The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-07-04
AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY.
$4,000 Bedehamber that Has Caused
Lawsuit in New York.

urea prominently, has been decided by
Judge Donohue in favor of the former.
The suit involves perhaps the most ex-
pensive bedroom ever constructed. Mr..
Morris has a large country establish
ment at Throgg's Neck, Westchester
County. In October, 1882, he decided
to have 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 sleepers in the
house. Mr.. Morris specifications called
for total expenditure of 1900 The
bedroom was to be located over the
carriageway, and access thereto had
through a private bathroom which con-
nected with Mrs. Morris sleeping
apartment. The room was to be TWEEN.
ty-four feet square, and, except that it
should contain an English fireplace, was
to be in keeping with the main house
externally and internally.
After giving these directions Mr.
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-live feet high, shaped like cham
payne bottle perforated by bull eye
window. On the eastern end he ordered
an elliptical bay window, although that
of the main house was -polygonal.
| Thus the exterior, as 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 it
concealed heating chamber resting
upon block of stone weighing seven
! thousand pounds. As this mass of rock
rested on three slender floor pieces it
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 opalcs-
cent antique Venetian stained glass with
brilliant glass jewels, the forms vari-
! ously SymbOlizing months of the year,
e. e., holly for December, mistetoe for
January, and "Morning," "Night, "
"Music,' "Architecture, etc. The
room was to be finished in fancy cabinet
style, with fine carvings, arabesque
work, carved friezes, cornices. panels
of leaves and flowers carved and cut
through a ground of embossed and
painted leather. The ceilings:and dome
were to be trimmed and hung with en-
| bossed leather and wood carvings. The
! gas-iXturcs 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 bcdstead should
stand. Other cOncOmtants specified
by the architect to the carpenter were
equally elaborate, imposing and eXpen-
sivc. BY the pleadings i'll the suit ii
appears that the brick and brown stone
masonry was to cost over 1000, the
| carpentery, exclusive of the interior,
/ over 50, 900, the ironwork over $1,000,
! the interior finish over $4,000, furni-
! ture over $1,000, one pair of iron and
! irons S165, CRATE fender $50, and a
| coal-hod tire-sct stand, brush and bel
! lows. Sill. The total for these and
other luXuries, exclusive of furniture,
was over S27. 900, or S21. 800 more than
the contract with Mr.. Morris called for.
The only entrance to this palatial bed
room was through Il private bath and
closet
The carpenter had expended some
! 50, 600 when. becoming alarmed, he
! had received an estimate for part of the
interior finish of @5,97l. Mr. Morris at
once wrote Mr.. Cutter that he had re-
ceived telegram from the carpenter
that absolutely appalled, him. and de
/ sired to know 'what the whistle might
cost if he went or" At the same time
he wired the builder for full details,
and asked what was meant by ''interiol
finishn When he learned what was 90
ing on he wrote the following letter &c
Mr.. Cutter:
Il gave you authority to draw de,
signs for a room to cost no more thar
$4,000. You sent me a month since
some designs which were perfectly alb
/ SuTu on dCCOuuU VI INC IN ptISt WHlcl
they involved, and | wrote YOU letter
which it struck me any one would un
derstand. Now you amuse yourself by
forwarding another lot of designs fol
furniture for room which will not bt
built with my consent Can | say any
thing to you which will make you un
derstand that | shall never do any Of
the extravagant things YOU propose
and in fact there is nothing you car
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 $40, 775
The latter rctaliated with n suit agains
Mrs. Morris, who owned the cottage
for $1,2G2.0S, his commission as al
architect in planning this addition to hel
premises. The former suit has not ye
been tried. The latter was begun las
Thursday before Judge Douohue and {
jury in the Supreme Court. On Mon
day morning the complaint of Mr.. Cut
ter was dismissed upon the merit. tn,
plaintiff having failed to establish hi:
case. There was large attendance O