St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1885-08-08
AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY,
A e27 900 Bedchamher that Has Caused
Lawsuit in New York.

A remarkable lawsuit, in which John
| A. Morris, a millionaire of this city, and
NJ. n. Cutter, local architect, have fig-
ured prominently, has been decided by
Judge Donohue in favor Of the former.
The suit involves perhaps the most ex-
Morris has large country establish
ment at Throgg's Neck, Westminster
County. In October, 1892, he decided
to have a private bedroom built for his
own use, and called in Mr.. Cutter, who
was to formulate plans. 1t was said at
| the trial that the reason the addition
| was made was because when Mr.. Nor
ris slept he snored SO loudly that the
noise disturbed the other sleepcrs in the
house Mr.. Morris specifications called
for total expenditure of $500. The
bed room was to be located over the
carriagcway, and access thereto had
through private bathroom which con-
nected with Mrs. Morris sleeping
| apartment. The room was to be TWEEN.
| ty-four feet square. aud, except that it
should contain IN Engl sh fireplace. was
to be i'm keeping with the man house
externally and internally.
After giving these directions MIR.
Morris and family went south for the
winter. Although the main house was
built entirely of wood, the architect
provided that the western side of the
| addition should be an arch of brown
stone and brick supporting a chimney
forty-tive feet high, shaped like cham
payne bottle perforated by bulls eye
window. On the eastern end he ordered
an elliptical bay window. although that
of the main house was Semi-polygonal.
Thus the exterior. rs Mr.. Morris claims.
was made To represent blast furnace
or factory. 1t was in the interior, how
ever. that the architect seems to have
given full play TO aestheticism. The
English fireplace was to have behind Il
concealed heating chamber resting
upon block of stone weighing seven
thousand pounds. As this mass of rock
rested on three slender floor pieces il
naturally settled and pitched the fire
place forward. somewhat after the
manner Of the leaning tower of Pisa
The ceiling of the bedroom was to con-
verge into a dome lighted with opales
cent antique Venetian stained glass with
brilliant glass Jewels, the forms vari.
ously symbolizing months of the year,
e. e., holly for December, mistletoe fol
January. and Morning" Night. "
.Mus:c," Architecture" etc. The
room was to be finished in fancy cabinet
style. with fine carvings, arabesque
work. carved frieZes, corniees, panels
of leaves and flowers carved and cut
through ground of embossed and
painted leather. The ceilingssand dome
were to be trimmed and hung with en-
bossed leather and wood carvings. Til.
gas-fixtures were to be Of antique brass.
Cyprus copper, oxidized silver and man
ufactured to order after the architects
special designs. In one corner of the
room plate of metal was to be sunk.
upon which a brass bedstead should
stand. Other concomitants specified
by the architect to the carpenter We're
equally elaborate, imposing and eNpen-
sive By the pleadings i'm the suit it
appears that the brick and brown stone
masonry was to cost over 5000. the
carpentery. exclusive of the interior.
over 81, 900. the ir0nwork over $1,000.
the interior finish over $4,000, furni-
ture over $4,000, one pair OF iron and
irons 1855, CRATE fender $3.50, and
cOal-hOd. fire-set stand. brush and bel
lows. S111. The total for these and
other luXurieS, exclusive of furniture,
was over 1927 ,001. or &2l 800 more than
the contract with Mr.. Morris called for.
The only entrance to this palatial bed
haf
closet.
The carpenter had expended some
$1,000 when. becoming alarmed. he
wired Mr. Morris. in Florida, that he
had received an estimate for part of the
interior finish of S597l. Mr.. Morris at
once wrote Mr.. Cutter that he had re-
ceived a telegram from the carpenter
that absolutely appalled, him. and de-
sired to know .what the whistle might
cost if he went on" At the same time
he wired the builder for full details.
and asked what was meant by ''interior
finish.' When he learned what was GO
ing on he wrote the following letter to
Mr.. Cutter:
Il gave you authority to draw de-
signs for a room to cost no more than
5000. You sent me month since
some designs which were perfectly alb
surd on account Of the expense which
they involved. and | wrote YOU letter
which it struck me any one would I'M
derstand. Now you amuse yourself by
forwarding another lot of designs for
furniture for room which will not be
built with my consent. Can say any
thing to you which will make you un-
derstand that l shall never do any of
the extravagant things you propose.
and in fact there is nothing you can
propose in the future that there is any
chance of my doing?'
At the same time the builder was di-
rected to complete the addition, disre-
garding the architects plans of the in
terror. Mr. Morris then sued Mr.. Cut
ter for damages amounting to Sl6,775.
The latter retaliated with a suit against
Mrs Morris. who owned the cottage,
for 81, 262.0S. his commission as an
architect in planning this addt on to her
premises. The former suit has not yet
been tried. The latter was begun last
Thursday before Judge Donohue and a
jury in the Supreme Court. On Mon
day morning the complaint of Mr.. Cut
ter was dismissed upon the merit, the