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OBITUARY. CHARLES H. COSTER. Charles H. Coster. member of the banking house of J. P. Morgan & Co., died yesterday morning at his home, No. 37 East Thirty-seventh-st. His death was unexpected, as he had been confined to his room for less than a week, and it was within the last two or three days that his illness assumed a serious phase. It was only last Wednesday that Mr. Coster, having caught cold, deemed it advisable to remain within doors. For the first few days he improved rapidly but on Saturday his illness took an ominous turn and developed into pneumonia. He continued to grow worse until Monday, when enough improvement was shown to warrant the hope that he had passed the crisis. But with the night a relapse came, from which he had not sufficient strength to recover. and, continuing to sink, he died at 8:30 o'clock yesterday morning. None of his business associates realized the serious nature of his illness, and consequently the announcement of his death came as a great shock to them. Yesterday the shades of the offices of J. P. Morgan & Co. were drawn and business was practically suspended. Upon the doors was posted the following notice: Because of the death of Mr. Coster business at this office is suspended excepting to those who require immediate attention. Large numbers of men prominent in banking and railroad circles called upon the members of the firm now in the city to express their condolences. Telegrams from all parts of the country and cablegrams from the financial centres of Europe were received tendering expressions of sympathy. Mr. Coster attained considerable distinction in recent years in the world of finance, for the reason that, being essentially a master of detail, the burden of the reorganization and other financial work undertaken by his firm had devolved upon him. What Mr. Morgan conceived upon a large scale Mr. Coster developed in detail. His capacity in