Evening star., 1944-05-17
George AIDE, 78, Famed Hoosier
Wit, Dies After Iona Illness

Vu,DIGS AIteT
PIoywrieht-Author
Entertained Nation
For Half q Century
BY the Associated Press.
BROOK. Ind, May 17.-George
Ade, one of the Nations most famed
authors and humorists whose liter
ary career extended over a half
century, died last night at 78. He
had been in a comatose condition
since last Saturday when he suf-
fered his third heart attack within
week
Mr.. Ade had been ailing for al
most year, suffering a stroke last
June which caused him temporary
paralysis Of one arm and one leg.
That illness forced him, for the first
time in 81 years. to abandon his an
nual winter visits to Florida and
he remained in his native Indiana
throughout the winter
He died in a rented house in
Brook, seven miles from his native
Kentland and near his farm house,
Hazeldon.
With Mr.. Ade at the time of his
death was James D. Rathbun. a
friend who had managed the au-
thor's affairs for nearly Is years.
A sister, Mrs. Warren r. McCray
of Kentland, widow of former
Indiana Governor, survives, as we'll
as several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 2 pm.
Friday, at Mr.. AIDES farm home.
Short tributes are planned by Presi-
dent Edward C. Elliott Of Purdue
University, Cartoonist John r.
McCutcheon and Baseball Commis-
sioner Kenesaw Mountain Lands.
Six of Mr.. AIDES nephews will be
pallbearers and burial will be in a
cemetery at Kentland.
The Hoosier author, who once said
his father sent him to an engineer
ing school to prepare him for a
literary career, was most prolific
writer in everything but gloom and
the celebrated wit had played on
the world funnybone through sew
eral mediums-newspapers, maga-
zines, books, plays and movies.
"Fables in Slang"
Mr.. AIDE was perhaps best known
for his satirical Fables in Slang"
the first of which appeared in 1897,
10 years after his graduation from
Purdue University where the Ross
Ade Stadium bears his name as a
tribute to his many literary achieve
ments.
His newspaper career began in
Lafayette at Sc a week. but he moved
to Chicago to join the staff of the
Morning News and his fraternity
brother, Mr.. McCutcheon, who once
said their salaries could never quite
catch up with their debts and their
only extravaganza was to spend IS
cents for a chrysanthemum when
Purdue's football team came to play
Chicago.
An explosion of lake steamer in
Chicago harbor in 1893 gave Mr.
Ade an assignment that established
him as a top-ranking newspaper
man. Later he went to work for the
Chicago Record, where his foible-
laden character sketches on "Artie,"
Pink Marsh" and DOC Horne" be-
gan appearing in 1895.
Wrote Stage Comedies.
The much-anthologized fables fol-
lowed, and then a series of stage
comedies. In 1902 The Sultan of
Sulu" was produced in Chicago and
was a smash hit. In the next year
came Peggy From Paris" and THE
County Chairman" both successful.
In 1904 he had two more successful
plays The Sho-Gun," and The
College Widow" There were as
many as three companies on the
road at one time playing The Col
lege Widow" Later 1t was turned
into a musical comedy and, still
later, used as a movie.
Holding that creative writing was
a drain, he began as early as 1898 to
buy farm land near Brook. Starting
with 800 acres, he finally acquired
1000. He built residence in the
old English beam and plaster style.
Nearby he constructed a golf course.
His work for the movies consisted
of a number of scenarios, for the
silent films, written between 1921
and 1928.
Dodged InAiana's Weather.
He spent most of his time at the
estate, entertaining with frequent
house parties. In later years he
wintered in Florida. He insisted he
would be happy to stay the year
around in Indiana. but complained:
There is no climate there: Just an
assortment Of unexpected weather"
He wrote little in the last few
years. He tried some Modern
Fables" but said he found it hard
to keep at work and accused himself
of being lazy.
Mr.. Ade was born at Kentlsnd,
February 8, 1866. He attended the
schools there. entered Purdue Uni
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