The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-13
Old Cronies Tell How the Father Of John D. Brough
Him Up---Gave Him His Time for $40
and Then Charged Him for Board.

NEW YORK, August 12.-Thc World.
which in its Sunday edition printed a
feature story on the fact that the VEN
is still living, though apparently not
given much. If any. attention by his
rich son, says to-day:
The self-effacement from affairs
which William A. ockefeller, aged
ninety-four years. has suffered while
his eldest son. John Dawson Rockefel-
Ter. accumulated millions enough to
make him the richest man in the world,
is still unexplained. The Worlds story
Yesterday telling of the efforts made
during eighteen months to discover the
whereabouts of this disowned father
caused a tremendous stir. The public
was surprised TO learn that John d.
Rockefeller had a father who was
still alive, as none had heard of him
in years.
The Characterization Of John D. by
his brother. Frank Rockefeller as "a
monster" came as less OF a surprise.
Those who know Frank Rockefeller
we'll know that for years he has
kept every business detail of his af-
fairs the closest kind of a secret. No
banker In Cleveland, no business man
but understands Frank Rockefeller's
position perfectly
Frank says" said the president OF
a national bank in Cleveland a year
ago to a World reporter. that every
time his brother John learns that
Frank has invested money in a. certain
enterprise, he uses all his influence and
the financial resources at his command
to wreck that enterprise. That is why
you Will be able to find no one who
will tell you where Frank Rockefeller's
money is Invested. To give the nfor-
nation would be to betray Frank
Frnnk, Fnvorite Son.
William A. Rockefeller the fathe
regards Frank as his favorite child
There is reason to believe, from wha
Frank Rockefeller has said to Worl,
reporters and from outside evidence
that when William A. Rockefeller i
finally discovered he will be found out
| spoken in his criticism OF his SON John
When World reporters were tracing
the first faint clue that looked as !
it might lead UP to the present where
abouts of William A. Rockefeller, o
Doc" as he was generally called Ii
| the old days, much time was spent ii
Strongsville and Parma. These farm
| ing communities, fifteen or twent,
| miles southeast OF tSicScidHu, hHCN
| William a. Rockefeller when he move
west from New York and where h
lived with his growing family for sew
| eral years before going to Cleveland
| 1t was here that John D. Rockefelle
| had his first romance. and the Worl
| reporters met and talked with Mrs
Joseph Webster, who, as Melinda Nil
Ter, was John D. Rockefeller's frs
sweetheart
John DIS First Romance.
When Melinda was a young girl sh
worked with William Hamilton an
his wife, Marcia, William A. Rookie
| feller's sister. Then Doc" Rockefelle
moved his family to house IN Par
ma on the Plank Road, and Melind
went along with them. John y. wa
then working in Cleveland, but J
came home frequently The famil
had not lived in Parma more tina
three weeks when Melinda's mothe
arrived from the Miller farm, an
took her daughter home.
"She nearly broke Strongsville !
two with the row she raised" is tn
| way the relatives describe 1t to-day.
The Millers, the Humistons, the Wei
sters all prosperous farmers, then an
to day, were more or less closely con
nected and related by marriage. IN
living heads Of the families to-da
went to school and played with job
d. and William and Frank Rockefel
] ler Only "Uncle Joe" Webster wa
{. contemporary with William A. tn
i father, and some of Webster's rem
niscences of the dashing, talkatlv
sport and quack doctor are interesting
II don't think he was ever hors
| thief" said Webster to the reportt
more than once. "Doc' was too SINAI
to take a chance on getting ARRESTED
He always had plenty of ways OF maH
ing money. and when he went ava
| on those long trips. I think he wa
treating cancer patients. tradln
horses and picking, up the dollars on
way and another. He was natura
! born ey-mnker. He liked to bet
a man In a trade and then brag abot
hit to him. He brought the boys v
that way too" 20
J. Henry M. Whitney, whose sister maj
. rIed William Humiston, son of WI
liam a. Rockefo,ler's sister. Is anothf
farmer of Strongsville who corrobt
rates the story that William A. Rockf
Teller IN bringing UP his boys incu
!. Gated in them the principle Which ma
been the ruling spirit In his own SUI
cessful financial career,
Making His Boys "sharp."
IT cheat 'em every chance get" O.
"Doc" Rockefeller said to Whitney
q the old days, referring to John
and the others Of his sons. II want
make .em sharp. + trade with ii
boys and skin EN-. and Just beat e
d T. Z z n