The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-14
LIVED LIKE A MILLIONAIRE.
Career Of Lewis s. Cox, Who Lately
Failed fo- 100000.
Froul the NeIc YorE San.

from me ven orr soUh
PHILADELPHIA. Dec 4.-Lewis s. Cox.
whose failure for 800, 900 last Monday sur
prlsed the business people Of Philadelphia.
has had brillisnt career for a few years
past. The manner in which he lived in
his palatial residence az Ogontz has
for some time excited the wonder
and admiration Of his millionaire
neighbors. Ogontz is few miles west u
Jenkentown, on the Philadelphia and Read
ing railroad, and is noted for its splendid
suburban homes. i number Of Phila-
delphia millionaires live in handsome style
at OgOntz, but one gentleman said yesterday
that not one Of them attempted TO keep up
with the pace set by Er. Cox. He ran far
away from the rest OF US" remarked this
gentleman, but he added, recent devel-
opments show that he could afford these ex-
travagances, while We could not"
This man Cox, who, while net a million
aire himself. could live ina fashion that
amazed men of far greater wealth. has had
an eventful business career. 1t is not so
many years ago that he was an employe in
Young, Smith, Field & Co.'s store on Mar
ket street, and lived on less than 5000 a
year. An intelligent estimate of his living
expenses for two years or more past places
them at $40, coo a year Mr.. Cox seems to
have struck the flood tide in his affairs when
he got William NJ. Singerly to back him in
his business ventures. IL was soon after
Mr.. Singerly put his money into the Brigh-
ton mills that Mr.. Cox bought his house
at OgOntz and began to fill it up
Carpenters and frescoers were put to work
on the dwelling, and when they had fin
lshed the house furnisher was called in.
When it was turned over TO Mr.. Cox it was
veritable palace. His stables, which are
back of his house, are among the finest in
that region. and ne had nothing but blooded
stock. He had a half dozen or more sad
die horses and several ponies for the child.
rem. He is a great lover of horses, and is
an excellent hOrsemen. HIS wife and child
rem are just as fond of horses as he is. The
favorite pastime of his family was to can
ter over the magnificent roads of Mont
gomery county on their spirited steeds.
Nothing gave Mr.. Cox more pleasure than
the establishment which he created among
his rich neighbors by his lavish expendi-
lures OF money. He is high-spirited and
austere man. He was never c0ntented to
follow. He always wanted to be in the
lead One Of his latest surprises to his
nelghbors was the purchase of a pack of
hounds. The dogs have luxurious home
near the stables. There is little or no hunt
ing at all about Ogontz, and the only use
the hounds have been put to so far has been
to lead the way for Mr.. Cox and his family
when they go for canter on horseback.
The introduction of the hounds was a great
hit. They caused more talk among Mr.
Cox's neighbors than anything else he
bought for months. One of Mr.. Cox's
neighbors, in talking about him yesterday,
said:
Lou Cox is good fellow. He lived I'D
to the top notch. Nothing was too good
for him, and if he wanted anything he got
It, l don't know why he got the hounds,
unless 1T was to make a show. / know it
made very pretty picture to see him and
his family dashing along the roads after the
yelping hounds. Cox prides himself that
he and his family have the finest and neat
est fitting riding habits in our section. It
was such things as this that pleased him,
and he would never let anybody Guido him
in anything. He has gone along at break
neck pace for few years, and have no
doubt he has thoroughly enjoyed himself.
l feel very sorry for Mr.. Singerly."
Mr., Cox and his family not only had the
finest riding habits about Ogontz, but thev
We're among the best-dressed people of that
fashionable suburban village. When any
member of the Cox family wanted an ar
ticle of dress, the cost was secondary
consideration. The article would have
to meet their taste or they would not have
It, Mr.. Cox and his son, George H., who
managed the New York office, had their
clothing made by one of the fashionable
| tailors on Chestnut street. They were very
dered suits from the finest cloths.
| Their tailor bills ran into several
thousand dollars a year. Mr.. Cox
l was just as particular about his un-
| derclothing 1t had to be of the finest, and
unless it fit him like glove he would not
have it. He would wear nothing, it is said.
| but silk stockings of the finest grade, and
his boot and shoe bills were something enor-
nous. Since Jan. he has paid fashions
BILE shoemaker on Chestnut street nearly
| $500. One pair of riding boots which he
| purchased last summer cost him $35. An
i other pair which he purchased recently he
pald 500 for. His button CATERS cost him
S14 to $40 per pair, while shoes for his chill
dren cost from IS 50 TO $12 per pair.
The Chestnut street shoemaker has
made his shoes for number of
years. few years ago, however, Mr.. Cox
| began to grow fussy about his shoes, and he
complained that they did not fit him, and
he told his shoemaker he did not know how
to make shoes. Just about that time he be-
| gan buying his shoes from fashionable
| shoemaker in New York who charges from
$50 to S25 per pair for button CATERS Since
then he has divided his trade between the
New York and Chestnut street shoemakers.
| Ills son George, who at one time had his
shoes made at the Chestnut street store,
followed his father to the New York shoe
maker, and has given him all his trade ever
since. Persons who knew Mr. Cox say that
it did not cost him less than $4,000 a year
to clothe himself and his son George.
Mrs. Cox aud her daughters ran up the
bills on the same lavish scale. Her bill for
one year at one of the leading stores was
$1,000. One of the items in this bill was
$3.50 for dolls clothes This was Just be-
fore Christmas. Mr.. Cox took great pleas
ure in going to New York and joining his
son in canter through Central park on
horseback. He would always wear his
corduroy riding suit aud top boots on such
occasions. and frequently boosted that he
knocked all the New Workers out when he
appeared in Central park
CREMATED WITH LIME.