The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-21
BY WILLIS THORNTON
NEA Service Writer

to senatorial inquiry.
BY WILLIS THORNTON
NEA Service Writer
NEW YORK, April 2l-In the
somewhat rusty section Of Madison
avenue where it climbs the gentle
slope of Murray Hill, there stands
three-story stone house. solid, mas
sive, but nowhere near as magnifi-
cent as many newer New York resi-
dences. II is the home of J. P.
Morgan.
At the next corner stands a still
smaller, dun-colored stone house
that formerly was the Morgan home,
and adjoining this on Thirty-sixth
street is small, gcm-like marble
art gallery. Practically the whole
block has been bought by Morgan
to protect the surroundings of the
art gallery, which he has opened to
the public.
Place Is Guarded
Morgan, as president of a civic as
ISOLATION, works hard to prevent en-
croachment of trade on old Murray
Hill. That struggle is like the one
he carries on in banking to pre-
vent the public from eEcroaching on
what he considers his private bust
ness.
Few notice the Morgan homes, so
dusty and d-fashioned. But if you
should observe, you would probably
note a couple Of men lounging about
the stone balustrade that leads up
to the fornt door They are guards,
and they are part of the price OF
being j. p Morgan.
You would find them also at the
great rambling country house on
Matinicock point, near Glen Cove,
l.. l.. at the lowered Wall hall in
Hertfordshire, England, or at the
small, modern brick house in Gros-
venor square, London, should his
beautiful black yacht, Corsair, have
carried him there.
Two Attempts at Murder
The guards are no useless show.
There is actual physical danger in
being head of the House of Nor
gan, and the incumbent has met it
at least twice, without fear.
In 1915 a mailman forced his way
into the Glen Cove home and con-
fronted the financer with waver-
ing automatic. Morgan did not
finch. He advanced with all his six
feet and nearly 200 pounds upon the
intruder, who fired.
Shot through the right leg and
abdomen, Morgan staggered, braced
himself, and lunged at the assassin.
He flung his assailant to the floor
and held him until help came.
Five years later, bomb intended
to kill him exploded outside The
Corner in Wall Street. Windows
crashed in, iron gratings buckled
inward, dust of debris filled the air.
1t was Morgan who stepped coolly
to the shattered doorway and
steadied the office by his icy nerve.
Contemptuous of Danger
This cold contempt for danger is
part of the Morgan tradition. BY
heritage, upbringing, and expert
This is a man who did not hest
tate to sell his fathers art collec-
ton at the Metropolitan when he
inherited it, and felt he owed no
word Of answer to the bitter criti-
cism that followed. Only years
later was it learned that he actually
needed the cash.
&c yr1On IN
among his prize tulips, to discuss
Coptic manuscripts with the Pope.
A man who reveres the memory of
his father with almost Asiatic de-
Votion. A man essentially bookiSh
and retiring by nature, yet who
found it his job to carry on the
Morgan interests and name, and
who therefore did so, in billions
where it had been millions.
A man always deeply devoted to
his family, and who retired even
more to himself when his wife died
of lingering sleeping sickness. A man
who has taken care of himself
physically, and who at &c retains
vestiges of athletic schooldays at
Groton and Harvard. A faithful and
dominant member of the Protestant
Episcopal church, and man rigidly
faithful to his principles.
ScOrnful of Public Opinion
One thing is clear: Morgan does
not give a boot what people think
of him personally. He, and his
father before him, and his sons after |
him, are jealous of the reputation
of their house.
The Morgan partners are care
fully chosen. The elder Morgan
once said, Il am a poor Judge of
talent, but a fair judge of char
acter" The brilliant, the spectacular.
are not wanted.
Today, under changed conditions.
some contact with the public is
necessary. Morgan can not make it.
But the diplomatic Tom Lamont.
smiling and with all the tact which
was left out of the Morgan makeup.
can, and does. Lamont is an ex-
newspaper reporter. and is not ONLY
a glorified contact man" for the
House, but handles its international
business with great skill.
NeXt-What the senate is driving
at in the present investigation and