Morris tribune., 1885-05-06
HIS DEALS ALL CLOSED.
COMMODORE GARRISON CALLED TO
HIS LONG ACCOUNT.
Short Sketch Of His Career-His Trade
With jay Gould-How He Came
to Marry His Second
Wife.

NEW YORK. May Accommodate Corne-
Illus K. Garrison died suddenly Friday after
noon at his residence in this. city in the
77th year OF his age The cause of his death
was paralysis Of the heart but the family
had no premonition Of the sudden
dissolution. He has been in i'll
health for number of years.
Since July, 1882, his health failed until, COM
pletely worn out by busy life, he was
obliged to make an assignment on June, 10,
1884, to protect his property. Thursday
night he entertained small party at dinner
and was in good spirits In the night he
complained of not feeling we'll He grew
rapidly worse until he died.
Commodore Garrison had a remarkable
career. At one time he was regarded as one
of the richest men in the United States, his
wealth being variously estimated at from
SS,O0O0o0 to $25, 100000. A long series of
bad Investments and depression in railway
stocks diminished his wealth to not more
than g., 900, 600 or $3,O0O,O00. He was born
near West Point March l, 1909, and
after receiving q common-school education
started out for himself at the age Of IL,
beginning life with Commodore Vanderbilt
as boatman. Mr. Garrison afterward be-
came builder, and was forty-niner in
California He became interested in rail
roads in 1860, joining his brothers, D. r.
and Oliver, in great building schemes.
Three years ago he began the Wheeling &
Toledo road, into which he put S7O0O,OO
cash and almost ruined himself Mr. Gar
rison was twice married, and had five
children by his first wife, only one of whom
is living. In October 1877, he married Miss
Letitia Randall, a society belle of st.
Louis, who survives him. The marriage
settlement is said to be 81, ZOO, 600. The de-
ceased leaves, besides widow and daugh-
ter-Mrs Van Aeken-four brothers and q
sister. His elder brother, Abram, is in
Pittsburg The other brother-Oliver, Dan
and Isaac-are in St Louis. The sister is
married and resides in Pittsburg
One of MIR. Garrison greatest transactions
was the sale of controlling interest in the
Missouri Pacific. Mr.. Gould called, asked
the price and declined to give it. He called
again next day and said he would take the
stock but was told it was worth half mill
lion more than the first offer. He hooted at
the idea, but called next day to accept and
was again "raised" half million with
the added information that the stock
would increase in value at the rate of $780,
600 per day. Mr.. Gould bought it then and
there. This was in 1875. The price paid
was $4,000, 600, and the other stockholders
were to get pro rata Of the purchase money.
This they did not receive, and then Mr..
Peter Marie and others brought the famous
SIS OO0 900 suit against Garrison, which was
compromised but q few days ago by the pay
ment of 81, ,000,0 900 to the claimants.
The second Mrs. Garrison, whom he mar
ried in 1878, is a daughter of J. NJ. Randall,
formerly wholesale dry goods merchant of
st. Louis, and the story of the marriage is
thus related:
allow did the aged commodore get his
young wifeg' was asked of an acquaintance.
"She whistled and he came to her, my
lad," was the reply, "but she didn't do it in
the spirit Of the girl in the ballad"
Garrison had been for forty years wild.
over. He was a testy old fellow, and had
not been suspected of caring rap for
women. The possession of somewhere from
$40 900, ,O0C to $15,000,0 900, much of it in
complicated use for the promotion Of rail.
road and steamship schemes had harassed
him all winter and spring, and he had gone
to Long Branch for rest and
quiet. He took a suite of the best
rooms in the row of cottages which are
an annex Of the main establishment, calcu-
lating that he would there be little re.
moved from the hustle of the public house.
And it was for few days as he had fondly
anticipated. Then the family of John NJ.
Randall of st. Louis took possession Of ad-
joing apartments. They numbered half
dozen persons, including whistler.
Through the thin partition the commodore
heard and was annoyed by the whistling.
He disliked it exceedingly. He was driven
by it to evaporation. There was boy
in the Randall family, and to him the vet
eran attributed the noise. He would not at
that tina hear the soft melony of the
whistler nor its clever fidelity to the music
which it interpreted, but simply kept his
ears open to it as torture. Randall was an
acquaintance of his, and one day he said to
him, as they sat chat tting on the veranda:
"That boy Of yours will be the death of me,
John. Won't you plug his mouth just to
please mea"
20, it amt the boy replied Randall, "but
my daughter. Here, Letitial"
1t was lovely girl of 20 who responded
to the CALL and was presented to the COM
modore. She whistled for him that evening
to piano accompaniment, and it was no
longer irritating to him. They were married
in the ensuing October. His wedding gift
was $1,O00,000 in sound securities In no
season since has any belle at Long Branch
been dressed or diverted in a more costly
manner than the fair whistler.