The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-27

tainty and he was in shape to enjoy life.
asked him one day what he was going
to do with his money. HIS answer had the
true Southern ring to it: II am going to
be comfortable" he said, call through
nv life / have promised myself that IL
the time ever came when l could make
a home to my liking, 1t should be an
abode of comfort" And it was with this
proposition in view that Mr. King re-
Gently purchased Beacon Villa. Not be-
cause it is beautiful and majestic, but
because he saw in 1t the possibility or
real comfort. His ready eye told him
that the spacious mansion could be
readily converted into an abode OF lux
urious ease--not sybaritic, but the ease
of body and mind that business man
Graves at the end of a day OF weighty
| and exhausting cares, and he has made
it such place. In picking his furniture,
Mr.. King put comfort ahead OF that
mere beauty which pleases the eye alone.
| and in doing so often makes an article
| intended for daily use absolutely UNI
disable. Beauty is king at Beacon Villa,
| but it is the beauty Of common sense
utility The chairs. the beds, the
| lounges, are all the best, the most solid
and the most comfortable that money
can buy or that human ingenuity can
devise.
But don't think for a moment that
| this man seeks life OF luxurious ease.
Far from it. He is not that kind. with
all the wealth that any one being can
readily use. he works as hard today over
the affairs of the King-CroWther Cor
noration and its affiliated companies as
he did when he was organizing it. If
he had only his own interest to consult
he might be inclined to settle down and
take life easy. but he realizes that ne
&c the guardian of the interests OF others
of people whose small investments of
few hundred dollars each means riches
or poverty to them. Mr.. King is man
to whom obligations of this kind are
sacred trust and he will never take his
ease in the true meaning OF the term
while he has these interests to guard,
but at Beacon Villa he finds the comforts
he has long sighed for, and to him 1t is
a recreation and pleasure.
I have said that Mr.. King Is guard
ian of investments made by people in
moderate circumstances, and even by
those who are really poor. These peo-
pie are scattered throughout the coun-
try. Some, of them perhaps know Mr..
King personally. Some became interested
in his work after reading newspaper
or magazine article and sent sums or
money to him for investment as he
thought best, feeling assured that he
would give the matter his personal at
tention and that they would be amply
rewarded for the confidence which they
placed in him. 1t is golden tribute to
the high character of the men, that in
4 4wxxyA ont
been very profitable. AS an illustration
it can be stated that last fall a woman
living in Vance street, in Memphis, Tenn,
sent Mr.. King $500, with the request that
he invest this money for her to the best
possible advantage, because she was poor
and it represented practically her entire
savings That investment today amounts
to more than $4,000 and is constantly in
creasing in value. A young boy living
in North Carolina sent Mr.. King 800
for investment in the King-Crowther
corporation last December, and last April
illness compelled him to call for his
money. To his surprise and intense
qualification he got a check for $500. In
I another instance the investment Of $1,000,
made by man who knew Mr.. King when
he lived in Atlanta several years ago,
represents a profit today of nearly $4,000.
One of the best instances of this kind,
however, is that in which two brothers,
who were bare-footed playmates of Mr..
Kings in the South, but are now pros
porous business men in New York, sent
him $1,000 to back up his enterprise,
as they said in their letter. This was
| in response to the first Boston announce
ment of the organization OF the King
Crowther corporation. A few weeks ago
these two brothers Joined Mr.. King at
luncheon in one of the famous cafes in
| New York, and at that time they stated
to him that they had already refused q
profit of $3.50 on the investment I'VE
refused to sell out" they said, because
we are absolutely positive that the in
vestment will soon be worth ten times
what it is today and represent a COM
Portable fortune to u.s." These are the
| things that show the estimation in which
Mr.. King is held by the people vino know
| him best.
His personal mail is extremely heavy.
but he takes time to answer all letters
received and any one writing to him
at No. % State street, Boston, may feel
assured of prompt and courteous re-
| ply.
| For a large man Mr.. King is a great
worker. No physical or mental effort
is too severe for him. There Is one in
cident in his career that well illustrates
this. Last spring notice was given that
after April 10 the price of King Crow
Their corporation shares would be al
most doubled. They were then selling
at 1925 or 25 per cent. above par, and
| the announcement meant that the cor
poration would require a price 100 per
| cent. above par for all shares sold after
| the date indicated. This was on account
of the great improvements that had been
+, made on the property and the absolute
knowledge on behalf Of the directors that
| the stock was worth much more than
the selling price. The result was a rush
that sorely taxed the capacity of the big
force at the Boston office. During the
entire week of April 10 Mr.. King and
his associates worked day and night,
getting snatches of sleep as they could
and having their meals sent in from
a nearby restaurant. Money poured in
by the thousands and although their
banking place is in the same building,