The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-01
The millionaire wanted His Neigh
bor's Property, but the Neigh
bor Declined to sell.
THE INN THEN CLOSED BY LAW
IN LEGAL CONTEST THE POOR NAN
WON, AND REOPENED HOUSE.
Then He Defeated His Enemy Candi-
date for Road Commissioners
and 2ejoiced Greatly.

correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK;, Nov. 29.-On a small piece
of sloping ground. fronting on the Sleepy
Hollow road. stands a one-storied frame
building, whicn a small sign designates as
"John Melin's Inn" From the back win
dJws of the ntaIl room there is a magnIfi-
ceDt view of lIhc Hudson, as it makes a
broad curve IN it's seward course; off 10
the right lies the old Sleepy Hollow Gene
tery; from the front one may look down on
the village OF Mount Pleasant. n para OF
Tarrytown. ah1 Up to the Pocantico Mills.
The inn STANDS almost at the junction Of
three roads. and so insignificant is the lit
tie building set in the side of the hill and
partly concealed by a few houses that it
cannot be seen until one has approached
within a few yards Of it by any of the high
ways.
just around the turn Of one Of these
roads begins the front lawn of one of
Melin's neighbors. Indeed, if the house
were similarly. situated to the inn. only the
width of the. Sleepy Hollow road would
separate ther1. But the front lawn of
Melin's neighEOr happens to be a half mile
long. and altogether some fifteen thousand
acres lie abouk the house. 1t is impossible
10 see Melins little inn from the front
porch, windoE or cupola of the palace of
the Pocanticol hills. and this might be the
reason why John Melin and his next door
neighbor. John d. Rockefeller. are not
neighborly-byt it isn't. The reason is that
Rockefeller sought TO get possession Of Me
Inns place and the in~nkeeper not only frus-
trated him. hut carried the war into the
enemy's country and beat out the Rookie
Teller candidate last election.
Melin, the ihnkeeper, had the advantage
of being first on the ground. For seven
teen years his thirst-quenching establish
ment has been a familiar landmark in the
neighbOrhood. and the smiling Swede and
his wife. who together run the place, are
known to everyone in the countryside for
miles around Mr.. Rockefeller cannot claim
so much on this score. though no one will
doubt that. In the fewer years of his resi-
dence in the community. he has done more
to merit atttntion than has his humble
neighbor.
INN-KEEPER'S DISTINCTION.
Melin-"the ionly man that ever beat the
Rockefellers. as he is locally described-is
a big. broad-shouldered. slow-moving.
heavily-built Swede. Shrewdness and good
nature beam from his pleasant, gray-blue
eyes. His sI;eech is slow and mild, and
what he says is characterized by a we'll
considered conmon sense. The mans whole
personality breathes forth personal in
dependence combined with a tolerant
charity for others. One can see that mis-
ffty-fve years have mellowed instead of
hardened him He would rather be friend
~ with the whole world than quarrel with
anyone. but there is that in the square jaw
and h~eavy-set eyes that tell of grim per-
~sistsnce to b. apprehended, once he is in
a quarrel. Re would fight without bitter
ness. perhaps. but with unconquerable te-
nacity. And that is what he has lone in his
difference with John d. Rockefeller.
He fight me an so L fight him back"
says Melin. II guess he's a pretty good
man. Rockefeller. He does plenty good
around here. L got nothing against him,
but when he fight me l fight him back, l
guess"
The trouble between the two arose over
their both wanting the same thing. Being
the richest man in America John ID. Rookie
Teller is accustomed TO getting what he
wants John Melin is by no means rich, but
he has a habit of holding to what he gets.
and he already had what the other John
wanted, the little six-square-rod plot of
ground with the roadside inn on it. Pos
sibly Mr.. Rockefeller wished that particular
spot TO put up an arbor, or a lodge, or a
barn on; possibly he only wanted it to get
rid of the inn. At any rate he went about
It in the wrong way.
IF he came to me. man to man." says
John Melin; Il most likely sell him my
place right off. | sell ii to hin for less
than 1 get offered afterward. too"
HE SENT AN AGENT.
NJ u 49, a..
John. the inn keeper. with a man-to-man
proposition. He sent an agent. The agent
made an offer. Melin refused it. He made
a better offer. Melin refused that. He
went away. Another agent came. This
one made a still better offer. Melin ques-
toned him shrewdy as TO whom he was
acting for. The agent went away. In a
few days still another man came Offering
about twice as much as the place was
worth. Melia was bored. He asked the
agent to have a drink and please not talk
business any more.
II guess 1 keep my own place myself"
he said. emphatically.
The agents reported back TO Mr.. Rookie
Teller. and it is a fair guess that he was
surprised. But he wasn't beaten. He
heard that Melin's place was violating the
as laws 2AAN ~ RAlNdNC
tives appeared in the neighbOrhoOd and
took more than a friendly interest in John
Melin's inn. Their interest eliminated in
the arrest Of MeIin and the closing of the
bar. When Melin, out on bail. returneU to
the pace another agent came to him with
an offer. The agent didn't get the place.
But he got out alive. and that was some
thing.
They got Melin's license away. Il give
them an old one" he explains. gleefully,
though he doesn't explain what good that
. did him. aD8 he decided to fight. He and
J his wife hs1 been there for seventeen
years; they were well liked and respected
: In the neighborhood. and the sentiment OF
the people was in their favor. but every
one advised them 10 give in and sell the
place.
'Reckefeller has a million dollars for
every ten dollars you can raise" said they.
YOU can't beat him.
"AIl right said Melin. his big jaw set
ting tirmIy: Il try it. anyway"
Tho Anu-saIoon League took I'D the case