Exhibit 99.3



                   Certificate Furnished Under Section 906
                      Of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

I, Barry C. Cooper, Chief Financial Officer of The Laclede Group, Inc.,
hereby certify that

         (a)      To the best of my knowledge, the accompanying report on
                  Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2002 fully
                  complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d)
                  of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and

         (b)      To the best of my knowledge, the information contained in
                  the accompanying report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                  September 30, 2002 fairly presents, in all material
                  respects, the financial condition and results of
                  operations of The Laclede Group, Inc.


Date: December 3, 2002                           /s/ Barry C. Cooper
                                                 -----------------------------

                                                 Barry C. Cooper
                                                 Chief Financial Officer