Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-23
LIVES ON So A WEEK
Ex-LIEUT. ]. W. 0RAYDON, q. s.
NJ, HAPPY DESPITE POVERTY.

his FIVE little children, Lieut.. James Weir
Graydon former United States naval officer
and the inventor, he says. of "cordite." one
of the most powerful explosives in modern
warfare. now used by the British govern
| ment, has been living on s. a week. Lieut.
Graydon declares that his children have
| been healthy and happy and are well or
with him.
Mr.. Graydon's wife died in London two
years ago. Since then he has had the sole
care of the children. The women Of the
Organised Aid Association and the Society
| for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Children.
who have tided the family over in their
| financial distress, do not agree with Lieut..
| Graydon that the children are. well or
with him. The motherly officers Of the 30
| cities do not think that man with hts time
| and thoughts devoted to charts. maps. mod
els and mechanics Is the best domestic
| guardian for young children.
They want me to give up my children:
| said the inventor yesterday. with tears in
| his eyes, but shall not shall fight such
action to f1nfSh.'
In the chart-covered parlor of the humble
| little home in the rear of No. 81 Gregory
street. Jersey City. Lieut.. Graydon yester-
| day talked to q reporter about his inven-
| lions, which, he said had made him con-
siderable money and would yet make money
| for him and, incidentally, revolutionize the
| scientific world.
| His Lies Dream.
| While the father talked of his life's dream
| the pretty children listened reverentially,
and they. too, no doubt, speculated on that
day when their parents dream would be
realized and they would be as rich as the
| children in the story books.
| Lieut.. Graydon receives a pension of SO
| a month from the government as veteran
| of the civil war. This pension money has
! been chiefly expended for medicines for the
children and pencils and blue prints for
| the father. The family's income for living
| expenses Is derived from the A-a-week SAL
| airy earned by the lieutenants eldest child,
Marjorie. fifteen years old, as clerk in an
advertising office In upper Manhattan. One
dollar a week Of this she has to spend in
carfare. leaving the net totai practical in
! is now being paid by the Organized Aid
Association.
The Children's Society officials say they
will place the little ones in more comfort
able and permanent surroundings, but the
father, proud when he wore the gold
braided uniform of lieutenant fifteen years
ago. hopeful that every day will bring re-
ward for his years of work and planning,
declares he will keep them with him.
Would Not Part With Them.
Nothing can induce me to part with my
Children continued the inventor. glancing
fondly from the bright-eyed boy to the red
tracings of machinery on the wall. Il am
SoIIy ever dppfleu 10 the SOClely-l WOuiQ
not have done it If had thought they
would make such fuss about 1t. Why.
those women even suggested that might
probably get into Snug Harbor, and, to
comfort me. said 1 would have ali my time
then for my work. But meantime we will
get along until something turns up.
You see, there Is chance that my new
invention will be adopted. 1t will revolu-
tionize steam, and goes away ahead Of the
Parsons turbine. It Is perfectly practica-
BILE. Then / am expecting the back pay on
my pension, for which 1 applied q few
months ago. I was in England the time
the pension bill was passed. and am en-
titled to pay for those intervening years.
which amounts to 81. 100"
Graydon Is sixty years old. He enlisted
with the 7th cavalry when he was fifteen. 1
in the navy and was promoted to lieu
tenancy. During the TOnquin war In the
eighties Graydon was on service at the
China station. The viceroy Of Canton
learned of his ability an inventor and
operator of torpedoes and made con-
tract with him to take charge of the forts
and plan the defense OF Canton.
Graydon says that the British have
cheated him out of thousands of dollars
by appropriating three of his most success
full inventions-the dynamite cloth, dynamite
rope and dynamite pellet. He declares that
while in England he made the acquaint
ance of Lieut. Walter B. Bassett, royal
navy (retired). who. he charges. made more
than million dollars from the "Graydon
amusement Wheel, Dullt On the plan OF the
Ferris wheel, which Graydon alleges to
have patented He says he engaged Bas-
sett as contractor and that Bassett formed
stock company, barring him from partici-
pating in the profits He says he secured a
Judgment, after years Of fighting, from the
house Of lords, establishing his right to
royalties on the wheels constructed, but
that the judgment was not fulfilled.
On his return to this country early this
year Graydon appealed to the United States
government to take up his fight. and has
filed a memorial Of his case, with all the