“I have never met Mr. Gould but once before,” said the Rev. Dr. Hall, “and that was many years ago. A gentleman in Chicago wrote me regarding a missionary, who had been called back from China by the illness of his wife. The wife had recovered after the missionary’s return, and the couple wanted to return to China again. The Chicago gentleman wanted to know if I could not secure a free pass for the man. I went to the railroad authorities, and was referred to Mr. Gould.
“I entered the room with fear and trembling and with many misgivings. I had never seen Mr. Gould, and you can all sympathize with my feelings. He received me cordially and listened to all I had to say. He said he thought it was a very deserving case and asked me to leave a memorandum of it. The next day I received a communication from him containing a ticket for the railway journey and another for the missionary’s passage to his destination.”
About $20,000 was subscribed at this reception, and Jay Gould gave his check for $10,000. The Rev. Dr. Parkhurst was among those who criticised the affair as an ostentatious display of wealth in the name of religion. He wanted to know where Mr. Gould got that $10,000.
The religious side of Mr. Gould’s life, so far as the public knew anything of it, was fully told at this church-extension reception.
Mr. Gould was interested in the extension of the University of the City of New York. Chancellor MacCracken said:
“Mr. Gould was very much interested in the university from his interest in telegraphy and telegraph lines and the fact that in this building the first telegraph had its home. Prof. Morse labored here fifty-five years ago, and was assisted by two of the university’s professors, Profs. Gail and Vail.
“I had known Mr. Gould for five years, and from the beginning of our acquaintance he evinced an interest in the close relation between the university and telegraphy, and he made it a favorite subject of conversation. He made the largest single subscription toward our purchase of the uptown grounds, $25,000, and he gave an additional conditional pledge which I have never made public and shall not yet.”
In his active, tempestuous business career one might infer that Jay Gould had little time and less inclination to take up charitable work to any extent. As a matter of fact, what little is known of him in this connection became public within a very recent period. His friends say he gave largely and was generous to a degree when he was assured of the genuineness of a reported case of distress. He never, so far as can be learned, made use of any public organization in the disbursement of funds for any charitable object. Whatever he did he preferred to do with his characteristic secrecy.
He was greatly influenced by his family in giving, and through his children quite a large number of institutions were aided by the money of the financier. For instance, his daughter Helen, of whom he was exceedingly fond, is interested in many organizations engaged in charity work. Through her Jay Gould has given frequently and largely.
A pretty story is told of the charity organization society that existed in Mr. Gould’s own household. Its sessions were held each morning after breakfast. Like other rich men, he was assailed constantly with showers of begging letters. These were regularly sorted out every morning, and each member of the family chose as many from the pile as desired until none were left. If a letter appeared to describe a case of real need it was placed in the center of the table. The others were burned.