Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-27
JAY G0ULD'S PASTOR.
REV. DR.. JOHN R. PAXTON TO BIZ MADE A
RAILROAD DIRECTOR.
BE Will be One Of Goulds Representatives in the
Missouri Paoifc-The Family Physician
Already Ohossn-Dr, Paxton a Ma
tive Of Washington Co., Pa

NEW YORK, March 26.-Jay Gould has
half done a thing that will, when complete
sstonish all observers of his fnancieriug
The news is two weeks old that he has put
DR.. John P Mum, his family physician
IN the directory of the Missouri Pacific
Railroad. That was done ct the animal
election in st. Louis, DR.. Mum being put
into the place of Director X. S. Hayes.
Gould will also make Missouri Pacific
director of Rev. John r, Paxton, d. D.,
the New York pastor Of the GOulds This
would have been done at the st. Louis
meeting had not a sudden and very alarm
ing illness OF DR.. Paxton threatened to re-
move bim from all earthly associs-
tions. The last visit made anywhere
by Gould before his departure for
the West was to DR.. Paxton, and his errend
was to ask him TO take Office along With
Doctor Mum in the railroad company.
Gould began to talk about il, bat found
that the reverned gentleman was far too i'll
to even comprehend the purport of what
was said to him. The first plausible eX-
planation is that Gould desired to put
dummies into the BO3rd of Directors, and
therefore chose men OF his acquaintance
who were by occupation quite apart from
railroading and financieripg. In the alb
senee of both Jay Gould and George Gould
the highest man ia Gould authority here
is Russell Sage. and of h;m the question
gas asked: "What does Mr. Gould mean
by making railroad directors of his physi-
clan and pastOrY'
"That is none Of my business" was the
laughing reply, ''ard l don't see now ii can
be any of yours. Mr.. Gould has q right 10
choose ag,eeble men for his purposes, and
who are apt to be more agreeable 10 any
body than his doctor and his preacher"
81 suppose Mum and Paxton will be
purely ornamental, and will not attempt
to be useful"
"You suggest, then. that they are mere
DUMMIES? That is hardly 20, | fancy. May
10 not be that Mr.. Gould desires to expires
tse high esteem in which he holds them by
making them very substantial gifts?"
Mr.. Sage would not elucidaia bis prcpo-
sition further. What he plainly meant
wes that Mr.. Gould was going to give some
stock to his TWO friends. Another infer
ence ia tha. nc wishes to inciie his medical
and spiritual advisers to do their level best
for his body and his soul. Dr.. John
Mum has for FIVE years been GOctoring
Jay Gould. and has practically given up
all general practice to devote himself
wholly 10 the proloDgation of Jay Gould's
life. Rev. John X. Paxton, d. D, IL
peculiarly dsshiDg preacher. He is impo-
litic. and has mixed himself up with iey
eral IOws unnecessarily, bat his sermons
are remarkably fOrcible IN language and
delivery. and his Presbyterian Church
is crowded by one OF the wealtniest
CONGREGATIONS in New York. Gould mss
not ioined the church, but has been urged
strongly 10y his paster to do 80, and has
shown signs of a,Quiesence. IL IS certaln
that Paxton has made a determined effort
20 convert him, supplying him with
larpe number OF theological books to read
spending many afternoons with him at MS
residence since his retirement from Wsll
street. and ut all events becoming famil-
lar and welcome companion.
DR.. Paxton wss born near Canon5burg,
in Washington county, Pa served "a pri-
vate soldier during part of the war ano
wss graduated from Washington and JET
fersoa College in 1866, and several years
later from the Western Theological Semin-
ary at Allegheny. One of his first charges
was fashionable Presby terian Church at
Harrisburg, where Senator Don Cameron
became his close friend and through whose
in rfluence he went to the National Capital
He has been in New York for about a
dozen years.