final settlement。 I accordingly left St。 Louis； reached Lancaster； where my family was； on the 10th； staid there till after Christmas； and then went to New York； where I remained till January 5th； when I embarked on the steamer Moles Taylor （Captain McGowan） for Aspinwall； caught the Golden Gate （Captain Whiting） at Panama； January 15； 1858； and reached San Francisco on the 28th of January。 I found that Nisbet and wife had gone to St。 Louis； and that we had passed each other at sea。 He had carried the ledger and books to St。 Louis； but left a schedule； notes； etc。； in the hands of S。 M。 Bowman； Esq。； who passed them over to me。
On the 30th of January I published a notice of the dissolution of the partnership； and called on all who were still indebted to the firm of Lucas； Turner & Co。 to pay up； or the notes would be sold at auction。 I also advertised that all the real property； was for sale。
Business had somewhat changed since 1857。 Parrott & Co。； Garrison； Fritz & Ralston； Wells； Fargo & Co。； Drexel； Sather & Church； and Tallant & Wilde； were the principal bankers。 Property continued almost unsalable；。 and prices were less than a half of what they had been in 1853…'54。 William Blending； Esq。； had rented my house on Harrison Street； so I occupied a room in the bank； No。 11； and boarded at the Meiggs House； corner of Broadway and Montgomery； which we owned。 Having reduced expenses to a minimum； I proceeded； with all possible dispatch； to collect outstanding debts； in some instances making sacrifices and compromises。 I made some few sales； and generally aimed to put matters in such a shape that time would bring the best result。 Some of our heaviest creditors were John M。 Rhodes & Co。； of Sacramento and Shasta； Langton & Co。； of Downieville； and E。 M。 Stranger of Murphy's。 In trying to put these debts in course of settlement； I made some arrangement in Downieville with the law…firm of Spears & Thornton； to collect； by suit； a certain note of Green & Purdy for twelve thousand dollars。 Early in April； I learned that Spears had collected three thousand seven hundred dollars in money； had appropriated it to his own use； and had pledged another good note taken in part payment of three thousand and fifty…three dollars。 He pretended to be insane。 I had to make two visits to Downieville on this business； and there； made the acquaintance of Mr。 Stewart； now a Senator from Nevada。 He was married to a daughter of Governor Foote； was living in a small framehouse on the bar just below the town； and his little daughter was playing about the door in the sand。 Stewart was then a lawyer in Downieville； in good practice； afterward； by some lucky stroke； became part owner of a valuable silver…mine in Nevada； and is now accounted a millionaire。 I managed to save something out of Spears； and more out of his partner Thornton。 This affair of Spears ruined him； because his insanity was manifestly feigned。
I remained in San Francisco till July 3d； when； having collected and remitted every cent that I could raise； and got all the property in the best shape possible； hearing from St。 Louis that business had revived； and that there was no need of further sacrifice； I put all the papers； with a full letter of instructions； and power of attorney； in the hands of William Blending； Esq。； and took passage on the good steamer Golden Gate； Captain Whiting； for Panama and home。 I reached Lancaster on July 28； 1858； and found all the family well。 I was then perfectly unhampered； but the serious and greater question remained； what was I to do to support my family； consisting of a wife and four children； all accustomed to more than the average comforts of life？
I remained at Lancaster all of August； 1858； during which time I was discussing with Mr。 Ewing and others what to do next。 Major Turner and Mr。 Lucas； in St。 Louis； were willing to do any thing to aid me； but I thought best to keep independent。 Mr。 Ewing had property at Chauncey； consisting of salt…wells and coal…mines； but for that part of Ohio I had no fancy。 Two of his sons； Hugh and T。 E。； Jr。； had established themselves at Leavenworth； Kansas； where they and their father had bought a good deal of land； some near the town； and some back in the country。 Mr。 Ewing offered to confide to me the general management of his share of interest； and Hugh and T。 E。； Jr。； offered me an equal copartnership in their law…firm。
Accordingly； about the 1st of September； I started for Kansas； stopping a couple of weeks in St。 Louis； and reached Leavenworth。 I found about two miles below the fort； on the river…bank； where in 1851 was a tangled thicket； quite a handsome and thriving city； growing rapidly in rivalry with Kansas City； and St。 Joseph； Missouri。 After looking about and consulting with friends； among them my classmate Major Stewart Van Vliet； quartermaster at the fort； I concluded to accept the proposition of Mr。 Ewing； and accordingly the firm of Sherman & Ewing was duly announced