The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-14
From the Chicago News.


From the Chicago News.
One Of the wealthiest summer residents
of Atlantic City. y. j.. and by all odds the
most eccentric is Edward Drouin, the Phil
adelphia stock broker.
To him money is plaything and con-
ventionality a laughing stock. His money
is his slave, his within is law and the dis
cipIes OF propriety exist only 90 De shocked.
He loves dogs ana he loves excitement:
he is fond Of dress and be likes variety;
he prefers a monkey 10 man for a rid
ing companion. He is shrewd. odd. ath-
letic, ungainly, and altogether peculiar,
Five-dollar notes are his favorite cigar
lighters, and his $l0-gold pieces are used
10 make the small boys scramble. He is
prodigal with his money, yet he knows
when TO stop: and woe betide the simple
one who thinks that Drouin can be bun
coed.
People who meet this eccentric genius
never know whether TO take him seriously
and residents OF Atlantic city have long
since ceased TO guess what he Will do next
lie has been christened Monte Christie and
his Kaleidoscope doings are a source Of
amusement ever new.
Long, spare. and exceedingly blonde IS
DrOuin's physical property. HIS nrst ap-
pearancc IA his fashionable summer home
was made aslride a great. gaumt hunter
in a costume consisting OF scarlet cav
airy jacket white duck trousers, tan boots
and a high silk hat He noted with com
posture the astonished glances which
turned on him from all sides, and as II
10 settle once for all any question as 70 his
independence, he appeared one hour later
in fashionable evening dress. riding a
diminutive shetland pony. He cantered
gravely UP Atlantic avenue, with his feet
and coat tails almost sweeping the ground
ana then proceeded home by way OF the
Ocean boulevard.
This year Mr.. Drouin has begun the sea
SON by selling his fine stable Of blOOded
horses and substituting a team of ponies
which he drives In a village cart. He has
named the ponies Crazy and Paresis, and
he has taught them to do tricks. OF
fine spring afternoon he may be seen
driving the ponies tandem at breakueck
gait through the main thOrOughfares Of
the town, with gaudily dressed monkey
sitting by his side. The monkey is his IA
voTite companion and seems 10 take huge
delight in the daily circus. Mr.. Drouin
has his own way OF driving, too. Sitting
with his knees on a level with his chin.
and his hands stretched out before him.
he bangles the reins over the horses
backs and shouts words Of encourage
ment When he tires of driving It is his
custom 10 pull up before a small crowd
Of people and put the ponies through their
tricks. Villagers are quick TO gather at
the approach of his cart and by the time
the ponies have been made 10 lie down,
good-sized crowd has generally collected
Monte Cristo viii then speedily reharness
and disappear at a gallop.
In addition TO the monkey, quite men
agerie has been collected al the elegant
cottage on Illinois avenue For years he
has had rare collection OF dogs and this
year he has added sheep, guinea fowl tur-
keys and fighting cocks.
buying things Is one of Mr.. Drouin's
sources or amusement and the varied OH
Jeets OF purchase keep up the interest Of
Diners Amnngr ha inv 49, D
year were hotel, a tally-ho a livery
stable, block of national bank stock ana
olock or stock In the West Jersey rail-
ROAD lie was going to buy the local news
paper, but the owner was not prompt in
keeping an engagement and the deal fell
enroush. This year Monte Cristo has be-
Sun Ialrly we'll The Hartford Inn AT
chelsea he bought for $4,000 and he s,ts
ne VIII put in $4,000 in renovatinR IL On
ms way he also stopped 10 see c. Boese'
III Ill ."eloIs ne lett he was the owner of the
Lniet ROAD house, which he declares will
nave 70 be built all over again.
a, ~ con,nectlon with the purchase Of stock
tolS f''e w. est Jersey road good story is
eolg' ar. Drouin took through Axnress
ddnd told the conductor to stop at NAYS
-dnuihB. The train made no sion mr.
aeTon mn c14ntqiuctor refused to stop for the
~ Dlouih WaXed hot and there was a scene
ss1uttLne conductor was obdurate
90 !" men men get home IN buy your old road
~ haEe the trains run TO suit myself -
ne exclaimed. Mr. Drouin found Thar tbo
purchase Of the whole road vas M. ~
De5 ono MS means but he made a good he
Mr. Drouin is from Philadelphia and :,
Ms Mas IN that city that he made his moneI.
he, Was less than 20 years old when he
pought a seat in the stock exchant,e "a
Dsedn a career Of speculation 10 80
Iioted Tor his holiness but al tho 600
thne ne always knew when to stop IN
ne twenty-five years he was in busfness
ne made large amount of rnone,, a1,1
mas SHOWN much shrewedness in boldino
S On 10 II he became quite prominent in
business circles and was chairman &c ~ ~
committees which received cen 80.
ana president Hayes when thew ,,isi1adi
.HlIduei phla. While at the hight If ~
81 Po ss ne married Miss Emily Thompson
II was several years after his MARRIAGE
.hat ne began TO develop eccentricitiss s,7d
mere were people who thoupht hie y'iaI
nan begun to be unbalanced In. tt
WhS know him best say that his odjitios
sas pIeInealtated and are INDUCED out OF
foite ~ LOT cohVentionality. By these
ap ,,,11S ne IS given credit for an Unusual
amount OF shrewdness and business a biii .
~ rms Monte Cristo lives in one ~
ths hhest cottages in town 1t is situo
ted on South Illinois avenue onnneita "a ~.
AashlonaDle Traymore hotel ~
Mr. Drouin INDUCES many peculiaritie.
IN lhe matter Of clothes In the rnornine
he will parade the promenades in a ,,a aii,il,s
een hunting Jacket of bright green hne
anu an nour later win come ont in y
hoo qe TTuisiiness suit and high-laced top
ION hoIne ana reapDear in silk hat, Prince Al
pert coat and trousers that talk
"A number of anecdotes are told If his
strange doings. For instance It is reIatn5
ti3at IN the summer of 1884 he amused q
large crowd which he had collected on the
DeaSh py driving span of spirited horses
against time. With a watch and reins in
one hand and long-lash whip in the on
ef, ne stood up~in his buggy and cr.orL,.i
the lash about the horses ears until tbev
went like mad. Meantime the crov,a
cheered. When this became tame he a1dod
10 The excitement by making experinoents
IN driving at full speed as close as nosei
Die TO the posts which stood in the sand
This became too exciting for the noIica
ana they finally interfered and forbade Inc
performance to continue
This made Drouin furious and he l7,,,-,i..,1
OIL home, only to appear again armed win
a shotgun and two large revolvers When
asked what was the matter he replied that
ne was prepared to call down the CHER ~
police. Something of a panic resulted bIt
as the chief did not appear and could NOT
be found Droutn's wrath subsidized and he
did not call him down.
Next to driving horses Mr.. Drouin loves
to play billiards. He will go to Bruins
Wicks and engage a table for the entire
evening. He always plays alone and with
his skill, which is considera BILE and hie
odd ways he is never without an audience
When the balls refuse to roll TO his liking
II is his custom to smash his enc md tol,9