Newspaper Page Text
s—
B
Orim Reaper Takes from Earth’s Labors
Idolized Hero of Confederacy, States
man, Orator and Beloved Civilian.
PASSED AWAY AT INS HOME IN FLORIDA
His Illness was Sudden and of Comparatively Brief
Duration==CIose of Great Life was Calm and
Serene==Short Epitome of Siis Career
in War and in Time of Peace.
G ral John B. Gordon died at
10:05 Saturday night at his plantation
home, eight miles from Miami, Flori
da. All the memLers of his family
were present when the end came to
the illustrious soldier.
The last moments were apparently
without pain, and General Gordon
pass ed away as peacefully as if he
were sinking into a refreshing sleep.
The death struggle began at 7
o’clock. At that hour the attending
physicians, announced that death was
only a matter of a few hours.
An examination showed that the
sufferer’s kidneys were failing to per
form their functions, and that urae
mic poison had set in. From that
hour General Gordon gradually be
came weaker and weaker, until death
fixed his seal on the beloved soldier.
General Gordon was taken with a
violent chill about 3 o’clock Wednes
day afternoon, Jan. 6, which continued
for half, an hour or more. Two phy-
1 sicians were summoned from Miami
by telephone.
The chill was followed by a high
fever and when the physicians reach
ed his bedside, the general’s tempera
ture was 105. An examination show
ed that he was suffering from acute
indigestion, followed by congestion of
the stomach and liver. His condition
was rendered more alarming by per
sistent hicco; . rr hs, which began Thurs
day. exhausting still further his
strength. He also suffered great
ly from pains caused by the strained
condition of the stomach owing to nis
advanced age and previous ill health,
On Friday his stretngth gradually
increased and he took some interest
in his surroundings. The secretions
of the kidneys, however, were not sat
isfactory, and on Friday evening they
were much below normal.
Saturday the distinguished patient’s
strength began to gradually ebb
and it soon became apparent
death was inevitable.
Brief Sketch of Hi? Life.
Lieutenant General jt>hn
Gordon was born in Upson county,
Georgia, July 6, 1832, of Scotch ances
try, his grandfather being one of
en brothers who irfimigrated from
Scotland previous to the
war, in which they all took part in
half of the colonies. The
er made his home in Wilkes county,
North Carolina, whence Rev.
riah H. Gordon, the father of General
Gordon, removed to Georgia.
Cordon was graduated in 1852 from
the Georgia state University, and a
few months later was admitted to the
practice of law. Early in 1861 he
listed with the volunteer confederate
soldierly. »
His Military Record.
Began as captain “Raccoon Roughs,
Sixth Alabama Infantry, being
°oted soon after to major.
Lieutenant Colonel oixth Alabam
Infantry—December 20, 1861.
Colonel Sixth Alabama
April 28, 1862.
Brigadier General C. S. A.
> 1. 1862.
Jajor General O. S. A.—May
64 .
Lieutenant General,
Second Army Corps—January 31,
Lieutenant General,
-eft wing Lee’s Army at
to*—April 9, 18,65.
Principal battles in which
Gordon took part were:
Scwen Pines, ' Malvern Hill, Sharps
burg. Chancelilorsviile, *
Fisher Wilderness. Spottsylvania,
’s Hill, ^edar Creek, Fort
aan and Appomattox.
He was wounded five times
Sharv.sburg, c|nce Rattles. at Fort
an d in other
His Services in Peace..
Pandidate fd|r aovernor against
’Js B Bullocki ia 1868, at the age
in Was 1872 elected elected but counted out.
tates was} to the
senates over Alexander
bfp Phen& and ifeenjamin H. Hill
In 187S was e elected to the
■States senate i j without opposition.
\
I Resigned in 1879 to take up thfe
building of the Georgia Pacific Rail
road.
j In 1886 was elected governor of
| Georgia over Hon. A. O. Bacon.
In 1888 was re-elected governor
without opposition.
In 1890 was elected again to the
United States senate, and was the
only Georgian ever elected Three times
to that body.
Retired voluntarily at the expiration
I of his term in 1897.
Since 1897 he shared with Presi
dent McKinley the glorious work of
; finally uniting the secTIons by his
1 masterful lectures, and the prepara
i tion of his patriotic reminiscences,
Universally Loved.
Probably no character in public life
was more universally loved than Gen
eral Gordon. Possessing every trait
of character that appeals to the con
fidence and esteem of his fellows,
General Gordon has not only mam
tained the enviable position in the
hearts of his people, but as time
passed on increased his friends and
made more secure his position in the
heartsi of the public.
After his brilliant campaign during
the civil war, at which time he dem
onstrated his nobleness of character,
as well as his courageous manhood, he
struck the keynote to his future con
duct, by advising his overpowered sol
j | diers to return home, obey upbuilding the laws
of the Union, and aid in
J those very things which they had all
| but succeeded in destroying. Return
j ing to his stricken home, under these
j conditions, General Gordon began the
) greatest work of his life, in aiding
to stanch the flow of blood and erect
ing on their former site the homes
of the south,
His Course in Peace.
Laying aside his sword, with an
ever abiding faith in the future of
| right and justice, General Gordon
1 sought to win the hearts of his
peo
ple not by violence, of course, but
by the earnest pleading of his elo
quant voice. No man ever more cor
dially received, or more earnestly
given the support of his people, than
John B. Gordon.
Magnetic, eloquent, with his martial
bearing, he found no difficulty in hold
ing his audiences, or in converting
them to his plan of thought. Every
where, during those troublesome times
of reconstruction, General Gordon-was
hailed as one of the greatest men
of his day. He wielded an influence
for good that cannot be exaggerated
nor overestimated in after years.
Though he was one of the most en
ergetic and enthusiastic supporters of
the southern cause, after the surren
der he became one. of the most zeal
ous of the builders of the New South.
ITis counsel was sought on all occa
j sions, and was always* found to be
good. His judgment was .unerring, his
energy without limit.
Chief of the Confederates.
General Gordon has always occu
pied a conspicuous position in the or
ganized ranks of the United Confeder
i ate Veterans. At the several re
unions, since he became com
mander-in-chief, he was tho most
i picturesque character of the Confeder
ate cause. He had repeatedly been
elected commander-in-chief, though
1 time and again, influenced by his in
t creasing age and ill health, and by
, the ever growing demand made upon
his time, suggested that some other
veteran more active than himself, be
I elected commander-in-chief of the
| United Confederate Veterans; each
time his suggestion has fallen upon
i deaf ears, and it is conceded by every
j : one, that so long as would Gordon have lived,
Confederate veterans no
other leader than himself.
Stricken While in Fine Health.
General Gordon arrived at his coun
try home on Biscayne bay, 8 miles
above Miami, on Monday before
Christmas, to spend the holiday sea
son with his family. He enjoyed the
re3t from the requirements* of an ex
j tensive lecture tour, from which he
had just returned.
MANY MANGLED
IN COLLISION
Frightful Wreck on Rock Island
System Near Willard, Kan.
SEVENTEEN GO TO DEATH
Thirty-Seven Others Injured, But
Nearly all Will Recover--Horror
Caused by Crash of Trains.
Seventeen persons were killed and
thirty-seven Injured in a head-on col
lision between the Rock Island, Cali
fornia and Mexico express and a
freight train near Willard, Kan., Wed
nesday morning. Most of the injured
are in hospitals in Topeka. The doc
tors announce that all will recover
with one exception.
It is thought that carelessness
trainmen caused the wreck. Instruct
ed to meet a special freight train at
Willard, the engineer and conductor
of the ill-fated passenger, noting that
a freight train stood in me side track
at Willard, rushed through, thinking
that the cars they saw were fhe ones
which they had been instructed to
pass.
H. G. Persons, a reporter of The To
peka State Journal, who was on the
wrecked Rock Island train, arrived in
Topeka at 8 o’clock Wednesday morn
ing after driving overland from the
scene of the collision. Parsons es
caped with slight injuries, while two
persons on the seat in front'of him
were killed. Parsons tells the tollow
ing story of the wreck:
“Both trains were running at a high
rate of speed, and when the engines
met they were welded together by a
terrific impact.
“The engineer and fireman on the
freignt escaped without injury by
jumping. The fireman on tne passen
ger engine was fatally injured, but
the engineer escaped. It was in the
third car of the passenger train, the
first coach being preceded by a smok
er and baggage car, that, the most
loss of life occurred. The smoker,
which was occupied by only two
three men, was overturned and
ed through the car behind it, which
was crowded with passengers,
standing in the aisles.
* < The first warning given the
gers of the car was the sudden
ting of the air brakes. The
went out, leaving all in darkness.
moment later a mass of
wood and iron was crowding
them. No one was thrown out of
seat by the blow.”
Most of those In the forward
of the car were instantly killed.
ty in the rear end of the coach,
ever, succeeded in eseapin * r • In
front end of the car the victims
crushed down between the seats
the smoker. When rescue was
possible only three living
were taken out.
A dozen or more Topeka
arrived at the scene on the
train from Topeka as soon as a
man could run to Willard and
headquarters. The physicians went
work relieving the injured, and
no attempt for the time being to
move the crushed and disfigured
ies from the debris.
Fires were built along the track
short intervals, and by the light
these the rescuers, in their
to remove the victims, chopped
ings in the wrecked coaches until
hausted, then handed their axes
others.
The freight train fared differently.
Tho four cars immediately behind
engine were crushed into kindling.
Dead and dying cattle littered
right of way, while many which
escaped from the cars uninjured
' about, adding to the confusion.
The hero of the wreck was a
Bell, of New York city, a young
sician, himself crippled, walking
crutches. Dr. Bell, although
hurt as a result of the collision, was
the first man to leave the
sleeper, which was not damaged.
First he ordered the chair car
sleeper cleared Then after
the removal of the injured to
cars he alleviated the pain of the
jured as well as he could without
icine or instruments, bandaged
legs and arms with strips torn at
direction by others from sheets, and
pillow slips, administered what
key was at hand to deaden the
ries until the relief train
and saved the life oi a fireman by
ing an artery with the aid of a
knife and a piece of string.
After working until nearly
ed Dr. Bell only gave way when
physicians arrived from Topeka
medicine and instruments. Then
steadfastly refused to disclose
name and it was only learned
hij fellow passengers.
UkDERS LOR VETERANS
Changes in Personnel of Off.cial Ranks
Announced as Result of General
Gordon's Death.
Headquarter United Confederate
Veterans, New Orleans, La., January
10, 1904.
General order No. 1.
Paragraph 1: In compliance with
section two, article third, of the by
laws cf the United Confederate Vet
erans’ organisation I hereby assume
command of the federation.
Second. The staff of the late com
mander-in-chief is nereby continued
as staff of the present commanding
general, and trill be obeyed and re
spected accordingly.
STEPHEN D. LEE.
General Order No. 2,
Paragraph 1. Death, who strikes
with equal hand at the door of the
cottage and the palace gate, has been
busy at his appointed work. He has
| this time invaded the precincts of the
federation of the United Confederate
Veterans, carrying off its chief execu
tive, the noble, gallant, chivali'ous and
patriotic John B. Gordon. Yes, the
most honored and beloved of all our
comrades is no more. He has passed
over the river and now rests with his
comrades on the other side- No an
nouncement could cause more poig
nant sorrow to the survivors of the
confederate armies than the brief
statement that General John B. Gor
don is dead. Skillful in command,
with ability second only to the immor
tal Lee; brave in action beyond com
pare, shirking no responsibility and
fearing no danger in battle, he was
an ideal soldier, in civil life ever look
ing to the welfare of the people of
the state of which he was chief exec
utive and whom ne represented in the
senate of the United States, constant
ly laboring for the conditions of those
with whom he was associated, he was
a model citizen. As the commandei
in chief of the United Confederate
Veterans organization from its birth
to his death, he ever threw his pow
erful influence to the betterment of
the affairs of his old army associates,
or those dependent upon them. Fpil
of love for all, pure in mind, heart
and behavior, a consistent lollower of
his Maker, he was possibly the great
est representative of the old courtly
southern gentleman, and his place
cannot be filled.
Second. His military career is an
open book, known and read of all
men ,and no words oi the command
ing general can add aught to it.
Third. Each camp of this federa
tion will at once take such action as
it deems best calculated to express its
esteem, affection and mourning for
memory of the distinguished dead.
By command oi
STEPHEN D. LEE,
General Commanding.
WILLIAM E. MICKLE,
Adjutant General and Chief of Staff.
Special Order 1.
First. Major General Clement A.
Evans, commanding the Georgia divis
ion of the United Confederate
ans, is hereby directed to assume
command of the army of Tennessee,
department United Confederate Vet
erans, as provided in section 3, Arti
cle third, of the by-laws of the United
Confederate Veterans organization.
He will be obeyed and respected
cordingly.
Second. Lieutenant General Evans
will instruct the ranking brigadier
general of the Georgia division. United
Confederate Veterans, to assume com
mand of that division, or recommend
to these headquarters a suitable offi
cer for that position as he aeems best
calculated to promote the objects
the federation.
By command of
STEPHEN D. LEE,
General Commanding.
WILLIAM E. MICKLE,
Adjutant General and Chief of Staff.
Last of Boers Swear Allegiance.
Nearly 500 Boers sailed for
Natal, Saturday. These are the
of the irreconciliables who were
prisoned at Ahmadnagar. Lately
were induced by General Delarey
take the oath of allegiance.
MISSING HEIRESS WAS HIDDEN OUT.
Miss Ethel Roveil Located in Mobile After
I Search of Two Weeks.
1 Ethel Rovelle, the alleged heiress
a fortune of eight million dollars,
in Mobile, Ala., and says that
came from Meridian, Miss., two
ago, and that she has been in
ever since. She says that she
Meridian, where she was staying
her uncle, J. M. Husky, oi her own
cord, and has not been in
Ala., or New Orleans since she
that place.
The woman is uneducated, and
that she was born in the country.
VESSEL SINKS;
MANY DROWN
Steamer Clallam Beaten to the
Bottom by Terriffic Seas.
FIFTY-TWO ARE VICTIMS
Heroic Efforts at Life Saving Proved
FutiIe--Boats Torn to Pieces as
Fast as Launched.
A special from Seattle, Wasn., says:
The steamer Clallam, of the Seattle
Victoria fleet, went down early Satur
day morning midway between Smith
island and Dungeness, in the Straits
cf Juan de Fuca. Fifty-two persons
were drowned. The vessel was a reg
ular passenger packet and was not
yet a year old.* When she was launch
ed at Tacoma last April the jottle of
champagne was not broken, but fell
and slid down along the side of the
vessel. Old seamen predicted that
disaster would overtake the vessel
within a year, and it was said at the
time it would be a difficult matter to
secure a crew to man the vessel.
Women and Children Perish.
Every woman and child aboard the
Clallam perished, within three miles
of shore, and at a time when it ap
peared that, the boat would be saved.
Every effort was made to save the wo
men and children in the lifeboats.
They were placed on the first boat
to leave the ship, which 'Captain Law
rence, a Yukon pilot, volunteered to
command, and which was manned by
deck hands, Tho frail craft went
down within sight of the Clallam and
a second lifeboat was filled with men.
passengers and in command of See
ond Officer Clarin, was proDably lost
a few minutes later. Aboard the Clal
lam watchers saw waves sweep pa3
sengers from their hold on the seats
and hurl them into the water. I hough
the life boat was righted later, a dili
gent search has failed to find trace of
her. More passengers and members
of the crew wore lost when a third
life boat was swamped in an attempt
to launch.
Three passengers who has fastened
life preservers about them were plek
ed up by the steamer Rehata. They
had died from exposure.
The Clallam left Port Townsend
for Victoria Friday noon, facing a ter
rifle southern gale.
Within sight of her destination a
huge sea overwhelmed the little
steamer, smashing in her headlights,
flooding her hold with water, extin
guishing the fires beneath her boil
ers and placing her at tne mercy of
a howling ^ale.
All this happened Friday afternoon.
The culmination of the tragedy was
postponed for several agonizing hours.
Bravely the officers and crew of the
helpless hulk worked to save the
boat and the eighty souls aboard her.
but in vain. Staunch as she was, the
Clallam could not stand the terrific
onslaught of the seas that raced in
mountain high from the ocean, and
just before darkness Legan to fall it
was decided to make an attempt co
save the passengers at least by the
boats. After the three boats had
swamped the crew and the few passen
gers who had volunteered to remain
aboard devoted themselves to the task
of trying to save themselves.
In spite of their efforts, the water
gained on them and they were about
to resign themseles to their late when
the Richard Holyoke, one of tne six
tugs which had been sent to the res
cue from Port Townsend, hove in
sight.
The tug made fair progress and it
seemed for a time that the Clallam,
with the remainder of the crew and
passengers, would be saved. But the
hulk of the Clallam began to give way
before the terrific assaults of the
waves.
Shortly after midnight Friday night
the Clallam went on beam end and
began to sink rapidly. In less than an
hour she settled and the tow lines*
were cut. A few minutes later the
Clallam lurched and disappeared be
neath the waves.
The crews of the two tugs saved
the lives of nearly all wno remained
BRYAN IS BACK FROM THE ORIENT.
Arrives at New York on Steamer Celtic
But Refuses to Taik for Publication
The White Star steamer Celtic, on
which William J. Bryan was a passen
ger, arrived at New York Saturday.
The steamer was met at Quarantine
by a committee of prominent demo
crats.
The reception committee was head
ed by Former United States Senator
Charles A. Towne, iVtelville G. Pallis
ter, Justice Samuel Seabury and Hen
ry George, Jr.
Mr. Bryan said he never felt better,
but declined to talk specifically for
publication.
*
