The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-04-08
ANECDOTES FROM
LIFE OF MORTON
Former Vice President Had Big
Successes.
A MANY SIDED PARSONAGE.

How He Gave "Pin Money" House to
Each of His Five Daughters-His
Splendid Farm-Acoepted Statue of
Liberty For United States-How He
Paid Back His Creditors.
Levi p Morton, vice president Of the
United States under Benjamin Harri-
son and governor of New York for the
term beginning in 1894, appears in
history with big success to his credit.
Mr.. Morton in his long and active life
figured as schoolteacher, merchant,
banker farmer, statesman and diplo-
mat.
Incidents in his career are recorded
in interesting anecdotes. He began life
as boy doing chores in a country
grocery store. He next eked penuri-
GUS living from teaching a small dis
trict school.
A notable story of Mr.. Morton after
he had reached the position of wealth
is that of how he gave pin money
uOuStS W tdCu VI LIS uN6
Mr.. Morton set aside a row of five
handsome brownstone houses in West
Ninety-fif street, near Central park,
New York, for his daughters. They
were worth $4,000 apiece years ago,
when he first acquired them, and rap
idly took on increased value.
AS each of the Misses Morton came
to her twenty-frst birthday Mr.. Nor
ton conferred upon her one Of the fine
residences as a pin money gift. 1t
was a matter of much public interest
when the social calendar announced
the approaching coming out party of
one of the young women, and it be-
came known incidentally that a pin
money house was to change hands.
Accepted Liberty Statue.
AS United States minister to France
Mr.. Morton was the one to formally
accept the Liberty statue from France
He hammered the first nail in the con-
struction of the great monument.
While governor and during his re-
tirement from public life Mr.. Morton
found chief diversion in his magnifi-
cent farm estate of Ellersie, at Rhine
cliff on-the-H Hudson. 1t comprises about
1000 acres of splendidly scenic land,
with a park of lawns, walks, knolls,
shady dells and gardens. 1t possesses
great greenhouses and a fine herd of
blooded Guernsey cattle.
Mr.. Morton received notable prizes
for his three animals, named Crown
Prince of Orange, Annatto and Lord
Worth III.
AS a diplomat Mr.. Morton won the
credit for obtaining from France de-
cree relieving American banks, tele-
graph and insurance companies from
the hardship of being unable to col
lect any debt in France from any
French citizen.
Mr.. Morton first became prominent
merchant as member of the firm of
Morton & Grinnell, dealing in dry
goods in New York. An amusing story
is told of this venture. The young
clerks in the store acquired the fash.
ion. of wearing trim, natty little mus
tachios. One day an order appeared
on the walls requiring that the clerks
appear to work without their mus
tachios before a certain date or be
ready to resign.
How Mustaehios Disappeared.
There wasn't any strike, and from all
accounts the mustachios disappeared.
Mr.. Morton in telling the story In aft
er years asserted he hadn't placed the
cruel order on the walls, but under
stood that some of the country Gus
toners had complained to one of the
managers that they didn't like being
waited upon by young men wearing
high hats and mustachios. 1t was the
manager who issued the order.
This firm went into bankruptcy dur
ing the civil war, and the creditors re-
ceived 80 cents on the dollar. Years
afterward, when Mr.. Morton had re-
cOuped his fortune, he invited the cred
itors of the Morton & Grinnell firm to
a big dinner. At each mans plate
was a check for the balance due him
on the old account