Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-08-15

Kansas has experienced in a dozen years
accompanied by a political upheaval of
seismic force. 1t was upon the brain of
Charles ]. Devlin that the clot formed,
just before his enormous monthly pay
roll VAS due and no other man in Kan
sas could have brought on so much trou-
bic by falling i'll as Deylin did.
In the first place he was rated the
richest man in the State up 20 the hour
that the bursting of a tiny blood vessel
in his brain caused an apoplectic stroke
his fortune being estimated at $3,000,
600 to $4000,Uo0. Then, his interests
were so diversified and geographically
scattered that crowding him into invol-
untary bankruptcy affected an uncom-
monty large number of people But the
great cause of his present troubles, and
those of thousands of others, was his
practice of relying on his memory. He
owned or controlled four banks-two in
Kansas and two in Illinos-and % other
corporations, among them two railroads.
The affairs of these 80 corporations he
carried in his head He had no knowl-
edge of bookkeeping, but possessed the
most implicit faith in his ability to keep
his financial bearings by the compass of
his memory. And, more is the wonder,
he kept them in that way successfully
until an accident happened to the com
pass, and then no one else aboard his
financial bark could make even a ra-
tional guess as to where they were In
few days they struck the rocks.
Unique Figure.
Devlin is a unique figure in finance.
He is st. Louisan by birth, 81 years of
age. AS young man he was clerk in a
coal office and eventually he became man.
ager of small coal company in north
ern Illinois. In 1889 he was made man
ager of the fuel properties of the Santa
Fe system, and when that company went
into a receivership Devlin leased its coal
properties. He acquired mines in Hi
nois, Missouri and Kansas When the
miners and the big coal companies had
trouble in 1897 Devlin sided with the
miners and kept his mines going, with
the result that he made money fast and
acquired other coal properties. He be-
came the richest man in Kansas, but good
fortune did not breed snobbery. He spoke
as pleasantly to a laborer in the street
whom he knew as to the Governor of the
State. Much comment has he caused by
lifting his hat to an old negro couple
of his acquaintance. Everybody looked
alike to Devlin. Another marked trait
was his desire to see young men sue
coed. He gave them a chance wherever
he could He lived in a pretty home,
with splendid flowers, and other evidences
of good taste, but no eXclusiyeness. He
enjoyed sitting ON the porch and having
the children romp on the lawn.
Work was his recreation and he was
a veritable engine. He was the busiest
man in the West. But he had no faith
in bookkeepers and stored all the details
of his business in his head. Most of
his concerns were making money, but all
were relying upon him as the motive
power to Keep them in operation. His
credit was large. State Treasurer Kelly
had $547 600 stored in one of his banks
the First National of Topeka.
A few weeks ago he gave out and was
forced to his bed. His mind became
MATT and he could not plan few days
ahead. When Devlin's brain stopped
working, his enterprises had to cease OPP
GRAFTON, for there was no one in the har-
ness who knew which way to turn. Three
of his four banks are in the hands of
receivers, 10 of his 26 corporations are
in bankruptcy, hundreds of bank deposit
ors are seeking return of their savings,
hundreds of coal miners are fearful lest
the Devlin mines shall be closed and
throw them and their families INTO the
clutches of want, and the people of the
State are in a fever of excitement on
account of the probable. The total liza
bilities of Devlin are estimated at 3d.
000 O00