The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-07
TsB ATTEMPT TO Kill SAGE.
The Story That Sage Told Mr. Gould
About II.
From Saturdays Net0 York Sun.

From Saturdays Net0 York Sun.
Jay Goulds beautiful reception room
was adorned with rare roses last evening
Mr.. Gould hasn't looked so well Ia years,
and, although the first shock Of theeRort
to kill Russell Sage, his closest friehdsince
1856, had been keen, he had recovered his
composure.
81 did not go down town this morning."
said Mr.. Gould. land the first | learned Of
Mr.. Sage's injuries was by telephone from
the druggists where he was taken. | was
in my library. 1t was very few minutes
after the explosion. IL would appear, there
fore, that Mr.. Sage's first idea was TO tele-
phone for me 10 send Dr. Mum to him.
immediately telephoned to DR.. Munn's home,
and learned taat he was of the United
States Insurance Company, of which he is
examiner. DR.. Mum ansS cred Immediate
ly that be would hurry to Mr.. Sage. This
will explain the quickuess with which
DR.. Mum reached Mr.. Sage. Just before
DR.. Mum and Mr. Sage look the carriage
to come up town 10 Mr. Sages homo the
doctor telegraphed mo that although Mr..
Sage was suffering from the shock he was
not seriously injured. The explosives
burned his hands, and there are one or two
outs on his head, but he will be all right In
a few days, sincerely trust.
81 have passed good part of the after
noon at Mr.. Sage's home, and l must say
that he has shown wonderful nerve He
talks plainly of the affair. and his hand is
as study as boys"
Mr. Sage in recent years has at times
been exceedingly nervous, so much so that
his hands have on most occasions trembled
perceptibly. But Mr.. Gould says he took
glass of milk yesterday afternoon without
the slightest evidence OF this nervous
trouble. Mr.. Sage was in bed all the time
/ rrrsfh L
had worn were shown to Mr.. Gould. In de-
scribing them Mr.. Gould said
"Ihe lapels OF his coat and waistcoat were
| torn Off, and great gaShes were all over
the garments. His trousers were in shred5.
Mr.. Sage told me about his visitor. Just a
| little after noon a man sent In word that he
had a letter of introduction from Rookie
Teller. He didn't say whether it was John
ID. or William. Mr.. Sage and the
Rockefellers have always been, believe,
on the pleasantest terms, and letters
from either Of the two gentlemen
would command Mr.. Sage's immediate
attention. The visitor was admitted to
Mr.. SaRe's office. As soon as he was fully
before Mr.. Sage, the visitor pulled out what
Mr.. Sage evidently thought was the Rocke-
feller letter of Introduction and handed it
| over. 1t was, however, a slip of paper on
which was written the threat uha unless
Mr. Sage promptly handed out 81 200, 600 he
and the whole building would he blown to
atoms. The paper was not lighted. Mr..
Sage was not at all flustered, he says, by
the astonishing demand, possibly because
both he and ! myself have received
bushels of just such demands, invariably
| accompanied by threats Of some kind Mr.
Sage says he merely handed the paper back
to his visitor, rising at the same time, as
though to bow the stranger out He
smiled and shook his head, he thinks, while
| n nj y, 10 I'd
man pull something out and throw 1t at
him. His recollection now is that it was
small package. There was binding flash.
| ne whole room was as II q thunderbolt
had struck. Mr.. Sage was blinded 10y the
debris that was thrown upon him. He told
me:
"'Mr. Gould. stood there thinking the
building was falling, and l believed the
safest thing for me was to stand still. l
stood fast upon sound ground. and it came
across me that II / attempted to climb out
of the window the falling debris might kill
me. l waited until saw taat the building
was not falling, and then forced my way
through the wreck down the stairs and was
led to the drug store over on Broadway
II nave the warmest admiration for Mr.
Sage's nerve Ia the affair. My son George
was in an Office of the Manhattan Elevated
company at the time of the explosion. Be-
tween him and the place where Mr.. Sage
stood were another office belonging to Mr..
Sage's suite and the directors room of the
Manhattan. The explosion, understand,
threw down the partition of the directors
room. and had there been meeting to-day
every din ector might have been killed.
while we are discussing this terrible
affair l want to say that people say tuat
Mr.. sage Is not generous. | know differ
emily. know that he is a most lovable
man. He is also just man. know of
many deeds OF kindness and charity per-
formed by him. The world does not know
of them. do. 1 know that his Charities
are of the best and surest kind He puts
his charities where they are needed. But if
he needed all the demands of the people
ordinarily spoken of as cranks he would not
have penny of his fortune at the end of
the year. l do not speak of
more of the devil in them
than anything else The devil predoml-
mates in them. They make the most exor-
bitant demands. They have no claims of
any nature whatever, but their demands
are always for fortunes. The genuinely
needy people and those whose misfortunes
entitle them to consideration from their
more fortunate brethren are modest In their
requests. In fact, people charitably in-
inclined very often either hear Of the
troubles of those modest ones through acct.
dent or they must DO hunted out. Mr..
sage mas always been charitable to Just
such people.
Il cannot say how this man happened 60
use the name Of Rockefeller. / suppose he
merely fastened on the name of Rockefeller
as password to obtain admittance. Neither
has Mr.. Sage. so he tells me, received more
than the usual quota of threatening letters
OF late. He receives many every day, and
drops them on the floor. / used 10 read
those sent to me, but they became very
tresome, and now roy son George reads
them and destroys them. l never see them.
All rich men receive such letters, and very
many of them, too.
Zone the latest style Of opportunities
may be interesting. These are begging let
ters in the proper sense of the word. Thew
come from women who say that they are
clergymen's wives and that their husbands
need only few thousands to complete the
churches in which they are specially In.
terested.
BEGGING LETTERS.
Mr.. Sage, in common presumably with
other prominent men Of great wealth, fire.
quently receives letters making demands for
money, and making either open or covert
threats Of personal violence or other injury
in case the demand ia not acceded to. Beg
glng letters, blackmailing letters and
threatening letters from crooks or
cranks form not inconsidera6le por-
ton Of Mr.. Sage's mail. "Mr. Sage
gets oasketfuls Of such letters" said Rus