New-York tribune., 1912-01-13
'STYLE Of M|LL|ONA|RES
TOO MUCH FOR M'DEWTT
In Danger of Starving at the
Waldorf Until He Thinks of
Scrambled Eggs.
COMES ON A SPECIAL TRAIN
Man from Wilkes Barre, Despite
Disappointment, Means TO
Stick to Plan to Spend al
His Money Here.

special thrcc-car Pullman train that
cost him 5000, and by the grace Of taxi
cabs and other labor saving devices he
struggled on until he fluttered into the
gildcd halls Of the Waldorf Astoria with
81 200 in his pockets and in nis head the
determination TO spend the same in three
days. for the sole purpose Of going
, broke" and at the same time see #
hC can feel IS a millionaire feels.
ANY man who has money must be
selfish" he said. Therefore. the only
way to be unsclfsh is to be broke"
Almost stranger than this, however. is
the way in which McDcvitt came into
possession Of 5000
Sometime reporter. kitchen hand,
tramp, vagrant ana all the time town
character of Canaan Corners. Wayne
County Penn, McIrvitt got himself
nominated, by way Of joke on the di-
rect primary system as practiscd there.
TO be the Democratic candidate :or
County Treasurer. defeating Bolton G.
Coon, the regular party choice. rich
contractor What is more. the party
managers figured that McDcvtt would
get elected. counting that IL FER cent Of
the vote was Irish and was as solid as
the South in voting the Democratic
ticket, whoever the candidate might bc.
So they went to McDcvitt and offered
him 81, 800 TO rclinquish his hold on an
$S,OoO-a-ycar job. whose responsibilities
he dreaded in his inner soul and whose
financial profit he dcspiscd. So he took
the s.. 800 and left the party managers
20 their wilcs undisturbcd by any more
comedy
Then tire Money Was a Burden.
But the burden Of that 5000 lay
heavy on his soui-not because OF the
way il came. but simply because II was
money.
Hating monev. he said, he started 10
hate that $500 in the most thorough
fashion Of which he could think and
that was to spend il In wads.
The first wad was for the special train.
and no potentate Of hard earned millions
ever travelled in more lordly style than
did John Jay McDcvitt. sometime and
now yagrant. potato pceicr or anything
you please. In his dash for the place
where moI,y is spent faster than most
other places. At his behcst one Of the
biggest OF the railroad compIHy's en-
gines was coupled TO a threc-Car train.
q rl..r,l O. f..yg mi I4a
along the route reserve engines were
held on sidines with steam up, like eager
relay horses, ready TO jump N II any
thing happened To the engine with which
he started. and what might have been "a
record breaking run but for the storm Of
yesterday was begun. with negro valet
named O'Laughiin, friend named Dr.
l. a. Sweeney and a passenger agent Of
the road in personal attendance.
McDcvitt said in a speech at Wilkes
Barre that he would run for Mayor
when he got back, at Allentown ne said
he would run for Congress and al Easton
he announced himself candidate for
President, but when he reached New
York he put aside all worldly aspirations
and declared for the simple life, and New
York is where the real story begins for
it was here that he put the millionaire's
life in the balancc-and found it wanting.
Broke" Once in New York.
THE last time came to New York"
ne said. Il got "a room on the BOwery
for % cents, ana that left me broke
This time I'm going to the Waldorf with
$1,000 in my pocket, and I'm going just
as broke"
He told the clerk at the Waldorf that
he was willing to pay dollar for
room and did not care where 1t was as
long as the pipe didn't leak. but ne didn't
vince. however, when told that the room
would cost SO.
He was greeted as he sauntcrcd down
the corridor By some real silk hat mill
among them as cordially as If he were
one. too
You know. those. fellows haven't
really anything cn me-" he said They
are dissatisfied with what they've got
and SO am I-only they want more and
want less"
There was no OStcntatiOn I'm anything
he did, for he did not seem to wish TO
create the impression Of one who had
never lived anywhere else but in gilded
halls all his life
You order. Doc" " he said when he
Oh
The doctor ordered. 1t was oysters
on the half shell.
"Oh, something else" McDevitt said:
Il can't eat that"
So DOC" tried again. This time IL
was fish, for it was Friday. and Nc
Dewitt is nothing If he isn't a good
churchman--to be precise, it was "filet
of sole, Phileas Gilbert" but John did
not know that-he only judged by looks.
Gee whiz. l can't eat that" he
moaned, giving one look at the elabo-
rate dish, with its garnishments OF
strange device, and Doc" had TO select
this and that until he had to give up
the job.
say. waiter" McDevitt finally cried
in despair. Bring me scrambled eggs
and coffee
And so it was
mo" he said, this life is not for me.
Give me the simple life again when this
is over
He was asked what he thought Of New
York women and he said they had too
much paint and powder on their faces.
MY advice TO a girl who weighs two