Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-10-13

luSty health enthusiast, who OBJ.
served his $50 birthday by para
|chuting $500 feet into the
nearby Hudson River.
While In his early sos, Mr..
Macfadden still piloted his own
plane and enjoyed fast games
of tennis. He spurned medicines,
whisky. tobacco and white bread,
and avoided doctors.
It was his regular habit to 60
without food for one day a week,
frequently fasting as long as two
weeks, but drinking q lot Of
water during these periods.
Mr.. Macfadden, who was born
near Mill Springs. Mo-, August 10,
1858. launched his career by
teaching physical culture at the
|age Of 10. He demonstrated q
home exerciser at the Chicago
Worlds Fair In 1893 and later
went on the road selling an ex-
Iercising device Of his own
design.
Started With Booklet
He took up lecturing and
wrote q health booklet, which
he later published on o regular
basis.
From this grew his famed
Physical Culture Magazine. ded-
icated TO physical well-being
through diet and exercise.
The magazine was started in
1899 and caught on after two
or three years. Mr.. Macfadden
then branched out in the pub
fishing field with other maya
zines far removed from physical
culture.
Mr.. Macfadden's first and sec
ond marriages. to Marguerite
Kelly and Mary Williamson.
respectively. ended in divorce.
He was estranged from his third
and last wife, Mrs. jennie Lee.
Mr.. Macfadden came to New
Jersey. where he lived in q mod
est Jersey City hotel. when a New
York court held him In contempt
for failure to pay alimony and
counsel fees to his third wife.
Meanwhile. his second wife
was seeking to prevent him from
disposing Of d residence at En-
Iglewood, N. j.. which she claimed
belonged to her under q separa-
ton agreement.
Said He Was Broke
Mr.. Macfadden said he was
broke and that he gave all his
money to a health foundation
bearing his name. He spent three
days in a Jersey City jail last
April when unable to raise $20,-
900 bond In his third wife's ali
lmony case. She obtained a writ
preventing him from leaving New
Jersey until settlement of her
claim.
A public relations man for Mr..
Macfadden and the family has
said the ex-publisher's estate
would be less than 5000.
Mr.. Macfadden was a small.
wiry man. He stood 5 feet 6
inches in height. and weighed
around las pounds throughout
his adult life.
With all his activities. he found
time to dabble in politics. In
1886. he aspired to the Repub-
llican nomination for President.
Four years later he sought the
Democratic nomination of United
States Senator from Florida and
ran a good race. Eight years
later he tried for the Democratic
nomination for Governor.
MFR. Macfadden's surviving
children are:
Mrs. Helen M. Wiegers, Larch-
mont, N. Y: Mrs. Braunda st.
Phillip Of Englewood. N. j.; Mrs.
Byrnece Muckerman, New York;
Beulah Macfadden of Dansville,
N. Y; Beverly Macfadden Of
California, and two sons, Berwyn,
New York hotel executive. and
Brewster of Teaneck. secretary
Iof the Macfadden Foundation,
who was with his father at the
time Of death.
Mr.. Macfadden's body was
taken from the hospital to a New
York funeral home. Services
will be held Saturday, followed
by burial in Woodlawn Cemetery
In New York.