The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-20

How the Mccormick Family Was
BIotted Out by 1t.
From the New York Journal.

stalks about on narrow, dark ntue
street in New York. 1t has claimed many
victims. 1t will claim many more. Those
on whom il takes hold never quite shake
it off
Some Try to forget it in suicide; some
hug its decisions in lunatic asylums, and
others. pitiful wrecks in mind and body,
stin wander where the fever thrives, with
pale faces and trembling hands waiting
for a turn in the wheel of luck.
The disease is caled wall street fever"
1t has wrecked another family!
Five years ago three brothers, Judge
Thomas F. Mccormick, William j. Nc
COrmck and John A. Mccormick, were
among the mosi prominent men in Eliza
beth, ". j. They were prosperous we'll
educated, respected by every one.
They caught the fever. Now one of
them fills a suicides grave, anotSer a
mental wreck, is in the aims house, and
the third recently died in a lodging house
at No. l46 Avenue c, with not penny in
mis- pocket.
There have been few sadder cases than
the downfall of the Mccormick brothers,
The father, John Mccormick, was a
well-to-do citizen of Elizabeth, proud of
his stalwart sons. He determined to give
them every advantage, to fit them for
noble career. He was glad to think that
Portable fortune.
When Thomas F. Mccormick, the oldest
son finished the course at the Adelphi
Academy in Elizabeth he was sent to ST.
Johns College, Fordham. He read law
with Samuel d. Haines, and was admitted
to the bar of New Jersey as am attorney
in 1871, and as counsellor at the term of
1874. He soon made a name at the bar.
He was spoken of as a young man with
brilliant prospects. He married Miss De-
laney of Newark, daughter of a we'll
known manufacturer. They went to live
in a comfortable home on Chestnut street
The young lawyer was for several terms
the attorney of Union county. and was
first appointed law judge in 1878 by Gov
Mcclellan. In 1888 Gov Ludlow reap
pointed him, in 1888 Gov. Green, and in
1893 he was given his fourth term by Gov.
Werts
During all these years Judge McCor-
mick was steadily forging forward. His
judicial career was beyond reproach. He
was impartial fearless, ender-hearted.
he was an upright judge, and passed SEN
tence during his term on many noted GRIM
inals. He had a large law practice, and
was counsel in important cases, notably
during the railroad strikes of 1876.
Judge Mccormick was handsome, af-
fable and genial He was an intimate
friend of Charles Stewart Parnell, and
once visited him.
He was well known in New York, a
prominent member of the Democratic
Club. He was spoken of as a rich man,
He built handsome home at No. 1872
Westfield avenue, an aIistocratic section
of Elizabeth.
Mrs. Mccormick was one of the social
leaders in Elizabeth.
1t was said that Judge Mccormick was
not only rich, burt honest, and poor peo-
pie, especially widows, began to entrust
their property to him. Then it was that
the wall street fever seized him. He
would become very rich-quick-that was
his dream. But he kept his plans to him
self
Day by day he came to New York, and
down in that narrow street he wooed for
tune. She did not smile on him-she
frowned But the Judge gave no sign.
He was just as cordial in his greetings
to his friends, just as happy in his speech
es.
One morning he left his home in the
best of spirits, faultlessly attired, as was
his won't At noon his body was found
i'm st. Mary's Cemetery. He sat under a
pine tree as if resting. There was a bull
let hole in his right temple; revolver in
his hand.
The people of Elizabeth were Shocked.
AT first they refused to believe the news
Gradually the truth leaked out. His
wealth was gone-swallowed up by Wall
street speculation. OF several years ne
had been pouring his money into that gi-
gantic sieve, He had lived to see it dis
appear. His creditors lived in all sec
tions-many of them in New York The
little that is left from the wreck of his es-
tate will be divided among them.
The youngest brother John A. McCor-
mick, who had inherited comfortable in
come from his mothers estate, was in the
West He was studious, quiet man. He
lived in world of books and of dreams.
The fever came to him and seized firm hold
| on him. His fortune went on wings. Not
cent came back.
Soon after the suicide OF his brother he
returned to his old home. He was differ
ent now from the young man, full of hope
of faith in the future, who had gone away
There was a vacant stare in his eyes, n
| pathetic questioning in his smile. Help
! less and penniless he is ending his life in
| a charitable institution.
There was another brother. He looked
| like Judge Mccormick. He was also pop
money. He might have lived to be a pros
| porous, respected citizen. But the fever
! spector lowered over him and pointed
temptingly 10 the little street at whose
| head stands church. He followed where
| it pointed He haunted Wall street stalking
every cent he could get on the message
of the ticker. He lost-and again he lost
! He had a haunted look in his eyes. He
started at every sound. He drank, that he
might forget.
Gradually those who had known him in
better days lost sight of him. He had
started downhill and he could not stop.
| But still he whispered:
Some day I'll hit it right. Some day
| III be rich"
Believing this he died in a poor lodging
| house in New York, penniless and among
strangers. A man who occupied am adj
joining room went into see Mccormick.
He found him lying on the floor of his lit
tie room. He had died alone There was
not cent in his pocket, and his body was
| sent TO the morgue.
This was the end Of the last of the Nc
| Cormick brothers.
SfnnS thR Cnunh