The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1921-04-29
SECRET SORROW CAUSES MILLION
ARE T0LIYE AND DIE AS MISER
Even Widow Cannot Explain
Wall Street Mystery
BY r. n. WHITNEY

Bensonhurst, l.. L., April 29.-What
VISA the secret sorrow that so domi-
mated the life of Calvin Amory Stew.
ems that it turned him from a
buoyant, loving husband and father,
into bitter, miserly old man?
Why did he abandon his beautiful
home and forsake his charming wife
and daughter, to live in garnet.
hovel atop a dilapidated business
building in the heart OF the Wall
Street district I?
Stevens, the miser, died suddenly
in Trinity hospital Brooklyn, on
March 20. Screaming and prot sting
against the INVASION OF the police,
he had been forcibly taken TO the
hospital only after his janitor-super-
intendent feared he would die of
starvation. Starvation however, did
not kill him; heart disease did.
Asks Allowance
A simple court proceeding brought
later by his widow, revealed that Stev-
ems had left behind upward of $4,000.
goo in cash, bonds, real estate, coal
mines in Virginia and mineral dapos-
its in western states.
No will has been found.
The court action of his widow con-
sisted of an affidavit filed in probate
court asking for $4,000 year from
her husbands estate for the support
and education OF their daughter. Kate,
49,"
She submitted to the court that
Kate recently became the bride of
Richard Fagan, 19, student at Dart.
mouth college, whose home is in Gal
weston. Texas.
Kate has been a student at Miss
Saywood's School, Overlook, Phila
delpha. She met Pagan at school
hops. The youngsters eloped.
Marries Widow
It was while living in a modest
boarding house in Hoboken that Stew
ems fell in love witllsxsiyoung widow
and married her. Together they went
to Densonhurst, where he erected a
costly home. Within two years Kate
was born. .<.
Then came a wierd change in Stew
ems life. '~.t.
For years he limited himself to so
cents day for food, patched his shoes
himself with cardboard, and scurried
forth at night to collect newspapers
and tin cans which he sold in the
morning to junk dealers. " "~.~.
. s.--r- n Wsfe's STORY e&..4 >-..2
But let his wife tell her story as
she told it to me:
"In the early days it was all so
different. Then we had all the
luxuries our hearts desired.
81 had daughter, Jessie, when |
married Mr. Stevens. She is now Mrs.
Anthony de Sousa, and her husband
is an electrical engineer in Brazil.
my husband loved Jessie as his
own daughter. He was devoted to
both girls, Jessie and Kate, and de-
MED them nothing. But there was
some sorrow in his heart-he never
would tell me what.
'As time wore on my husband be-
came obsessed with the idea that
everyone. no matter how rich, should
dispense with all luxuries. He or
dered plain foods and said we must
not spend money for anything that was
not absolutely necessary.
Then came the time when we dis
pensed with our household employees
and settled down to hum-drum ex.
istence.
Money Mania
"Mr Stevens became engrossed
with his business He thought OF
nothing else. 1t became mania with
him.
II can recall many time when nc
came home actually i'll from overwork,
but he wouldn't rest. Might after
night he would sit up until long after
daybreak, poring over his books and
his satchels of money.
81 have heard his racking cough,
and often went downstairs and plead
ed that he: 90 to bed to save his
health. But, no.
There were times when he bluntly
informed me that his books were l
cent out of the way Mind you;--just
1 cent. l dropped a penny on the
floor picked it up and handed it to
him saying Why, here is the differ
'ence.
but he was not satisfied.
Often He Wept
"Often would walk into the library
to find him sitting alone, his eyes
filled with tears, sobbing Historically.
''IIe adopted his mode OF living, ana
adhered to it. while I chose to con-
tinue here with my children.
"Mr. Stevens owned 100000 acres in
Virginia and had a home there, with
servants and everything that mans
wealth could afford. He also main
tanned a room in hotel in New YORK;
but that in his business, believe, was
necessary.
81 tried with all the love in my
heart to make him take care OF HIM
self, to preserve his health.
Finally, I made up my mind not to
interfere in anything he did.
81 am sure he left no. will. ! and
all others who knew him will under
stand what a terrible horror he had
of death. He didn't want to speak
of it, and the subject of WillJ ne
once said, was to invite death