I am not sure of the historical accuracy of this story, but I have heard that here in Orlando, one speculator did attempt to throw himself out a window, but in Florida until quite recently, buildings were very low because of our unstable topography, and in the 20’s almost all the streets were clay, so throwing oneself out a window was just about the least effective suicide method around! Legend says he broke his leg and collarbone. We did have 2 citrus barons commit suicide by throwing themselves to their death after “The Christmas Freeze” in 1925. They managed to hurl themselves off the roof of our tallest building at the time (5 stories) before access to the roof was sealed by the authorities. I think this is the Floridian smiley…
Regarding Cecil’s closing remark, after listing several suicides possibly related to the 1929 stock market crash:
“Now if only some of the current crop of pirates would take the hint.”
It would seem that at least one did, per this link:
“Former Enron Corp. vice chairman J. Clifford Baxter was found dead in his car in a Houston suburb early Friday, the victim of an apparent suicide, police said.”
Unfortunately, it is probably the ones who are most guilty who are least likely to follow suit.
I agree, one would really have to have a conscience to feel guilty enough for suicide, and unfortunately, I doubt the real culprits feel guilty at all, very likely being far too preoccupied with their newly “second-homeless” condition. Just imagine the difficulties smuggling all that cash out of the country before the feds can get it, not to mention hiding all those safe deposit box keys!
There is a major difference between the speculators of the 20’s and the robber barons of today…OPM (other people’s money). The financiers of yesteryear lost only their personal fortunes for the most part (while it is true that some took others down with them when the market dropped, it was not intentional). Today the culprits are willing participants in fraud. It isn’t as though the market has collapsed again.
I asked the question about suicides after the crash in GQ not too long ago. I’m not sure exactly when, but since a search didn’t turn it up, it must have been during the three months of posting that were lost earlier this year.
