The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-28
LIFE O. ADLAI
{. STEVENSON

s-parf series on fhe life of
Adlai e. Stevenson. Democratic
nominee for President, covers
his career from boyhood 10
| World War ILL.,
| BY ROGER r. LANE
| SPRINGFIELD, Ill. "a tragi,
episode marred the boyhood d
Adlai E. Stevenson in his 18th
year.
A rifle he held discharged un.
expectedly, fatally wounding a
cousin by marriage, Ruth Mary
Merwin, on Dec. 30, 1912. The
death was ruled accidental at a
coroner's inquest the next day.
This is what happened.
A teen-age party was arranged
for friends of Adlai's older sister,
Elizabeth. Adlai was given an
early supper but permitted to join
the guests afterward. Meantime,
the parents left the house to call
on neighbors.
One of the guests was a student
at military academy home for
the Christmas holidays. Adlai was
sent to get out a % caliber rifle,
and the academy youth proceeded
to entertain the others by demon.
strating the manual of arms after
examining the weapon to make
sure the magazine and chamber
were empty. The inspection proved
faulty.
When Adlai sought later to du-
plicate the manual of arms rou-
tine, the rifle fired and the bullet
pierced the Merwin' girls fore
head.
Investigation afterward indicat-
ed that a cartridge in the maya
zine, unobserved, had chambered
perhaps when the but of the rifle
banged the floor in handling.
1t fired when the weapon was
iolted a second time.
Last winter, Stevenson told a
reporter the incident hadn't been
mentioned to him and that he had
spoke of it to no one in the 80
years that had then elapsed.
He was asked to relate the story,
and did so.
On finishing elementary school,
Adlai attended high school in Nor
NAL, ILL.,. twin city to Bloomington.
His scholastic record was not par
ticularly impressive, and after
graduation he was refused admit
lance to Princeton University.
He enrolled at Choate School in
Wallingford, Conn, to brush up
on the university entrance re-
quirements. There, he edited the
Chcate News, laying the ground
work for newspaper activity that
was to occupy him before the law,
and finally politics, superseded.
Stevenson still owns a quarter
interest in the Bloomington Panta-
graph, prosperous daily in his
home town. He resigned as vice
president and a director of the
paper after his election as COVER
nor.
He cracked Princeton on the Sec
ond try. His chief distinctions there
were appointment as managing
editor of the Daily Princetonian,
election to the Senior Council and
placing third In a senior poll to
pick the biggest politician"
The nickname Rabbit" was ap-
piled to Adlai by roommates. II
was inspired by his partiality for
garden foods and his appearance
while devouring them.
Friends say that even now when
he tackles salad Adlai's jaws
work with unusual rapidly, his
nose witches and his ears wiggle
perceptihly.
He graduated from Princeton
and studied at Harvard Law
School for two years. His depar-
ture from Harvard was occasioned
by the death of an uncle, 'Hibbord
o. Davis, who had managed the
Paragraph.
Adlai. who inherited a share OF
the paper, returned to take a hand
In running II.
Stevenson spent a couple of
years in various editorial capaci.
ties, but grew restless and decid-
ed TO continue the study of law.
He entered Northwestern Univer.
sisy Law School and earned his
degree.
With his schooling over, Steven.
son set cut for another look AT
Europe before settling down.
Abroad. he was struck by the
idea Of getting an exclusive inter
view with Foreign Minister Chi.
cherin 81 Russia on the then con.
troveTssal new economic policy.
He obtained newspaper creden4
tials and made his way To Mos
cora. sravsaing through Batum, Tif.
lis. Baau. Kiev and R0stcv.
For meath, he called almost
daily Ut the Foreign Office bat
sever succeeded In reaching Chi
- ,s.s~4