The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-04
THE DEAD LOTTERY KING.
John A. Morris. an Interesting Char
acter With an Interesting Career.

acter With an Interesting Career.
From the New York Press
John a. Morris. for whom death had no
terrors, who had no God. who believed in
no he'll. who feared neither man nor devn.
died far away from home and family. sur
rounded only by a few friends Of his youth,
multitude Of horses and the vast fields
over which roamed the yearlings that were
the JOY and pride Of his declining years.
Looking back through the years 1 knew
him well, ! see four qualities Of heart and
head that stand out in bold relief from the
smooth surface Of his character. They are
his tremendous enthusiasm. mis- highly ex-
cltable nature refined in by q studied phllos-
ophy, his remarkable shrewdness in judg-
ing men and his broad liberality. II con-
scious after he was stricken. his last
thought was Of his wife. He was as de-
voted 20 her after thirty-six years Of her
companionship as when ne courted her. a
beautiful young girl with the air Of a
queen. Oftea have l heard him declare
that she was the most beautiful woman in
all Europe-that. in fact. everybody who
saw her admitted it, And" he would
never forget to add with warmth. the most
sensible and modest" They had a hard
struggle in their young married life It
was as much as ne could do TO keep the
wolf from the door. For fifteen years their
parlor door was never unlocked, because
the room was without piece OF furniture
Visitors wondered why they were meyer
invited 20 sit there. not guessing the ex-
treme poverty Of the couple. For the same
length OF time Mrs. Morris never saw her
face in looking glass. This statement.
made by Mr.. Morris himself, almost trans
cenes belief
Mr.. Morris daughter. Frances. who in
herited much Of her mothers regal beauty,
was his particular favorite and chum when
A. home with his family. she takes after
me- he would explain, while the boys,
hennen and Dave. take after their mother.
They never had any great amount Of fun
and noise in them. My little girl likes 10
romp and play as ] did when a boy. and a
! like TO do yet, when l can get anybody
70 join me" Mr.. Morris was a democrat
OF the democrats. politically and socially.
He had no use for what he called society,
but in later years, when the ladies Of his
immediate family. as well as his elder son,
Hennen. almost succeeded in making him
socially ambitious. He, to please them
built magnificent cottages al fashionable
watering places and in Boston and else
where, but these he soon grew weary or
have been closed. Miss Morris was married
10 grandson Of Thurlow Weed. and is the
mother Of one child. Hennen Norris mar
ried Miss Harding of Philadelphia. David
Is an undergraduate at Harvard Besides
his own children, Mr.. Morris adopted sew
eral Others among them two daughters Of
Gen. Hood of the confederate army, and a
son, the latter to be graduated from West
Point this year. Though his own family
numbered five persons, never less than
fifteen, and usually twenty-five sat down
10 dinner daily at his splendid house on
Throgg's Neck He was a most lavish en-
tertainer. He supported more than a dozen
families Of unfortunate, INDECENT friends
and gave away every year more than half
a million dollars. His most intimate friends
never knew now far-reaching was his char
ity. His right hand knew not what his
left hand did. He was the most unostenta-
tious giver. No appeal was made to him
that, II found worthy, did not meet with a
Teadg response.
I'm only a smooth-water sailor" Mr..
Morris used 20 say. He had his yacht, the
Cora, named for his wife. built for the
shallow waters around New Orleans, and
found it almost totally unfit for the rough
or elements here Its cabins were like the
rooms in a house. and all its furnishings
and equipments were sumptuous. 1t was
slow and rolling. but was good enough
10 20 inc races IN. Hnen IN command
of the deck MIR. Morris made it a rule 10
concede the right Of way to every craft he
met. These people are working he
would say, while l am only out for fun.
1t Is my business 10 give way to them. "
But. with his customary shrewdness, he
had another reason, which he never men,
toned: by getting out of the way CT
these people / make them my friends. II
anything were to happen-if the Cora were
10 run down a vessel by any chance, these
people would not make much OF a fuss
about it. They all know me and my boat
and never give way because they know
shall do it." He snored like a bull Or
the deck of the yacht he built snoring
room, where he could below and snor
without disturbing his guests. The boa
was stocked with the finest wines and iiQ
uors. cordials, liquors, ETC., but they wer,
for his friends. He never touched them
He was the finest carver l ever knew
He used the most wonderful knife, ant
never was known to miss a joint. Whel
the Cora was at New Orleans Mr.. Morris
turned it over to his young friends Ev
cry day some young lady would receive ;
note TO the effect that the yacht was her
the next day, and as many of her friend
as she cared to invite.
In the hast eight or nine years of his lif
Mr.. Morris neither smoked nor drank