Isaac Morris
Isaac Morris is the indispensable but invisible facilitator of the entire Indian Island scheme, a man whose shady dealings and sudden death make him a crucial piece in the puzzle that baffles Scotland Yard. He is the only person, apart from the murderer himself, who knows the full scope of the plan, and his convenient demise on the very night the guests arrive ensures that the trail of the mysterious U. N. Owen goes cold before it can even begin. The Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard later calls his death "a damned sight too opportune," a judgment that underscores Morris's role as the linchpin of a conspiracy designed to leave no living witnesses.
Role and Background
Morris is introduced as a "little Jew" with a "little bald head" and a reputation for being "damned mysterious." He approaches Philip Lombard with an offer of one hundred guineas to travel to Indian Island and hold himself at the disposal of an unnamed client, refusing to give any further information. Lombard notes that Morris is not deceived by his casual air about money, observing that "you couldn't deceive them about money—they knew!" Morris's professional background is thoroughly unsavory: he was implicated in a share-pushing fraud and mixed up in the dope business, though nothing could ever be proved against him. He is described as "a very careful man" who could "wangle figures until the best chartered accountant in the country wouldn't know if he was on his head or his heels." His involvement with the island is not merely financial; he is also the tenth victim selected by the murderer, Lawrence John Wargrave, who considers Morris a "shady little creature" responsible for inducing a young woman to take drugs, leading to her suicide at twenty-one.
Arrangements for Indian Island
Morris acts as the sole point of contact between the outside world and the island. He purchases Indian Island on behalf of a third party, making it clear that he is acting for an unnamed principal. He provisions the island, makes all the necessary arrangements with the local people in Sticklehaven, and represents himself as acting for "Mr. Owen." He explains to the villagers that there is some experiment or bet about living on a "desert island" for a week, instructing them to take no notice of any appeal for help. Fred Narracott, the boatman, notes that he has never set eyes on Owen or his wife, and that everything was ordered and paid for by Morris, with instructions always clear and payment prompt. Morris also supplies the gramophone record, sending it to U. N. Owen care of himself, with the understanding that it was required for an amateur performance of an unacted play.
Death and Aftermath
Morris dies on the night of August 8th, the same day the guests arrive on Indian Island. He takes an overdose of sleeping stuff, one of the barbiturates, and there is nothing to show whether it was accident or suicide. The murderer, Wargrave, reveals in his confession that before leaving London he gave Morris a capsule to take last thing at night, claiming it had done wonders for his own gastric juices. Morris, a slight hypochondriac, accepted it unhesitatingly. Wargrave had no fear that Morris would leave any compromising documents behind, judging him "not that sort of man." When the police later investigate, they find that Morris is dead and can say nothing about the affair. The Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard immediately suspects that the timing is too convenient, but with Morris gone, the financial trail is effectively covered, and the identity of U. N. Owen remains a mystery that can only be solved by the confession found in a bottle.
