Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-01
SPIES BURDEN LIFE.
Make Existence Miserable for j.
Pierpont Morgan.
TRUST QUESTION BRINGS NATTER Up
Legislation Against Millionare's FL
nanciaI Schemes Could Bring Him
But Little More Punishment Than
the Present System of Espionage.
TBY H. 7. MAHIN.1

[BY H. j. MAHIN.1
Washington, D. c., Dec. 31.-It is
possible to hear much antitrust talk
about the capitol. 1t eliminated in the
passage of the Hepburn bill just be-
fore the recess. However, there are
many who do not think that the Hep
burn bill is enough action at this time.
Nearly every day group in the cloak
rooms can be heard discussing trusts
and their evils. Naturally J. Pierpont
Morgan, the greatest trust former,
usually serves as a mark for the IT,
rades. | heard an eastern congress
man saying the other day, however,
that Mr.. Morgan did not need any fur
Their punishment than he was getting
now from the herd of spies that were
dogging his footsteps continually.
THE life of j. Pierpont Morgan" he
said, "the king of financiers, is being
made miserable by a swarm of spies
who are constantly at his heels. His
comparatively recent indisposition at
a time when the stock market was in
feverish panic has brought to light
the fact that this one man, upon
whose shoulders more great financial
uiiuSl IethiHSS uepelu LII SuCCceoH IMAM
on any other human being, is sur
rounded by a system of espionage
more complete and more complicated
than that which safeguards even the
existence of the monarchs of Europe.
"Mr Morgan knows of the system
which is employed to watch his every
action; he is made to feel it at every
turn in his career and he does not like
it. 1t is the bugbear of his life. In
every strange face he sees spy. At
his home, in the street. at his Office,
a score of men are constantly in sight
whose duty day and night is to keep
the man of millions in sight The
most trifling act, public or private, of
the great trust builder is said to be
viewed by no less than three classes
of detectives. The fact that most of
them are solicitous about his health
and that their employers desire him
to live long and prosper does nat ban
ish the fact an accident to him at a
critical time would mean millions to
market raiders who happened to be
short of stocks before it occurred"
Detectives who watch Mr.. Morgan
are: First, his private bureau and the
police. A former police roundsman
now retired on pension, a stalwart
good natured man, is in personal
charge of the financier's safety in the
Wall street Office. From two to doz-
en- policemen or plain clothes men are
always ct the door or just across the
street, Broad and Wall street being a
detective center. Spectators and in
vestors all over the country who deal
in Morgan stocks have insured his life
as hedge against losses in case of
death. More insurance is carried on
him than any man on earth-even the
King of England. 1t is a matter of
prime Importance that the insurance
companies know every hour the state
of his health, for on his condition they
estimate the price of Morgan poll
| cies, for which there is a constant de.
mand, especially in London"
| with these two classes Morgan
has no quarrel but he hates and fears
the third class which is in the en-
ploy of the stock market specula-
tors. 1t is as much for foil for this
| third class as for his personal safety
that he employs private detectives.
| The watchfulness of these men keeps
| tlnl in constant state of irritation
and embitters his life During the
strike his name and face were before
the public so constantly that the pub
| lie went Morgan crazy. He left his
Office every evening in a cab about S
O'Clock and about that time sight
seers, brokers, clerks, and laborers to
the number of hundreds would congre-
| gate at his front door to watch him
| depart. He would get ready to 60.
then come to his door and glare at
the crowd that stood between him and
his carriage. Selling his walking
stick like club he would shrug
his shoulders and pull himself to-
gether as though preparing for a
great effort, then stride through the
crowd almost on the run. He would
give directions to his driver in a
| voice that almost trembled and would
Chamber inside the cab and be rushed
away. In every face in these crowds
Mr.. Morgan suspected a spy.
Not long ago Mr.. Morgan talked
with friend about these spies. 1t
was during one of these rides home
that a runaway truck team nearly ran
down the cab in which he was riding
on Fifth avenue. Only skillful driv-
ing b. his cabby kept Morgan from
| being in a mash up. Immediately
wild reports flew all over the city.
The spies had been watching. In fact
| Mr.. Morgan told his friends that he
had seen two men following him that
night. What are they following me
for?' he said petulantly. They are
standing in front of the house now
These shadows are not above earn
ing an honest penny to their salaries
by selling stories to the newspapers
of things that happen to Morgan. The
night OF the runaway there was a flood
of UPS to every newspaper office in
the city. Because of these printed ac.
counts Morgan often labors under the
impression that the newspaper employ
the shadows. The only privacy Mr.
Morgan has is upon his yacht, the
Corsair,' concluded the congressman
''and that is why he spends so much
time upon it. He often has it anchor.
ed in New York harbor and lives in ii
for months at time"
Before congress convened there
was much talk of constitutional
! amendment to control the trusts. The
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