The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-28
FRUCALITY ENDS
IN AFFLUENCE
millionaire Roath Now GlVis
His Wealth to Relatives.
HOW He hMkSSEO FORTUNE
Never Tipped Hotel Servant and He Bought
Not More Than Two Shirts
Year.
HOW he aMhSSEO FORTUNE


lars among his poor relatives at Norwich.
Conn. so that he might ''see what they
did with II" and incidentally 70 save legal
expenses connected with will, IL a well
known character In Chicago.
Mr.. Roath came TO Chicago forty years
ago. At that time John r. Sherman own
ed the Old Bulls Head Hotel, the rendez-
vous OF the stockmen OF those days. Mr..
Sherman took a liking TO Roath who was
thirty-nve years old, and employed him
as clerk OF the hotel
When Mr.. Sherman founded the stock
yards In their present location he took
Roath with him. Roath then became live
stock agent for the Michigan Central. a
position which he held for ten years La
ter he went back TO the stock yards COM
pany. where he was known 10 every stock
shipper as the man who signed the tick
cts on weights. He retired twenty years
ago.
The Transit House was opened To the
public on Christmas day. 1866. and that
day Mr.. Roath engaged rooms and board
there. He has lived there ever since. with
the exception OF the summers. which he
invariably spent at Norwich. Conn In
married and without a. relative in the
West. he was known here as a parslmo-
NOUS old man who knew a good business
proposition when he saw H.
iN v rS ED HIS SA ANlNGS.
Even while he was working as a clerk
In the Old Bulls Hotel. Roath was invest
ing his savings under the advice OF Mr.
Sherman. and later OF Nelson Morris who
was also an old friend. He was one Of the
original stockholders OF the First Nation
Al bank. and also OF the National Live
Stock bank
Besides these stocks his wealth is In
vested IN chicago City railway, Swift &
20 national bank OF America, Omaha
stock yards, Kansas City stock wards
Union Stock yards and Transit comnanv
or Chicago, Chicago Telephone company
and National Biscuit.
foath has been familiar figure about
the Transit House He is wiry and
slightly stopped. with hal the color ~
snN'r. smooth shaven fac. can. dGx.
~fth hfi' sauilinf nose and keen hlic
"'Ss ifering out rem ,n,. Shaggy
y ue b. ows. For wears IN t,,e ucrpina
he !is l,el won. IN sit by an e,s,c,-,
window and take the sun while he reads
mis- morning papers through heavy. gold
trimmed spectacles.
For years he has worn a suit Of black
broadcloth. cut In antique fashion with
baggy trousers. which gave him the air
of an I'D school beau. His high heeled
noots were always neatly polished, his
linen always clean.
Among ali his friends at the stock
Yards not ever tradition fingers Of his
ever ha:ing bought silt Of clothes
Ia r % YEARS CID.
as J".pleting detail TO his costum
ht wore a black fet hat cooked sidewise
IN his long white hair. This hat up TO
time II WIS u s"'s'al months ago was
known TO be q years old
Once while he sat at dinner some alb
sent minded boarder took away his old
chapeau. The hotel clerk gave Roa tn an
other 10 wear IN place Of the hat he had |
lost
II was battered old skinner which |
looFed as II II had seen hard life on
st me backwoods drover's mead. but the |
oh x, ,ntleman continued TO wear II daily, |
never offering TO purchase n new on, |
When he left for the East to visit his old /
home and his old friends he wore this old |
hat
His weekly laundry bill was increased |
a year or ago from IL cents TO II |
cents. though the linen he sent 10 the !
tubs continued TO be OF the same guam
tty. Every week he had one shirt and |
one collar in the laundry. The shirt had |
cuffs attached. The laundries used 10 do |
this kind OF shirt at 10 cents each. but
raised the price 10 Is.
When he was forced to pay the extra /
pennies the millionaire. i'm the language |
of the stock Yards. raised an awful hol-
ler." He was in measure. reconciled |
when q was pointed out TO him that for |
all the years before he had been getting |
FIVE cents a week the better Of the laun- |
dries. The idea struck him a a Joke at |
which he often laughed
People about the Transit House--the |
oungers about the lobby the servants. |
the bartenders-al speak OF the old man 1
Is "Steevie." He was never known TO |
give a servant a tip. He was never |
known TO buy a social drink But for all /
this he showed some traces Of the good /
fellow.
He was not averse 10 a good cigar. pro-
vided II were given 10 him. and would /
sit by the hour In the very luxury Of en- /
joyment putting rings into the air. But |
II no one gave him cigar he chewed to-
bacco.
SCHEME ON THE BARTENDER.
He had a fondneSs. too. for old fash |
Ioned toddies. with two of which he was
accustomed 10 console himself daily. one /
In the morning and one in the afternoon. |
unless some companion brought him /
more Then he would clink glasses with |
the stoutest topper. although he never be |
anne intoxicated.
Every morning regularly he would hob |
BILE into the bar OF the Transit house for |