Restaurants Were His Life

Liz Robbins: The tales of Colin Devlin's generosity sound like fables. Once, though he was nearly broke and working as a bartender, he pulled $1,000 out of his sock and gave it to a friend starting a restaurant.

When Mr. Devlin opened DuMont, the first of his three pioneering restaurants in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, he offered free meals to loyal customers and new friends, whom he made instantly. He adopted the ugliest, most unwanted dogs; his favorite was Remy, a mutt with a backward paw.

"Everyone fell in love with Colin," said Dr. Michael Conroy, 41, his best friend growing up in Philadelphia. "We had him as some demigod."

Before dawn on July 25, Mr. Devlin was found 38 miles south of his…