The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-19
MCCALL DEAD, HIS
RICHES GIVEN Up
Son Says Insurance Man Was
Hounded to Death in
] Poverty.

Lakewood, N. j., Feb. l9.-J ohm A.
Mccall former president of the New
York Life Insurance company. died
yesterday afternoon in the Laurel house.
The immediate cause of death was ma
lignant cancer of the liver. the growth
and development of which, the attend
ing physician sale, was hastened Dy
tense mental strain to which the pa
tient had been subjected, following the
revelations in the insurance scandals
which involved the company Of which
he was the head. ~ ,...sS.
Mr.. McCall's last conscious moment
was in the morning, when he opened MS
eyes and looked into the face: OF. 91s
gasped "mother" family and then fell
into stupor from which he did not
I emerge.
The end came SO peacefully that the
| watchers at the bedside did not Know
all was over until one of the physicians,
feeling the pulse, held up his hand as
a mute signal.
Son Speaks Bitterly.
The announcement of the death was
made by John G. Mccall, the Oldest
son. He was shaken with grief and
it in so many words, he intimated that
his father had been driven to his death
by the criticisms of his management of
the New York Life, which broke his
heart. .... 80
Other relatives and friends Of the
family declared that John A. Mccall
/ had died poor man, almost as poor as
when he was a ten-dollar-a week clerk
in the office. of the Connecticut Mutual,
and that all his fortune. and even his
9 life insurance, had been sacrificed to
make good what he believed to be
moral but not legal claim. ,';-.
Born in Humble Home. =.
John A. Mccall was born il humble !,
circumstances in Albany, March 2,
ls49. Being ambitious for q business
education, he went to the Commercial
college of Albany, and IN 1868 ne
started in business as a $40 clerk In
the asserting house for state currency,
/, and gradually rose until he was earn
ing 5000 a year-about the sum which
he received for single day 9 work be-
fore he resigned from the New YORK
Life. $500
, Then he got a change to enter II, the
tual Life Insurance company. as BOOK
keeper Next he took a position with
the insurance firm of Levi, Parker g
to the state insurance department, and
this was really the turning point In
his career. ..... -
Visions of Wealth.
The young man, who hitherto had
worked at insurance to earn his living
p now decided to site to it: He began
] to have visions of wealth. He soon
= grew to know more about. insurance
than ANYBODY in the department. In
1883 Grover Cleveland, the governor;
appointed him state suPer1ntende1t OF
n insurance. In 1885 Mr.: Mccall Declined
u reappointment and became controller
= of the Equitable Life, position which
he held until 1892. when he was elected
president of the New York Life.
Thru his first vice president, George
re W. Perkins, and in other ways IT Pres u
IS the the Arm of j. P. Morgan 8: Go. thru
- out his incumbency. In 1896, how
re-, ever. he came out against the Morga,
i'll syndicate in bond issue made p.
&c President Cleveland to replenlsh tn
e. nation s gold reserve.
Mr.. Mccall became director In
ne dozen corporations and grew IN prom
he nence as an influence in the :fnancia
es world. When the Spanish war startee
,e- President Mckinley sent for him ;, t
he discuss pecuniary, ways and means rs NJ !
at Mccall assured Mr.. Mckinney that n
he eight hours if necessary. With this a
an surance Mr.. Mckinley went ahead
as free Cuba. =. =
Built a Palace. H. ..s
ed By this time Mr.: Mccall was rate
es- millionaire He built himself pa
Ts ace at Norwood Park, Long Branc
he: he His family, including three sons an
'n' daughter, had all that money sou n7
buy. The dreams of the young boo
- beener Of former days had been res
ized. He enjoyed an enormous sala1
and people were accustomed to say
him, ( Every penny he owns. has be-
M earned nv his own unaided efforts. \
II questionable finances have ever entere
~ into his calculations.
Mr.. Mccall some thirty years, , a
married Miss Mary I. Koran OF Alnan n
He has always been a regular churc
nts goer and liberal giyer to, chart
red His popularity among the employees
'm- the New York Life was marked ss a
res;rnation. Eight hundred Of thu
n.y., contributed so cents each, and with t
Jew money purchased a magnificent silly y
,ois loving cup, which they presented to n !
L hn town