The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-09-21
SIDE LIGHTS ON
{, H. HARTMAN,
Origin of Famous Saying by the
Late FinanCier.
lie ONCE DANCED IN PUBLIC.

would NOT ak BUSINESS at his Aroen
Home and Offered Insistent Inter-
viewer Glass of Milk--One of Rail-
road Mans Favorite Stories.
In the famous insurance investiga-
ton in New York it came out that
much of the money used by the late
Edward II. Hartman in his railroad
fights came from insurance companies.
James Hazen Hyde, vice president of
the Equitable Life Assurance society,
appeared to be somewhat f1attered by
Mr.. Harriman's attentions. Later at a
directors meeting Mr.. Hyde made a
speech accusing Hartman and friends
of trying to kick him out and to get
control of the society and it's $400000,-
900 assets. 1t was then that, white
and speechless, Hartman sat back in
his chair and gave forth sounds which
those nearest to him said later APP
peared to boil out in one continuous
torrent. His resignation as a trustee
of the society followed.
"Not Yet, but Soon"
Before the Armstrong committee he
told how on certain night he had
been kept at the Metropolitan club on
one pretense or another while the deal
for the control of the Equitable society
was being put through He said that
upon hearing that Thomas f. Ryan had
purchased control of the society he
went to the new owner and demanded
half interest. which was refused In
his testimony he explained that as far
as Ryan was concerned any effort he
Harriman) could make would be de-
voted to the destruction of an unwor-
thy object. When asked by Mr.. Hughes
whether he had taken any step to ac-
complish this the answer came:
''Not yet, but soon"
There was no mistaking the empha-
sis, and the words became a classic in
Wall street history.
Hartman and OdelI.
Charles e. Hughes when conducting
the insurance investigation probed
deeply into the intimate friendship of
Mr.. Hartman and former Governor of
New York Benjamin B. Odell. and Mr.
Hartman got off a now familiar joke.
sit has been charged Mr.. Hughes
said, "that through your relations with
Mr.. Odell you have political influence.
What have you to say to that?"
well" came the reply, II should
say that Governor Odell had political
influence because of his relations with
me-"
When Hartman Danced.
In Wall street there are afioat plen-
ty of anecdotes Illustrating the per-
Eonality of the man in later years.
Whenever the impenetrable reserve of
the financier is mentioned the story is
invariably told of the only time on
record when Hartman ever showed
any animation in public. 1t was in
the fall of 1908, when the great Lucin
cutoff, pet project of Harriman's,
was completed at Salt Lake City.
On this occasion Mr.. Hartman
danced. At the close of the ceremonies
Mr. Hartman, who had been grave
and dignified throughout, entered his
private car to leave the scene. The
band struck up yankee Doodle" A
faint smile dawned on the Hartman
features and began to spread. Pres
emily he began to balance gracefully
and soon in the midst of circle of
prominent railroad officials, he was
doing the highland fling in the most
abandoned style. Suddenly the band
stopped playing, and Mr.. Hartman
gravely sat down.
Gave Reporter Milk, Not News.
At his home at Arden, N. Y, Mr..
Hartman would not discuss business
matters. He said to a reporter who
sought him there:
81 left all my business vexations be-
hind in New York city. This Arden
to me is the Arden of AS You Like
IT. 80 retreat from the worlds
worries. Here | seek to free myself
from all business cares and worries,
and so far l have been successful.
My guests here are made to under
stand that they are most welcome if
they abstain from talking shop. And
so, my dear young man, you are most
welcome to my table, but not to a
financial interview, By the way, do
you like milk? If you do think you
might like a glass from one of my
dairies.s3
One Of Harriman's Stories.
In declaring that we must be care
full not to 1egislate too harshly against
the country's vested interests or the
prosperity, Of those interests and with
it the country, $ prosperity Mr.. Harri-
man Illustrated his meaning with a
story 1, There was schoolteacher,
he said, who exclaimed impatiently
one afternQonf9slf
Johnny Jones, sBhat are you FUN
bling with, thereHasI ,
: tJohnny hung hissbead and was ST
lent. But the telltale aof the class
spoke ups oiG ,ei s sea $50
"1ts aapin he's got, ma'am'
"'Well, take ii from HIM. said the
teacher, land bring tito me"
''ThisFwass done, and then, in mol
lifted voice, the te6cher saidaAa
Now, Johnny jones' get up and
reclte your history lesson ''@@
'sBut Johnny did not, obey. He
htushed, hung his head and sat STILL
Then he said: sgs 'sts = fs@E NV
= 81 can't ma'ani. That there pin
you took is what holds my, trousers,
upT" NV ~ .-.- ! II