The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-04
Not the Cold-hearted Plotter He Has Been Pictursd--His
 Courtesy.
R. H. c. in New York Evening Post

R. H. e.. in New York Evening Post.
 For brief period of time during last summer. Thomas F. Ryan figured before the public as a bepefactor. an aItruist. rescuer of a few thousand fellow men from the ruin that would have besallsn them if he ss or some son one ,.s course of the Equitable Life Assurance Society. He was hailed far and wide as hero; master vS good works as we'll as of finance.
 Hut both before and after the short term of the halo. Thomas F. Ryan's s fame rested entirely upon his pre-emi- hence as q manipulator Of securities. 8 reorganizer of shattered corporations for the benefit of hfs own pocket. a stock tuggler without an equal. After his purchase of the Equitable. If any particular action on HAS part was need ed to restore him fo his aid reputation. he had only to carry out his recent plot with August Belmont for. the bold est of stock-watertng schemes--the Interborough Metropolitan merger. However hard. however bitter and un- pleasant he may be In business. he Is agreeable and sociable among his in- innate acquaintances. gentle and anec- tionate in the midst of his family, The public in general. has heard about
 
 without having had the opportunity to observe the other equally prominent aspect of him.
 To those who see him at home, or who visit his office on errands, not of business, he appears a model of cour- tesy and kindiiness. His looks" in the first place. are prepossessiing. TaII and proportionately well built. with d mouth easily relaxing from pronounced firmness to smiling afii- ability, bright gray eyes that glow softly as they reflect sternness or se- verity. graytsh hair carefully brushed from a part far down on the side. q broad and rather low forehead. and a deeply iimpIed chin that is a trifie too short for symmetry, he gives Lne irl- pression of a gentleman from the ground up. His manners--peopie who meet him for the first time call them "courtiy''-are reminiscent of the old times: and even If one mas heard the harsh stories. 1t is not easy to recon eile them with his easy bow and grace ful greeting.
 A neN acquaintance having listened to the manipulator's enemies and met him through a friend. recently ven- tured to inquire of Mir. Ryan whether he ever took time to ampse himself.
 They tell me-" he said to the fnan- cier. that you never stop working long enough to have any fun.
 'Funy' repeated MT. Ryan. T like fun as much as anybody. If I could find che time, I'd have plenty of it; but to tell yoii the truth. just cant turn loose my work Every day I'm tied down more tightly than ever be- fore"
 Running Farms His Diversion. =.
 When he does so In search of run, MT. Ryan betakes himself to one of his farms There are two of them. His legal resideee is the 4,e00-acre plantation at Oak Ridge. Nelson county. Va, near which he was born on october IT. 1851. His other coun- try estate is at suffern, in Reckland county. this state. and v,ns,,ts he calls s,ace m he generally travels when he steals away from the city for a weekend To Suffern he retreats for an over night outing In summer time.
 The town houses owned by the stock operator are at 50 Fifth avenue. this city, and in Washington. He seldom goes to the capital. So the Firth ay- enue home where he spends most of his time His surroundings there tell the story of his tastes. Comfort. roominess, and simple elegance dlsun- guish the home. which Is one or the old fashioned brick residences charac- teristic of the lower section of the avenue" Neither outside nor within is there of the grandeur or show that would be easily within reach if they were wanted.
 A caller at No. so Is not met by al livered hackney. The Irish maid an swers the bell. The visitor upon en- tering. is rather astonished at the lack of expensive furnishings in the hall and reception room, and on reaching MT. Ryans "den," one flight up, ne finds that the unpreteptiousness of the front extends throughout the house
 Like the financier's downtown once which is a room in the quarters of the Morton Trust Company at Nassau and Liberty streets. the "den'' is remark able for it's simplicity. There IS no display. The large, leatner-cushioned chairs are of the sort that arouse within one who sits thereon longing to tarry, but they are as plain as the quietly papered walls. The desk. ike the one in the office in Wall street, is heavy. solid and capapcious. but and inconscpicious ex- cept for the rigid orderliness of the books, periodicals and papers laid up- on it. On the sides of the room hang a few portraits of old friends, includ- ing EIihu Root and the late William