David Lamar

David Lamar was born circa 1877.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Df3dCQAAQBAJ|title=The Secret War on the United States in 1915: A Tale of Sabotage|author=Heribert von Feilitzsch|date=January 2015 |page=67|publisher=Henselstone Verlag LLC |isbn=9780985031763 }} His exact birth date is unknown; his 1934 obituary reports that he was 65 years old.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ZuSUVyMx-TgC&dat=19340114&printsec=frontpage&hl=en|work=Reading Eagle|date=January 14, 1934|page=1|title="Wolf of Wall Street" Dies|access-date=November 17, 2018}}

He appeared in New York City about 1893.[https://books.google.com/books?id=mIgfAQAAMAAJ&dq=David+Lamar+wolf+of+wall+Street&pg=PT54 Michigan Manufacturer & Financial Record, Volume 11 By Frank E. Carter July 19, 1913 Detroit Michigan] In the 1890s "he had a Fifth Avenue house and was known for his trotting horses, his diamond studded walking stick, his appearances as a man about town."[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ZuSUVyMx-TgC&dat=19340114&printsec=frontpage&hl=en Reading Eagle, January 14, 1934. p. 1] accessed November 17, 2018

In 1899, Lamar claimed one of his most famous victims was 25-year-old John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Working through George Rogers, secretary to Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, Sr., Lamar convinced the younger Rockefeller to buy stock in U.S. Leather, using money he had borrowed from his father. As Rockefeller Jr. was buying, Lamar was selling, and the younger Rockefeller lost nearly $1 million.{{Cite book|title=Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.|last=Chernow|first=Ron|publisher=Random House|year=1998|isbn=0-679-43808-4|pages=356}}

On July 9, 1903,[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1903-07-30/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1903&index=0&date2=1903&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=David+Lamar+Lamars&proxdistance=5&state=New+York&rows=20&ortext=David+Lamar&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 The evening world., July 30, 1903, Night Edition, Image 1 accessed November 17, 2018] when his coachman James McMahon appeared in court to testify against Lamar on an assault charge, McMahon was stabbed and beaten by members of the Eastman Gang as he entered the courthouse and he was unable to testify.Asbury, Herbert. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ceY_ISKGRIsC The Gangs of New York] New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1927. {{ISBN|1-56025-275-8}}

His obituary noted two brazen swindle attempts in which he hired two men as "hold up experts" in lawsuits he brought against the U.S. Steel Corporation and the Great Northern Railroad and the Northern Pacific Railroads; his "experts" were exposed as frauds.

A 1913 profile of him remarked that he appeared to be wealthy at times and broke other times. That same year in New York, Lamar was indicted and charged with impersonating Congressman A. Mitchell Palmer.{{cite book |title=Hearings |year=1913 |publisher=United States Congress |quote=Very well; I desire to testify now, then, that two years ago, when I first used the name of Riordan, I told the man I used it with at the end of, say, three conversations, that were all within a period of two days, that I was David Lamar. That man was Mr. Charles Steele. Mr. Ledyard has testified here, and the committee will see it—I can call their attention to it—Mr. Ledyard says he knew of these conversations between Mr. Riordan and Mr. Steele. So that two years ago, if my testimony is to be believed, Steele knew it was not David Lamar he was talking with but that it was Riordan | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5qiHAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22David+Lamar%22&pg=PA2028 }}{{cite news |title=Accused Appears in Washington Court, Document Is Not Served on Him. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1913/07/24/archives/lamar-is-indicted-odd-halt-in-arrest-accused-appears-in-washington.html |quote=Considerable mystery surrounds a sealed indictment against David Lamar which has been forwarded from the Federal Court in New York City to District Attorney Wilson of Washington. Mr. Lamar has been in this city for several days, and his counsel, Henry E. Davis, was instructed by Mr. Wilson to produce his client before United States Commissioner Anson H. Taylor this morning at 10 o'clock. |work=The New York Times |date=July 24, 1913 |access-date=2009-07-18 }}

During 1915, Lamar acted as an agent for Franz von Rintelen, a captain in the intelligence wing of the German Imperial Navy who operated covertly in New York City. Lamar promoted strike action and work stoppages in munitions factories by means of the Labor's National Peace Council.Tuchman, Barbara W. The Zimmermann Telegram (New York: NEL Mentor, 1967), p.71. From offices at 55 Liberty Street, Captain von Rintelen spent US$500,000,Tuchman, p.71. much of which went to Lamar, whose reports of his success were greatly exaggerated.

For impersonating a Congressman, Lamar was sentenced to two years to the Federal Atlanta Prison in May 1916.[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045487/1916-05-24/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=1916&index=0&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=David+Lamar+LAMAR+prison&proxdistance=5&date2=1920&ortext=David+Lamar+prison&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 The day book., May 24, 1916, NOON EDITION, Image 4 About The day book. (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917 accessed November 17.2018] In October 1916, while serving his Atlanta Prison sentence, he was working as a tailor.[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn87065167/1916-10-09/ed-1/seq-3/#date1=1916&index=2&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=David+DAVID+LAMAR+Lamar+Lamars+Prison+prison+prisoner+PRISONER+prisoners&proxdistance=5&date2=1920&ortext=David+Lamar+prison&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 The Hattiesburg news., October 09, 1916, LAST AND HOME EDITION, Page 3, Image 3 accessed November 17,2018]

In 1923 after losing an appeal on a conspiracy charge, he fled New York City and was found 8 months later in Mexico and sent to the Essex County Penitentiary in North Caldwell, New Jersey,[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1925-12-07/ed-1/seq-32/#date1=1918&index=2&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=David+Lamar+lamar+prison&proxdistance=5&date2=1929&ortext=David+Lamar+prison&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 Evening Star December 7, 1925 p.32 accessed November 17,2018]{{Cite web |title=Atlantic City Gazette-Review 18 Feb 1924, page 2 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/917089315/ |access-date=2023-08-07 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} for one year for being involved in strikes in munition factories; he was released in 1924.https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1926-08-18/ed-1/seq-3/#date1=1918&index=14&rows=20&searchType=advanced&language=&sequence=0&words=David+DAVID+lamar+Lamar+LAMAR+prison&proxdistance=5&date2=1929&ortext=David+Lamar+prison&proxtext=&phrasetext=&andtext=&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1 Evening star. [volume], August 18, 1926, Page 3, Image 3 accessed November 17, 2018] In 1924 his first wife divorced him and retained custody of their daughter Dorothy. On November 22, 1925, in Ridgefield, Connecticut, he married a stage and screen actress Edna Eck aka Edna Fretch; in August 1926 he was served with a subpoena in regard to alleged stock manipulation of Consolidated Distributors [Motor parts]; after Lamar's demise—according to his attorney—Lamar had not been in the money since 1929.

Lamar died in a New York City Hotel room of heart disease on January 13, 1934.{{cite news |title=David Lamar 'Wall Street Wolf,' Dead |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/821521492.html?dids=821521492:821521492&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jan+14%2C+1934&author=&pub=The+Hartford+Courant&desc=David+Lamar+%27Wall+Street+Wolf%2C%27+Dead&pqatl=google |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713062355/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/821521492.html?dids=821521492:821521492&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jan+14,+1934&author=&pub=The+Hartford+Courant&desc=David+Lamar+'Wall+Street+Wolf,'+Dead&pqatl=google |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2012 |quote=The mysterious Stock Market operations of the "Wolf of Wall Street" have been ended by death. |work=Hartford Courant |date=January 14, 1934 |access-date=2009-07-18 }}

{{reflist}}

• Tuchman, Barbara W. The Zimmermann Telegram. New York: NEL Mentor, 1967.
• von Feilitzsch, Heribert The Secret War on the United States in 1915: A Tale of Sabotage, Labor Unrest and Border Troubles. Amissville: Henselstone Verlag, 2015

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Category:1870s births

Category:1934 deaths

Category:American confidence tricksters

Category:American spies for Imperial Germany

Category:Criminals from New York City

Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government