The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-10
Three Million Dollars Expended in the Pur-
chase Of Ornamental Trifles, for Many Of
Which Double Prices We're Paid.
How the Owners of Theater Bar-Rooms
Manage to EVade the Excise Law.
The Opposing Forces Ready for Battle on the
Question of Secularization of Sunday
"A Quarrel Among Gamblers.
MRS. moRGAN,s MONEY.
A Mon0maniac Who Spent Three MilIiOI
Dollars for Ornaments.

A Monomaniac Who Spent Three Million
Dollars for Ornaments.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
New YORK, Jan. 9.-An apprisement has been
completed of the art property OF the late Mrs.
Mary }. Morgan, and it reveals the most astound-
ing frauds perpetrated upon that monomaniac
purchaser of pictures, china, jewels, and other
decorative objects. The executors ind that she
expended a total sum Of quite three millions for
ornamental things, including great extravaganza
in orchids; and the careful estimates by experts
Of the amount likely to be realized through auc-
ton sales is only half million. Taking into ac-
count the difference naturally to be expected be~
tween auction prices and those fairly charged by
retail Dealers the calculation is that Mrs. Nor
gan fpoled away not less than two millions.
The disclosures are wonderful. She seems to
have been crazed by her passion for beautiful
articles, and to have exalted her desire
in proportion to the sums demanded for them.
quite regardless of intrinsic worth. Agents took
advantage OF her weakness to impose upon her.
Suits to recover some of the money thus OBJ
tanned from her are to be instituted in the in
stances where false representations can be
clearly shown and the sellers are financially re-
sponsible. A favorite method of duping her was
to represent that ceramics, of fine yet not unique
character, had been bought at enormous trouble
and expense from the private collection of Eu-
ropean or Asiatic aristocrats. In that way she
was induced to pay $1,000 to $4,000 apiece for
china not worth more than as many hundreds
For one small vase she gave $4,000. Another
vase. figuring at $1,000, is scarcely worth $3.50
in the market. She spent round million for
paintings which possess only fraction of that
salable value. Sometimes the gamers by
her gullibility as to pictures were the
artists and sometimes dealers. But it was in
jewels precious stones that she suffered the
heaviest losses On the average she paid double
pricess fpr, while some were regularly purchased
lat the counters Of honorable merchants, many
were foisted upon her by rascally operators
Still, certain Broadway firms are inculpated.
The executors are willing to sell the entire col
lection of jewelry at one-third the sum that Mrs.
Morgan paid out Instances of downright
swindling have come to light A gambler, re-
duced to his last diamond-a big one, worth
about thousand-had it curiously set in an
original manner, took it to her, related how the
gem had been brought by him from Brazil,
where it had been the property of Dom Pedro,
and thereby sold it to her for six thousand.
hoop of gold set with three diamonds is offered
for sale at thirty thousand less than she paid
for it.
Mrs. Morgan had an incurable malady, and
was aware that she would inevitably die soon.
She aimed to get as much pleasure as possible
during her remaining days. and her reckless ex-
penditures were for that purpose. While lying
in her invaid-chair she would have picture
piece of pottery, or some other beautiful thing.
placed before her for contemplation; and they
were usually changed every hour as long as she
found diversion in gazing at them. When her
disease arrived at stage that threatened to con-
fine her to her bed she gave orders for a sumptu-
GUS decoration of chamber and a couch,
with furniture and walls set with jewels and
painted with the fineness of a MISSIONER canvas;
and this work. which would have cost hun
dred thousand, was barely begun when she died
more suddenly than she had expected. She was
the widow Of the founder of the Morgan line Of
steamers who left seven millions to her. The
estate is not now expected to yield more than
three millions in money.