New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-02-22
GUESTS WERE WIDOWS.
O,er Hundred Aided IN CeIebrat-
ing Mr. Hozciett's Birthdau.

syracuse. y. ", Feb. 21 (SpeciaD.-Had Alfred
Hewlett dreamed that his project of enter
lining all his widow friends at once to the num-
s.r OF over one hundred would give him SO
,,ch notoriety throughout the country he
n,on,a have dropped the idea at once. Once
ling announced it, however, nothing could
-asr,e him from his purpose.
7, is doubtful if man ever celebrated his
.,ebtv-second birthday anniversary in more
,,arkable manner Mr.. Hewlett considers
,hs occasion the most enjoyable in his life. The
,~5espresd publication of the widows party
used Mr.. Hewlett TO be the recipient of hun
,,aas Of letters from persons who looked upon
s.n as a second Andrew Carnegie.
letters said Mr. Hewlett when asked about
Great Scott, Look at the heap of themi
,rben die they viii be turned to the Onon-
sara County Historical Association just 10 re-
hind people what a pack of fools there is in
.,is world. Some Of the men take me for
,e,-fnnonial agency. Here's man. aged forty
s-e who wants pretty wife with $50 0e0 or so.
70 wouldn't mind few children. Another is
trou1 fellow aged seventy-two. who says he is
= sprightly as a colt. He had one eye shot out
n the war. and lost leg and a few toes in an
.oci6ert He wants widow between thirty
i've and forty. who is plump and has small
foot The old rascaln'
IN order 20 fully appreciate the character Of
the reception given by Mr.. Hewlett. ii must be
remembered that it was in nowise an act Of
,hsritv Tr5ose invited did not need free din
rsr. Some Of them were widows OF men Of
el,b and all of them of well to do men. Only
,base we're invited whom Mr.. Hewlett personally
knew. the most of them through business asso-
cafion with their husbands. Mir. Hewlett has
hAen prominent in Syracuse business life since
Ac ha0
caritalist and fnancier 10 Syracusan was more
TOD in his day At present he is director in
,h;-teer companies. Even in business transac-
-ions he has always had a keen sense of humor,
snd in all probability. this played great part
IN getting up & widows party. Many of his
ssyincs are famous. His policy of never worry
Ing is this.
Young man. when was young, used TO Dor
-ow trouble ] soon got more shan could pay
bark and went into bankruptcy. on trouble. Since
that tine I have never worried. This in a
measure accounts for his long life. His con-
sti-utior was never strong and for that reason
5e was not allowed 10 go to college, as his
es-,er had intended Instead he went West
irto the cattle business. He loves to tell of the
bardships he went through in his early days.
one Of his best storiea relates TO the year 1888.
Says he:
could help IL one time a ferryman tried to DO
NE I had driven six hundred head Of steers
firm the Wabash River TO Catskill on the Hud-
son River / intended TO take them across and
sell them in the East. The ferryman wanted %
cents head for taking them over. This con-
sdered highway robbery. and / fooled him. 1
tied q rope around Of the old steers horns
and got into a boat and made him swim into
the river The others all followed the leader,
and they went over like lot Of ducks. Never
jost ? bullock not a one, and 1t didn't cost me a
cent
Il Is related Of Mr.. Hewlett that he once fur
Hished the money for business enterprise
which vss TO he run by a man named Miller
Mr. Hewlett did not like the way things were
going. and he called his partner down rather
severely. Miller resented it.
See here" said Miller, you were TO furnish
the money for this enterprise and 1 was 10
furnish the brains"
That's just it." retorted Hewlett, It's too
darned onesided. / am the only one who is liv-
ing up 10 his contract"
Nj Hewlett has faced death several times,
but in spite Of the doctors predictions that he
would not live. he has always pulled through
and laughed at them.
I an ready at any time" says he. TO meet
ny Maker. I have a clear conscience, for
never beat 2 man out Of a cent did any one
an injury Hold on though. I did once in
horse trade in Indiana 1t about sixty
years ago, when fellow got the best of me