The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-31
kURNS As A PAUPER
nedarkabIe ReverSeS of a
Y NiIIionaire'S Daughter.
FOIMER HOME AN ASYLUM
Int, Which She is Received
Out of Charity
FOlMER HOME AN ASYLUM

sewing Machine fame;
In Y. srbury, Conn, on high bluff
/ Overlooking the town, stands what was a
spIe-s4o estate. Once the residence Of
\ Allan B. wilson, known the world over as
1 m, inver tor Of the sewing machine, today
l is a hospital. There last week, as
charity patient, his daughter was re-
ceived. Between these sentences there are
years. Behind them there is the founding
of great industry. Threaded through
both there is a story tragic in anuthesis
and in pathos unique.
1t is half a century ago that the Wheeler
e. Wilson sewing machine was patented.
1t was not the first sewing machine, but
It was the best. The first machine was
made in France. The name Of the inven-
tor was Barthelemy Trlmonier. 1t was a
clumsy affair, embryonic and defective,
but it accomplished two things-it saved
labor and caused riot. Trimonier's shop
sas wrecked and he was nearly murder
I'd In matters mechanical France is a
conservative country.
Coincidentally in this city a man named
Walter Hunt was evolving a machine not
similar but cognate. In Trimonier's ma
cnine the needle was crochete d. It made
one loop. then another, and in this way
formed chain. In Mr.. Hunts apparatus
the needle was eye-pointed, and in this
way made what is called the lock-stitch.
Trimonier was nearly killed. Hunt was
entirely ignored. Different lands, diff
ferent customs
Coincidentaly in Massachusetts Elias
Rowe was at work on another device.
Provided with a curved, eye-pointed
needle and an underlined shuttle. he
suffered because Of it neither assault nor
7eglect. On the contrary it brought him
Il nearly s., 900. 600. Fate, eccentric and cir
-uitous, is not always unkind.
Howe's machine was patented in 1916.
Is practical ility once demonstrated, inn
1rovements soon appeared The neatest.
|. most ingenious and serviceable of all was
the rotary hook and bobbin combination.
This was the invention Of Allan B. VIII
SON Though he had the ability to con
rive, he lacked the coin to construct.
This was in 1S4a In search of a CAPITALIST
ne left New Adams, where he was born.
and reached Waterbury, where Mr..
Wheeler lived. The rest is history. In
November, 1850, a patent which included
Ane important four motion feed was OBJ
Fa1ned, and the famous Wheeler & VIII
son machine began to hum. So much for
PIE plant, now for the plant
Il AS dollars roll up, ambition will. too
process of time and manufacture, Will
=. became very rich. The money seemed
fer goid which he thought he might
From a desire the wish developed
a preoccupation. He became haunted
tn the idea of vast possessions, inordi-
Flate wealth, expanding power He
dreamed Of fortune that would make his
name vocative not of machines. but of
Millions, one that should raise him coIos-
ally, Croesus among men.
Meanwhile he had married. Incidentally
IN the high bluff already mentioned he had
quilt home, great house which from its
eminence surveyed the town OF Water
&hury, surveyed the Naugatuck. and for
vEE The hills to the north and south
#our Led a perfect view. The grounds
taned to the river a full mile in extent.
ne whole thing was quasi-manorial, and
the house itself, ornately furnished, was
show edifce Of the place.
To IL a child came. then another. The
arst died, and on the second. a girl. all of
The fathers affections centered. She was
The little lady OF that manor. She was
more. She was the heiress, not alone of
Ill he possessed, but of all that he
'panieis. She had but to beckon; they
crouched at her feet. That those wishes
might be indicated adversely she had gov
ernesses. tutors and masters. who taught
her how TO paint, how to draw and how
% sing. They schooled her in the uo,i5s
Of the Tuscon tongue. in the gutterals Of
kse German and the prettiness of French.
ey displayed 10 her the pagentry Of his
" and the wonderlands Of the man.
icy Instructed her how 10 sit very
'st aight in the saddle and the proper. eIe-
Ivation of the wrist. In short. the variety
Of accomplishments which she was -aupb,
Us exa eded only by the amount Of prac-
wledge which was omitted L is /
~ way that way that heiresses are
ted. and an heiress Harriet Ethel /
Ia certainly was
bile the girl pursued her studies the
n pursued his dreams. To heishten
suggestiveness he drank In the
es into which he looked their bril-
|e was so dazzling that they induced
IN Of optical deius!on. They trans
ped waste lands into prospective val
rotten companies into promising en-
rises. speculations into certainties ana
rks into honest men. Such is the wiz
y Try Of liquor; such, too. is the charm OF
unreal Bu- combination of them
p excessive. WHAT with dreams and drink
wilson's mind gave way. He was taken
s,-nitsrium a. Hartford. where ne
smed Yet awhile and then died. That
INST ten years ago
mel Wilson Pas then seventeen. With
!. being beauty she had a shy grace /
y t'-as not Unailur.7C. Even otherwise. I
SIS, may be As ugly as a hedge /
No one minds. And an heiress. !
great one az her Tiers death. I
WAS supposed 10 have become Al I
me. however, for reasons presum- 1
onnected with the settlement OF the /
ato but watch she nor her mother 4
searl. understood. the house m the blum .
! sold. II was pity. of course, but /
ally did not matter, and from her old 4
g dowa The hill. in the smar. victoria (
, Aict she used. Ethel Wilson drove 60 the /
covil House in town.
There sor q while in the best suit in .he
v,ei, she and her mother lived. Il had
: OF occurred TO either Of them that there
Tas 10 be any diminution Of wealth. Mrs 4