The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-02-23
JAY GOULD.
Why the Great Spectator VIII Make a Trip
Around the World.
]. NJ. C.

New York Special to Boston Globe.
The true reason for the contemplated trip
of Jay Gould around the world is that his
doctors have ordered him to go. Every eff
fort has been made to conceal this fact, and
all sorts of reasons have been given to ward
off curiosity. .cs
Mr.. Gould has been undergoing such seri-
GUS physical changes during the past year
that the few persons who are admitted to in
.iraacy with him have for long time known
that he has been under almost constant med
ical care and advice. ~ ~,
The first serious indications of any break
up OF Gould's health were noticed early last
summer. He was observed then to be drop
ping his well-known habit of extreme re-
serve and becoming quite loquacious Be-
fore this period Gould had seldom anything
to say to any one, no matter how closely
related to him in business. He spoke
to few persons, and, If at ALL upon
subject of mutual interest in the
market. He generally confined his utter
ances to some such remark as "So-and-so
looks like good deal" or Il think so-and-
so will go up" or down, as the case hap
pened. Invariably these utterances were
made the basis of investments, and almost
invariably the investments were profitable.
Some of the most daring and successful oper-
atoms ever transacted in Wall street were
originated in these II think SOS" of Goulds,
The great Spectator seldom said more than
yes or mo-" to the interrogatories of even
persons tolerably well acquainted with him
in business. To those of mere chance ac-
quaintance he seldom responded except by
mods, and to those of strangers he absolutely
gave no sign. 1t is more than probable that
the only person whom Gould ever fully con-
fided in is his wife, and that lady is one of
the few women who have ever lived and
boon positively perfect secret custodian.
MIR. Goulds marriage was not only happy in
every respect, but it made him the manager
of his first railroad, as his father-in-law
owned the controlling interest in a rail
road and by allowing Jay to manage
that interest gave him the opportunity to
make himself speedily the owner of it. Mrs.
Gould not only brought to her husband the
beginning of his fortune and his opportuni-
ties but she has ever since been the only
person in the world in whom he has fully
conhded, and, it is said, he has invariably
done so with profit. Mrs. Gould undoubtedly
is possessor of more great secrets than any
woman living. 1t is said of her that she
possesses her secrets, while other women do
not have secrets long enough to get possess
sion.
The doctors say that Gould's great secret
iveness is one cause of his present physical
breakdown. They say that in great business
enterprises the man who talks over his af-
fairs lightens his burden, and that he who
keeps everything to himself doubles the load
on his mind. These doctors blame Gould
for carrying too much in his head, and
say that he has so habitually burdened his
memory with matters that might safely have
been intrusted to Others that unless he goes
entirely away from business ne must soon
fall a victim to mental paralysis
For long time past Gould has been vic
inn n nj Grcf M toOl, h a,Nl,x
sicians plainly told him what allied him
Gould laughed, ordered treatment and went
on with his business; but now this insom-
mia has become so stubborn as to be almost
beyond the influence of narcotic treatment
Mr. Gould has been bluntly told that there
can be but one result, and has been further
notified that, unless he absolutely abstains
from mental work and worry, and gets away
from the care of his vast interests his physi-
clans will be compelled to abandon RESPONSE
bility in his case. He has at last consented
to be overruled for once in his life and, hav-
ing consented to the new arrangement, he is
making his plans for the next few wears with
all of his usual vigor, and is willing to talk
OF them with far more than usual freedom.
Indeed, he speaks with almost boyish enthu-
siasm of the play spelP' which he evidently
anticipates with genuine pleasure, and as the
companions of his long vacation are to in
clude all the members of his family, to whom
he his attached with an uncommon degree of
devotion, there is every reason to suppose
both as pleasure excursion and remedial