New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-24
OBITUARY..
GEORGE pENIsoN PRENTICE.


After an illness of almost two years, George
d. Prentice the veteran editor of the old Louisville Jour
ua died Saturday. at the age OF 81. His death oc
chrred at residence of his eldest son. Col Clarence
Prentice few miles below Louisville, the scene Of his
long career successful journalist
Mr. Prentice was born In Preston, Conn. In December
1902 At the age OF II he entered Brown University
whence he graduated u 1923 Immediately after leaving
college he entered upon the study OF the law supporting
himself by teaching school at Hartford In 1923 having
already attracted notice by the grace and pquaney OF his
style writer In various periodicals. among which was
The Connecticut Mirror OF which lie was the editor in
1925 he associated himself with John G. Whittier in the
publication OF The Nec England Weekly Rerieu, journal
then widely popular and remained OF it's editors
for about two years. He next engaged as writer for
The LOUISVILLE Journal This was III 1880 The pro-
pretors were not discover that in young Prentice
they had secured master journalist and accordingly on
the very day the chair of the chief editor became vacant
they insisted his taking control OF the paper. Under
his charge The Journal became the leading paper OF the
West gracefully written editorials Its spicy para
graphs In which the topics Of the day were epgram
matted Its keen, cutting sarcasm. Its wit ana satire
which cropped in every line, made IL peculiarly popu
lar among all classes Of people The editors sparkling
style gave characterto The Journal which distinguished
It for moro than r quarter OF century, and for the
greater part OF that time II better known and more
generally quoted than any other paper in that part of the
country.
Mr. Prentice was one Of the industrious ever
employed upon the press Up TO perhaps five years ago
his literary abors consumed from twelve TO fifteen hours
of every day. Ard yet owing to partial paralysis Of
his right arm, he unable TO use the pen for any
length time but wrote through amanuensis When
he 6rs settled IN Louisville he met with much OF that
opposition which the Southern chiyalry were wont 10
greet visitors from the North. lie was derided as
Yankee schOomaster" and was stlgmatized as Con-
necticut coward :" bu. lie showed fear never
.l,o M
Aght and proved himself in numerous encounters man
OF pluck, his focmen became his friends, and at
the time of his death he was perhaps the most
popular men IN Kentucky. lie always ardent and
devoted Wing. In the infancy Of the Harry Clay WING
party he worked earnestly for the idozed leader with
whom lie had formed intimate friendship. He never
sought Office and always declined 1t when IT offered
him lie felt that his sphere the press and the re-
suit OF abOrs proved the correctness OF his Judgment
From 1910 10 1860 the most stormy period OF political
history preceding the great rebellion, The Louisville
Journal was power in the land. When South Carolina
seeded and the burst upon Prentice stood forth
boldly. and manfuily battled against the efforts
| OF the Kentucky djsruptionists TO drag their
| state into the secession vortex. Through his
| untiring zeal. as sufficiently evidenced in
the loyal columns OF The Journal during the dark days
between 1850 and 1863 when his adopted State was first
on the point aTayng herself against the Government
and afterWard little than lukewarm In her attach
mani she WAS saved 1t can be doubted that had
Prentice thrown down his pen at the breaking out of hos
tnes thus sIcneDg the only outspoken Union Journal
IN Kentucky that State would have followed the mem
bers Of the Southern Confcdeacy In their sad career OF
blood and tears and disboDor. His two sous joined the
Rebel army against the earnest protests OF their father
and TO his unuttcrable shame and grief one of them
was killed at Augusis, Ky, in 1885, the other under
| whose roof Mr. Prentice died, lives few miles from
! Louisville.
IN addition TO his editorial labors ON The journal MI
| Prentice vroc much for other periodicals. lie con
trbn,cd several brilliant papers TO H1por'S M1'ihfJ
! and FOR some time supplied column Of ""lt ana
IIumOr" for Bonners Ledger His poems OF "h'ch NC
wrote many were nearly all first printed IN The Journal
were extensively copied but never collected III volume
That which lac always looked upon as his best ana winch
indeed in dep, patios beauty OF rhythm, and wealth
Of Imagery has but few equals IN any language Is MS
! Closing Year" wiIttcu for The Journal in 1919.
Mr. Prentice was n bitter opponent, whether welding
| the pen or the sword While editing The Nep-E"gid"d
Weekly Rctiep he engaged IN many sharp wOrdhghu'
! with Gideon Wcllce, at that time conducting rNa
paper In Hartford and invariably worcd the prospect
i've secretary OF the Navy with he paper pellets Of the
| brain" Subsequently, IN Louisville. his mode OF war
fare became necessarily more vigorous Only Two yea
ago no was lampooncd 10y Reuben Durreti editorof IN
Losre Courier who kept standing for several days ~
tie columns of his paper paragraph calling auenuoh
Prentlcos appetite for stmuants The Vicu
was much mortified and highly incsnsed. but could no
answer tue lampoOp because, nDhappiy, tho IMPLIED
| charge WAS too true. He therefore simply denandeC
that the paragraph should DO withdraw on tho fo""