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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. *