New-York tribune., 1908-10-25

been i'll for some time. The physician who had
been attending him certified that the cause of the
death was heart disease. No inquest will be held.
John Ennis Searles. once secretary Of the Ameri-
can Sugar Refining Company. the Of a
minister Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who
bore the same name. He was born in Bedford.
Westchester County, -. Y October H. 1910.
When sixteen years old he became bookkeeper
for the firm of W. J. syrus & Bro. at No. III
Broadway. and year later went with the hard
ware firm OF Cornell Brothers, in COrtlandt street.
In four years he became partner in this hrm but
In 1852 became member of the firm of L w. &
p. Armstrong, engaged In the sugar business in
New Haven and having large West Indian trade.
He remained in that firm for eighteen years and
made fortune. In 1880 he purchased a large sugar
refinery and set on foot the measures which re-
suited in the combination OF sugar refining in
terests in what called the Sugar Trust The
firm of Havemeyer Bros & Co. and HaEemeyer,
Eastwich & Co. were combined in the Havemeyer
Sugar Company, and Mr. Searles became the
manager.
In 1887 several other sugar refining firms were
consolidated with the Havemeyer business under
the name of the American Sugar Refining Com
pany OF this NJ. Searles was the secretary
treasurer and chief executive officer. The cor
poratfon was reorganzed in 1881 10 meet tech
nical objections, but Mr.: Seares continued fill
the same offices until January. 1898 when, after
protracted. illness, he resigned from the sugar
tional Bank post he had held for three years
increasing its deposits from 100000 to $50 00o
He continued his connection with some other cor
porations. including the American Cotton Com
peny, which had been formed in 1895 70 promote
the process OF putting up round bales.
In Mare 1891, however, the bankruptcy OF Mr..
Searles was announced. although at one time he
had rated worth S2D,9t1,oD Judgments
amounting to $4,000 were filed against him which
he could meet, and receiver was appointed.
late hoy eft
4ir Searles was discharged from bankruptcy and
began a new business career. in which he was
successful
In the height Of his success with the Sugar Trust
Mr.. Searles was connected with large number OF
corporations including the Mercantile Trust Com
pany, the American Deposit and Loan Company.
the People's Trust Company, the Equitab BILE Lifs
Assurance Society, the Preferred Accident Insur-
ance Society, the American Surety Company, the
Sprague Electric Company, the Baltimore, Chesa-
peake & Atlantic Railroad Company and the Inter
national Trust Company Of Baltimore. At the time
of his death he president and director or the
Tennessee Northern Railway Company. the Hyatt
Roller Bearing Company, the Cornucopia Mines
Company of Oregon and the PhPnix Securities
Company and viCe-president and a director of the
Terminal Warehouse Company and the American
Universal Mill Company, and a director the
Iowa Central Railroad Company and the Mime
apolis & st. Louis Railroad Company. He was a
member of the Lawyers and Downtown clubs of
this city and the Union League Club and Riding
and Driving Club Of Brooklyn. He lived for many
years in St Marks avenue, Brooklyn. in one Of
the finest houses in that city. He active in
Methodist Church work, serving as a lay delegate
to the General Conference president of the Brook
lyn Church Society and a trustee OF the Methodist
Episcopal Hospital. and his gifts TO charitable and
church work were abundant He married Miss Caro-
line A Petit in 1862. and they had five children.
In recent years Mr.. searIes lived at No East
45th street