New-York tribune., 1910-12-18
A VARIED CAREER
John w. De Kay Has Risen from
Printers Devil to Playwright.

can packing house, writer OF books on
metaphysics. and playwright is the varied
career of John Wesley De Kay. whose
drama Judas is to be produced for the
first time on any stage by Nine. Sarah
Bernhardt at the Globe Theatre next Sat-
urday night.
Mr.. De Kay arrived here from London
last Sunday. since when he has been busy
with rehearsals of his first play to be ac-
cepted by actor OF manager Mr. De Kay
gave up few of his busy moments at the
theatre the other day 10 talk with the
writer of this article Seated on a French
trunk Mr.. De Kay told Of many incidents
in his interesting life.
Born in a log cabin on the prairies OF
Iowa thirty-eight years ago. hs has lived
successfully in the United States. Mexico
and Europe. the past ten years Of his life
having been spent largely outside his
native country. His residence abroad
shows in his appearance and manner His
long hair, the soft quality of his voice and
his suavity of manner, although not neces-
sarily foreign. vet. combined with frequent
lapses into French monosyllables, stamped
him as one who had spent much time in
Europe. His penetrating eye, high cheek
bones, broad forehead and firm set jaw
showed the man who has lived on the
Western plains and suggested the keen
judgment and strong will of the man OF
affairs. Mr.. De Kay is short in stature,
has broad shoulders and is thick set. One
could at a glance that he had spent
much time in the saddle
In response to a question as to his
career, MIR. De Kay said:
II was born in log cabin on the prairies
of Iowa, near the little town of New Hamp-
ton. When very young man I went with
my family to the Black Hills of South
Dakota I worked my way through school
and secured job a printers devil Then
worked at the case a printer At
nineteen I became the owner of news
paper, The Whitewood Plain Dealer in
Whitewood, S. D. AT twenty-one !
owned two more papers, The Northwest
ern Live Stock Journal and the 'Bells
Fourche Bee Although these papers wes
published in a little town of 500 people, IN
the main street of which the brambles and
the thistIes grew one paper was as large
as the average city newspaper, had largo
circulation covering four states. and con-
tanned several pages of advertisements
gathered from all over the world
.At twenty-four purchased several daily
and weekly newspapers in the neighborhood
of Chicago, which I published successfully
for some years. At twenty-six i sold out
NY interests and began the establishment
in Mexico of the first packing house, cold
stores and refrigerator meat cars in Mexico.
The business was known as the Mexican
National Packing Company, and was ex-
tended under my direction throughout the
country. 1t is now being reOrganized-
also under my direction-in order better TO
cope with the foreign export OF all kinds
of timed meat. hams. bacon. etc 1t was
among the largest and quite the most
modern packing house in the world, with
the finest system of cold stores and retail
shops TO be found anywhere
II have published two books on meta
physics" he said. "One is entitled Long
ings' and the other The Weaver Both
are unique and deal with the strange tnlns
we call life. Judas is the first play OK
mine that is TO be acted. and IL Is great
satisfaction that the foremost artist Of the
world should care TO take the title rois
and think the play worth doing we'll l
know that the story of Judas as I have
written it is humanity true. for i have
lived it. The only apology that 1 have 70
make is that I am tardy biograpnsr
of Judas / have written several other
plays which / have never presented 70
managers or actors. One deals with peii1-
cal and constitutional questions IN me
United States. 1t is as unique IN It's way
as Judas is in its way. 1t is an historlcai
drama which concerns the future and not
the past. We may all have our oplnions
as to the past, and we may make a guess
as to the future My other play Is
tragedy of London life"
Mr.. Dekay purposes TO remain IN this
city for a few weeks. Then he viii 80
;,,%z rhSpDk
After time in Mexico he will return -
Europe. where he has a place in London
and another on the outskirts of Paris
In establishing a home in France Mr.
De Kay follows a natural course, for ne =
the descendant of an ancient family of
Picardy, whose central fortress was tho
famous Chateau de Couey, built in tho
tenth century He belongs to the Prot
estant branch Of the family which was
driven from Ghent by the Spanish inqusf-
tion in the sixteenth century, seeking ref'
uge first in London and later in Haarlem.
Holland. The head of the branch. Gul-
laume De Kay. was one of the lord directors
of the Dutch West India Company, ana
his son. Willem, born in London and edu-
Gated in Haarlem, was the first 10 como
to America, settling at New Amsterdam
He was treasurer OF the colony in 164i- Hi'
descendants became large land owners
merchants and common councilmen In
early New York, and one OF these. the in'-
mediate ancestor of John ". De Kay. ws'
Michael, the fourth son Of Thomas IV
Kay. of Wawayanda, colonel OF the OfA's
County Horse Brigade IN the fls
war Michael had farms in suilsaA
County. n. Y. Mr.. De Rays grand'a'ne''
Richard De Kay. moved to White LAAs
n. V. where. on March 5. 1872. John =.
Kay Che father of the author OF "Juu1s
was born.