The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-02
CHARLEs .. DEVLIN.

CHARLES j. DEt LIN.
When the news of the death of c.
10. Devlin was posted in the State
Journals bulletin window shortly
after > O'Clock Wednesday afternoon
people could scarcely credit it. Re
ports of Mr. Devlin's Improvement in
health have been very uniform, and
since his landing in America on his
return from his European trip 1t has
been stated by his close friends that
his recovery was complete. The pub
lie was therefore unDreDared for the
shock of his death, inasmuch as it was
unknown that he was even i'll.
This is the tragedy that climaxes
the collapse of the financial structure
which Mr.. Devlin spent his life in
building Whatever may have been
the state of Mr.. Devlin's mind. there
can he no doubt that worry over the
loss of his fortune and the trouble that
it caused brought ON his sudden de-
misc.
There have been many bitter things
said about Mr. Devlin during the past
few months many of them perhaps
more OF. less deserved. but it must be
admitted that Charles J. Devlin was
himself very charitable man. and for
tltc-t ee4S1ll Tx AllAt4iA ilAeAAAltC u NAAeA
ity viii fan over his faults. He was
man who said little about his good
deeds, yet there be not a few who
have cause for gratitude for the kind
Illness of Mr.. Devlin. IN his dealings
with his hundreds and thousands of
employees he was ever just to his men,
and for years he has been noted as
one of the few great coal operators
n 9h0T diff
Guilty.
Mr.. Devlin was undoubtedly a man
of great business capacity. From
poor Irish lad he worked his way up
until he had the reputation of being
the richest man in Kansas" and his
mining. banking, railroad and COM
merciaI interests represented several
good-sized fortunes and gave employ
ment to small army of men. The
details of all these interests, to q. large
extent, he carried in his head, and this
fact doubtless fastened the collapse
that finally resulted in his death.
Mr.. Devlin took precautions to pro-
teet his business against the event of
his death by carrying a heavy life in
surance. In this respect he exercised
admirable foresight. but he did not
health and the loss of his ability to
give his affairs his personal attention.
He was one of the very few men in the
entire country-not more than three
or four-whO carried more than a
million dollars of life Insurance. Had
MI. Devlin survived and retained full
possession of his physical and mental
powers he would probably have re-
cuperated his fortunes in the course
of years sufficiently to have paid off his
obligations. By reason of his fore
sight in carrying a large life insurance,
unless his affairs are too badly in
VOWED. the same end is largely accom-
pished by his death.
Men had great faith in him and this
fact proved his undoing His credit
was too good. Like many another
man. he borrowed beyond his ability
to repay, and the Inevitable crash fol-
lowed. In his faith in his enterprises
and his eagerness to carry them for
ward. he was not particular 9 bout
those whose money he used, never
dreaming may be that he would be
unable to make good.
He probably never took a dollar
that he did not intend to make good.
He went beyond his depth.
His demise is really a pitiable end
ing to a business career, had it been
successful, would have been one of the
marvels of this commercial period.