The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-05
INNKEEPER WON OUT
JOHN ID. ROCKEFELLER BEATEN
BN THE PROPRIETOR or
COUNTRY TAVERN
FIGHT WAS EXTREMELY HOT
Notable Contest in Which the
Standard Oil Mngmate
Was Completely
WoTsted.
FIGHT WAS EXTREMELY HOT

On a small piece Of sloping ground,
fronting On the Sleepy Hollow road,
stands a one-storied frame building,
which a sign designates as John Melin's
Inn" says the New York Sun. From the
back windows of the main room there
is magnificent view of the Hudson, as
ii makes a broad curve in its seward
course; off to the right lies the old Sleepy
Hollow cemetery; from the front one
may look down on the village of Mount
Pleasant, part of Tarrytown, and up
TO the POcantico hills.
The inn stands almost at the junction
OF these roads, and 50 insignificant is the
little building set in the side of the hill
and partly concealed by a few houses
that it cannot be seen until one has APP
preached within a few yards of it by the
highways.
Just around the turn of one of these
roads begins the front lawn of one of
Melin's neighbOrs. Indeed, if the house
were situated like the inn, only the
width of the Sleepy Hollow road would
separate them. But the front lawn of
Melin's neighbor happened to be a half
mile long, and altogether some 15,0Q8
\ acres lie about the house.
1t is impossible to see NIelins little inn
from the front porch, window or cupola
of the palace of the Pocantico hills, and
this might be the reason why John Meiin
and his next door neighbOr, John d.
Rockefeller, are not neighborly--but it
isn't. The reason is that Mr.. Rockefeller
sought to get possession of Melin's place
and the innkeeper not only frustrated
him, but carried the war into the enc
myS country and beat out the Rookie
Teller candidate at the last election.
Melin, the innkeeper, 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
mis- wife, who together run the place, are
known to everyone in the countryside for
miles around.
Melin-"the only man that ever beat
the Rockefellers," as he is locally describ-
eds big, broad-shouIdered slow-fnov-
ing, heavy-built Swede. Shrewdness and
good nature beam from his pleasant
gray-blue eyes. His speech is slow and
mild, and what he says is characterized
by a well-cOnsidered common sense.
The mans whole personality breathes
forth personal Independence combined
with a tolerant charity for others. One
can see that his fifty-fiVe years have
mellowed instead of hardened him.
lie would rather be friendly with the
whole world than quarrel with anyone
but there is that in the square Jaw and
heaVy-set eyes that tells of grim persist
ence to be appTehended, once he is in a
quarrel He would fight without bitter
ness, perhaps but with tenacity. And
that is what he has done in his difference
with John D. Rockefeller.
He fight me an so I fight him back"
says Melin. Il guess he's a pretty good
man, Rockefeller. He does plenty good
around here. I got nothing against him.
put when he fight me fight him back, I
guess"
The trouble between the two arose
over their both wanting the same thing
MeIn IS by no means rich, but he has
habit Of holding to what he gets and
he already had that which the other John
wanted the little siN-square-rOd ploc Of
ground with the roadside inn on it.
Possibly Mr.. Rockefeller wished that
particular spot to put up an arbOr or a
lodge, or q barn on; possibly he only
wanted to get rid Of the inn. At any rate
he went about IT in the wrong way.
III he came to me, man to man." says
John Molin, Il most likely sell him nv
place right off. I sell it to him for less
Inan / offered afterward. too
But the millionaire didn't go to the
lLhkeeper with a man-to-Inan proposition
He sent an agent. The agent made an
offer. Melin refused it. He made 2 better
oler- MeIin refused that. He went away.
another agent came. This one made 4
sun better offer Melin questioned him
shreWdly as to whom he was acting for
lie agent went away. In a few DAVIS
sun another man came Offering abOur
twice as much as the place was worth.
-AeIn vas bored. He asked the aganr
10 have a drink and not talk business any
more. 49,
T., guess l keep my own place MYSELF
ne said emphaticalIy.
Inc agents reported back to Mr.. Roche
Teller and it is a fair guess tnat he
was surprised. Shortly after private 10
tectives appeared in the neighborhcod
and took more than a friendly interest in
John Melin's inn
Their interest eliminated in the arrest
Of Melin and the closing Of the bar.
W hen Melin. out on bail. returned to tho
place, 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 Arelfn's license away-eT gfza
them an old one he explains gleefUl!v
though he doesn't explain what goo5
that did him and he decided To fie-nt
Everyone advised them TO give in and
sell the place.
Rockefeller has million dollars for
every ten dollars you can raise" neor1a
SAID. You can't beat him."
'All right said NeIin, his bic law sAt-
ting firmly; Il try it anyway"
he Anti-SalOon league took IN the casa
against Melin and it was tried in yybito
rams. 1t cost him $500 to defend tha
case, but he won, and John MeIin's inn
since WI
Its popularity has increased locally. but
OF the hundreds of men employed on the
rockefeller estate, none buys beer thara
sun, the innkeeper did good business
ana was satisfied. His chance to cot
back at his rich nejghbor came lasr
month. '~'
The Rockfellers take great interest il,
Ioau pUulolhg. John D and his brother
William, have built, at their own expansA'
many miles OF roadway for the public
Sooo. II Is important to their interests
that the road commissioners should he in
sympathy with them. -
They did not like the road commission
er' william Hutton, and secured tf7a nom
lhatlon OF one of their own yvor1rv,,o,,
named Roosa. Hutton, though a Demo
crat, is an old friend of Melvin VIII i
stanch Republican. One dav he came
into Melin's place, much detected:
Inc RockeIellers are going to beat me.
Don't let them" said Meiin ..r7ieb4
'em, same as me-"
What's the use?" said F4,,+to,
they've got all their workmen's votos :;
All right, F" said MeIin; ''if Won Won
fight 'em, I'll fight EN- for voup O'l
He threw himself heart and so,,1 ir+
the campaign. There was notbine ~
stake for him. but he wanted f. heat
John d Rockefeller. Night and 6av- he
worked.
At o'clock in the morning he was n,
the road, and often would be still AZ vol
at midnight. His wife loked wei after
The inn while he travelled around getting
votes for Hutton. Meanwhile the RocI1e
hor