Evening star., 1937-05-24
Special Train Will Carry
Body to PoCantico Hills
From Florida.
RITES TO BE PRIVATE
AT HOME WEDNESDAY
Immediate Members of Famil,
Are Absent as Death Comes
Suddenly.
Sketches and pictures OF Rookie
teller's life on page AS.
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
ORMOND BEACH, Fla, May "a
John D. Rockefeller, ST., the founder
Of the worlds greatest dollar
dynasty" lay stilled in death today
just 26 months short of his cherished
desire to live to be 100.
He would have been SO years old
July 8.
The aged capitalist died Sunday
morning at 4:05 o'clock, E. S. T., at
his Winter home, The Easements,
drifting peacefully of to his final
sleep after complaining that he felt
very tired"
His physician, DR.. Harry L. Merry
Gay, attributed death to sclerotic myo-
carditis, hardening OF the heart
muscles
The nonagenarian Croesus, who
rose from a $4.5O-a-week clerk to
mastership Of fortune estimated as
high as s2,4oo,ooo,ooo, died a COM
paratively poor man."
family spokesman said he left a
relatively small, very liquid" estate.
Long ago, since his retirement from
active business at the age of 81, he
had turned the bulk of his fabulous
riches over to his only son, John D.
Rockefeller, jr., or spread-eagled it in
philanthropic endowments to the far
ends OF the earth.
Gave Away $53o,s3o, 900.
In his lifetime, out Of the golden
torrent that gained him the SOU
briquet Of the greatest money Titan"
in all history, he had given away the
amazing sum Of $530,83O,000.
Other gifts by his son raised the
total to more than $700,00O,0O0.
A special train was ready today to
take the elder Rockefeller's body to
his home in Pocantico Hills, N. Y,
where a simple private funeral will
be held Wednesday. Burial will fol-
low on Thursday in Cleveland, where
in 1855 he trudged the streets for six
weeks before he landed his first Job
as bookkeeper's assistant.
Death came suddenly and unex-
pectedly to the aged one-time master
of millions. No immediate members
Of his family were present.
Despite his age, he had been in
comparatively good health all Winter.
He had outlived more than 20 ply
sicians who attended him, down the
years, and he was pronounced a fine
physical specimen" for his age when
examined last June at his Lake.
wood, N. j., estate by DR.. Eugene
Herbener.
The ravages Of nearly a century
the first half passed in tumultous
conflict In amassing his colossal for
tune from oil, mines, coal, railroads
and myriad of other flelds-had
forced him to curtail his activities.
He had forsaken his gdf, his church.
going and his whimsical practice of
giving away shiny new dimes. But
his hope of becoming full-fedged
centenarian seemed likely to be full
filled.
Complaint Of SIeeplessness.
Then, last Friday, he became rest
less. He complained that he could
not sleep. His condition was re-
garded by no means as alarming,
however, and he was taken down.
stairs in an elevator and wheeled out
into the garden. For several hours
he basked in the Florida sunshine and
appeared refreshed.
On Saturday morning he conferred
briefly with his senior secretary, Ward
Madison.
Il am very tired" he said wistfully.
At noon John D. Rockefeller. jr.,
made a routine telephone call from
New York and was assured there was
lSee ROCKEFELLER, Page A-4.l