Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-28
GIN THE NAME OF JOSEPHINE"
story of q Remarkable PhiIanthropist
I'm New Orleans.

story of a Remarkable Ph~ilnnthropist
in New Orleans.
There died the other day in New Orleans
a man who was in some respects the most
notable character in that city, Alexander
c. Hutchinson, president of Morgan's Lou
islana G Texas Railroad and Steamship
company. He was one Of the most sue
cessful captains of industry in the south.
He was generally regarded as a cold,
austere and even parsimonious man, and
yet IT turns out that there was no man In
New Orleans whose heart was fuller OF
sympathy for his fellows, OF sentiment, Of
love OF the beautiful, and whose hand was
more generous in charity. Indeed, in the
extent of his giving he seems to have been
the first Of the city's philanthropists. What
most distinguished his philanthropy was
his systematic effort to keep 1t secret. It
was his habit grufiy to repel those who ap-
piled to him for charity and Immediately
to cause a quiet investigation Of their
cases. II they were found to be deserving
Of aid 1t was promptly and generously
given them, but secretly, and in no other
name than that OF Josephine"
He was passionateIy fond of lowers and
embowefed his home in them. He was de-
voted to art, his residence being filled with
the rarest pictures, statues and books,
while his taste for music made him the
leading spirit in maintaining French opera
In New Orleans.
The death of his beloved wife,, who had
shared his tastes, left him desolate. except
for the comfort he found in alleviating
want In her name.
So live. dear friend, all through your life,
be II short or long,
Though others may not know your name,
They'll not forget your song.
1t was thus he lived.
The Picayune says that "he would send
a message of cheer and help into some
darkened home, and the recipient knew
not whence it came. No one ever sus-
pected him.. How could they? He was SO
gruff, so stolid, so determined to keep UP
the appearance of snow and sleet lying
above his heart Of gold. If you would
have barely limited that 1t was A. c.. Hutch
inson who was finding out the hidden sor-
row of tear-laden hearts and seeking to
alleviate them, no one would have believed
you
For many years no one knew who Jose
phine" was, In whose name SO much good
was being done. According to the Pic
ayune:
Elm the name of Josephine I send these
gifts" that was the way the legend ran
for many and many a day, coming like a
fash Of sunlight into an alley and garnet,
into an asylum and orphanage, into the
homes for the sorrowful outcast, and ev-
erywhere bringing new life. new purpose.
With the simple, rough scrap OF paper
came offerings Of coal, Of groceries, OF
wood. of clothing. Of money-substantial
gifts that lifted the clouds at the darkest
moment. "In the name OF Josephine;"
that was all. and nothing more. And so
after a while people began to ask: Who
is Josephine, whose the memory that Is so
dear that such royal deeds are done in
her name, such unexpected blessings fall
across the pathways Of the miserable and
forsaken?"
A little over a year ago the city was
taken by surprise that a generous friend
had donated the sum OF $50, 900 to the
Charity hospital OF this city for the erec-
tion OF a home for the Training School for
Nurses. One day last November the Marine
Journal OF New York published an article
saying that It had leaked out that A. @,
Hutchinson was the giver OF the beautiful
home. Then the Picayune published the
story Of Josephine and It was the hrst
real glimpse that the world had into the
real character OF Mr.. Hutchinson. 1t was
a story tha was copied far and wide, and
seemed in its entirety more like an echo
from the ages Of faith and charity than a
living. breathing product Of this prOsaic
age,
I'm the name OF Josephine this rich and
powerful man left a nobler monument
among his people than the great transpor-
tation system which he had builded up and
he made a better disposition OF his fortune
than II he had boarded 1t. to be fought over
by relatives. devisees and lawyers.