The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-04-29
In Loving Memory
FIFTY CENTS A DAY FOR
FOOD OF MILLIONAIRE


chapters in the strange life of Calvin
;Amory Stevens, millionaire eccentric
and recluse of Broad street, were un-
folded here today by Mrs. Jessie l.
Stevens, his widow, in an exclusive
interview with Universal service.
How Stevens, though the possessor
of a s15,O0Q0OO fortune, lived in a
single room in the financial district,
spent not more than so cents day
for food, and dressed so shabbily that
he was known in Wall street as the
"News boy" has already been re-
counted. But his relations with his
wife and daughter were until today
!. merely matter of conjecture.
Mrs. Stevens declared that she is
icertain her husband never executed
70 will.
"He had horror of DEATH" she
:tsaid. "He never even wished to speak
of it. Anything connected with death
! was distasteful to him. I am certain
The made no will"
I Mrs. Stevens, although she declares
she is. as years old, has the appear
ance of much younger woman. She
was thirty years younger than her
husband. Into the intimate atmos-
phere of the home the eccentric old
I millionaire brought his petty business
worries. Often he remained at work
in the dining room all night seeking
an elusive cent which prevented his
:lbooks from balancing, Mrs. Stevens
= said.
| The daughter, Kate, now 18, who
was married early this month to Rich
ard Pagan, 19-year-old Dartmouth
tstudent,ss enjoyed contact with the
| softef side of the refuses nature
However, Mrs. Stevens said, while
! Stevens begrudged his wife even mon
ev enoubh to run the house, he sell
I dom refused his daughter anything.
= {. Lived Separated
Z Mrs. Stevens admitted that she and
3her husband were separated at the
time of his death: She emphasized the
fact, however, that the arrangement
:wassemieahae.
/ sHe had his way Of living and;
1had mine," she said.
/ The widow. indicated the ill-kept
tlaWn with a gesture.
! .eThat doesn't look much like the
home Of, millionaire, does it," she
lsaid. "But people don't understand
lin the days gone by when my daugh'
lter, Jessie~now Mrs. Anthony Ds
I fSousa-and Kate were little ones ii
was different.
"Then we had servants and all the
Eluxuries we wanted. My husband low
led Jessie as much apparently as ne
! did his own daughter, Kate. He de-
lnied nothing to the two girls.
! "But as time wore on he became
fobsessed with the idea of the simple
life. He had a notion that everyone.
! regardless of what wealth they pos
Esessed, should dispense with Injuries
HE didn't believe in spending money
on anything not absolutely essential
'The nurses and maids and Other
servants all went one by one, unit.
we had to settle down to hum-drun!
existence. Of course we were never
/ in actual want, but we certainly die
mot live like millionaire's family
] ssMr. Stevens was so engrossed witt
business that he thought Of nothing
else. ] can recall many p time tina
4 he came home, fatigued, brain wear!
and actually i'll from oyerWork, bn'
the affairs which he left behind hin
Tin Broad street were constantly witt
, him. Night after night remember h'
\
i would sit up in the dining room unit
long after daylight pering over hi
/ books. / kept pleading with him t;
Igo to bed and save his health, but M
wouldn't listen. He would spend hou;
, lupon hour looking for single cent
L Kate Is Married
j. Mrs. Stevens then commented OF
: her daughters recent marriage tt
Richard Fagan.
} s'Kate is now married." she SAID
"she .eloped with Dick Pagan, Dart
, mouth boy, just ten days ago, and
/. do hope they will be wonderfully hap
, py.- 1 don't know much about Dick
II only met him once or twice betor'
7 the elopement and once since. Bu
: / have forgiven them. l understand
5 he is an estimable young man an'
comes of a good southern family.
4 81 don't know their plans. don
know whether Dick is going to tlnlsl