Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-12-10
MOROS|N| THE BANKER
Career of italian Who Was Loyal
to Jay Gould.
A FOLLOWER OF GARIBALDI.
Got His Start In New York by Saving
Erie officials Son-Rose to Fortune
From Sailor Boy-Was Called
GouIds Bodysuard.

I
GouId's Bodysuard.
Giovanni L. Morosini the well known
banker, who recently died at his home
In Riverdale, n. Y, was at one time
closely associated with the late Jay
| Gould, through whom he built up d
fortune estimated at several millions.
In Mr.. Morosini New York has lost
one Of its most picturesque figures. He
was born in Venice, Italy, in 1882, in
the stirring times which led to the
formation of the present kingdom. AS
boy he was an actor in some of the
hazardous events of the revolution. He
was Il follower of Garibaldi.
MIR. Morosini owed his first step on
the road to fortune to his courage and
| strength in defending in the streets of
New York boy attacked by a crowd
of toughs. He owed his later acces-
sion to fortune to his fidelity to the
late Jay Gould in the latter's fight
against being Ousted from the control
of the Erie railroad. OF late he had
been seen little i'll Wall street, but had
devoted his wealth and leisure to the
acquisition Of an art collection at Elm
hurst. his Itiverdale home
Mr.. Morosinis father was Vene-
tian officer of Monteuegrin descent,
and his mother was IL noted beauty.
lie was educated ut the Austrian Mill
tary and Naval college of Venice and
distinguished himself by proficiency in
languages and military science When
the revolution against the Austrian su-
premacy broke forth in 1913 Morosin
was boy, but he joined the patriot
forces and led battalion of national
guards which he had raised mt the
siege of Malghera. He was struck
down by shell, which left n scar on
his head.
For a time the Austrians conquered
and with many other young Italians
Morosini had to flee for his life. First
lie went 10 Corfu and then to Misso-
longhi, Patras and Smyrna. There he
was almost induced TO join the Turk
ish army in Albania, when lucky
accident brought him to the notice of
the American consul. By his advice
he decided TO come to the new world,
and In 1850 he landed, pennness
stranger in Boston.
The California gold fever was then
at its height, and Morosini at first
planned to try his fortune in the land
of gold, but Garibaldi was in Staten
Island and attracted to his side the
young adventurer. For time he work
ed in the patriots candle factory, and
when that was abandoned he followed
Garibaldi on his voyage to China and
England lie was only sailor before
the mast. but in London he attracted
the attention of Mazzini and was pick
ed out from all the crew by him.
Garibaldi went to Genoa and Morosi-
nj came back to New York He was
still only common seaman, and it was
mere accident which saved him from
the life of hand before the mast
One night as he was going home along
one of the streets near the water front
he heard cry of distress from group
of boys. He saw boy on the ground
and others beating him. He broke
through the crowd, flung aside those
who were tormenting the boy and up.
braided them for their cowardice Not
a man came to his aid. The gang, re-
covering from their astonishment.
closed In on him. He struck out right
and left, felled four or five and drew
his long sailors knife. Then with a
rush he drove his assailants back and
got the boy away from them
He still expected TO go to sea again
until, to his surprise, day or two later
he received a visit from the boy he had
rescued. He turned out to be the son
of Nathaniel Marsh. secretary of the
Erie Railroad company, and he came
to bring Morosini to his father. Mr..
Marsh at once offered to help the
young sailor and found him a place as
office boy with the Erie company at
salary of $50 month.
Mr.. Morosini entered on his new en-
ployment on May IS. 1855. He was far
too well educated to stay long in Il
subordinate place. In a few years he
was appointed general auditor of the
Erie railroad and it's leased lines
This brought him into contact with |
Jay Gould. He first met him in 1868. |
and year or two later, when the |
great fight for the control of the Erie /
began. he threw in his lot with the |
fnancier. 1t is said that at the height |
of the struggle the party at the head |
OF which was General Daniel Sickles |
offered Mr.. Morosini 100000 for a
transcript of certain parts of the rec |
ords of the railroad. Mr.. Morosini re- |
fused the offer and thus enabled Mr.. |
Gould to retain his hold upon the road
But when the Bischoffsheim party |
obtained control the general auditor |
found his place most unpleasant. At |
length President Watson called upon
him to either give up his allegiance TO |
Mr.. Gould or leave the company. He
chose the latter alternative and from
that hour was known as n trusted fol-
lower of the linancier
Wall street regarded MIR. Morosini
as something more than confidential
secretary to Mr.. Gould, which was his
new title. Because OF his huge frame
and well known strength he was called
Goulds "bodyguard" Many stories
were told of him In this connection.
and 1t was asserted that on one occa-
sion a promoter who had penetrated
into the inner sanctum of Mr. Gould
and would not withdraw found himself
tai l., \.