New-York tribune., 1912-01-14
i. N'DEWTT, BROKE y
RETURNS TO SIMPLE LIFE
WiIkes.Barre Man Had Five
Cents Left After Buying
Ticket for Home.
MAKES SPEECH IN THEATRE
r.Ils Audience He Got His Money
Through Politics -Devotes
Afternoon to Flying Trip
to New Haven and Yale.

1osn Jay McDevitt returned to this city
.om a flying trip to New Haven a little
'rsr 10 o'clock last night, and closed his
..nerinent of trying to find out with $500
80 q millionaire feels. Though his fund
"a run low, yet he was game for one last
.oIurge. His final expenditure was for
~ AZ the Astor Theatre. where The Red
widow" is playing.
The audience hailed his entrance with de-
rsbt Raymond Hitchcock invited him to
.,sn M and tell how II felt TO be famous,
"a the Pennsylvania spendthrift was not
.ioW In climbing over the footlights. Nor
.as he lacking in stage presence. for he
rss entirely at his ease as he told the
audience that he had not been able to
r.arse his sudden fame
an tell you, though he said in his
roujnc irish brogue, "how got my money.
II was politics. The bosses bought me off
because they knew I'd be elected. II was
,ssv Nv opponents were both Dutchmen
I'm thinking it's not the first time that one
tr,shnan has beaten two Dutchmen.
when McDevitt came out Of the theatre
h. took stock His capital was exactly
sass. The fare TO Wilkes Barre in day
,osch without frills of any kind is 81 so.
The spcnder took one last look at Broad
,ay and. waving a farewell TO New York,
started for Jersey City. When asked his
d,stinstion he replied Wilkes Barre and
the simple life
when he arrived at the station he bought
Me ticket for home and departed on the
40 train. His assets at that time we're
Hr in
happy He was broke"
McDsyitt fed in The afternoon 10 New
Haven to set a bit OF college atmosphere
,nto his experience before lis fling was over.
II was not his fault that he did not make
this trip in a special Jhree-car Pullman, in
the same style that he came 10 New York,
for with all the confidence Of his heeting
wealth he ordered a special train, but found
the railroad unwilling to provide for it in
rs crowded schedule. Then he tried 10
compromise on a special parlor car at
tached to the o'clock express. and Kept
his secretary making lie uneasy for the
railroad officials trying TO persuade them
TO accommodate him.
When he walked into the Grand Central
Station at o'clock his secretary greeted
him with a crestfalle1 air.
where Is my special carr" McDevitt
asked easily.
There aint none" the secretary replied
The company said they wouldn't hook any
special to an eXpress'--
What cried McDevitt in dismay. "Mc
riie with the common people in an ordinary
az? Ssv. II takes SONS influence to live
S=wf .
rree.yary. But, say. on the level don
lre this common style Of trave'.'
Brt he stuck to his intention TO go ana
iqltcI aboard his train along with the
,emn,oa people, with as good grace as he
,sul6 assume. although he plainly feit MS
,t.op He had never seen college, he
sad. ard row that he was in the colege
chg slass for a few hours he did not want
ie rajss okins at Yale University through
q millionaires eyes.
= have been pretty we'll through the col
Of NE" he unused. and got my edu-
,.,i,n in the raw. I'd just like 10 have a
l.ol, Al this factory where the minions Of
fortune get theirs in predigested form
Tb,re was a big fly in the ointment yes
r3s;. for John Jay Fle was actually ap-
.,o.,i,ed with a theatrical offer-a 1900 Of
fer I'm fact. for weeks engagement. But
l,o spurned Il with as harsh words as one
Of his mild manner could command.
Me rake money for this?' he cried
How could ! face my friends if did that:
| am on the level in this thing did 1T be-
cause l was dead sick and tired watching
the world roll over in the same old way.
am going back broke; that is all there Is 10
f. and / don't intend to make a cent out oil
r. 1 don't want to commercialize H.
But IL was through disillusioned eyes that
he looked on life yesterday. He was cloyed
with the way millionaires live. and 1t was
only grit that was carrying him through
Man. there is nothing in IT," he declared
"r am tired of this high life game.
haven't drunk anything. or sorged myself