The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-08-14
A PRESIDENTS SON.
Rochester Express.I

L
Florida was John Tyler, Jr., son of Presi-
dent Tyler. He must be nearly sixty years
of age, and resembles to an extraordinary
degree his father. Even in the extreme
poverty of his later years he preserved
dignifed carriage, fondness for plush vests,
standing collars and white neckties. In his
conversation, which is very learned and at
times highly enjoyable, he never allows you
to forget two things, to wit: that he is
Virginian, and that his father was President
of the United States.
Although President Tyler's mother was
heiress to considerable wealth, and the
President is said to have retired from the
Chair of State rich, there was nothing to
come to the children after the fathers death
in 1862. Robert Tyler, the eldest son, led
modest life in Montgomery, Alabama, where
for many years, and to the time of his
death, which occurred five or six months
ago, he was editor of Democratic paper
The only daughter has for years been an
intimate of the Louise Home, in Washing
ton, that charity founded by Mr.. Corcoran'
for INDECENT women of refinement. John
Tyler, Jr., was private secretary to his
father, and the idol of brilliant coterie of
first Troy Wings and afterward Democrats,
accordingly as his father faced. For the
last twenty years, however, few have been
his friends, and great has been his poverty.
BE married a Virginia lady of cultures from
whom incompatibility led to permanent
separation. His domestic troubles many be-
lieved. affected his brain, and led him more
than ever into the paths of dissipation.
When became city editor of the Daily
Union, at Jacksonville, early in the winter
of 1875, Mr.. Tyler was editor of the Observer,
a seven-column folio weekly paper published
in the interest of the Republican party at
Fernandina. It might have had between
three and four hundred circulation. His
editorials, besides being very correct, were
remarkable for their length. They bristled
from beginning to end with capitals, small
caps and italic. One of his editorials, re-
columns, more than two whole pages of the
paper. The Observer Office soon after this
was totally destroyed by fire. Mr.. Tyler
then came to Jacksonville, where he re-
NAMED until midsummer, living altogether
upon money borrowed upon installments of
SIS and $40. Most of the time up to the LIST
of May, when he joined the Good Templars
and declared he would reform, he was under
the influence of liquor.
Being upon one occasion upbraided for
thus giving away to his appetite, he squarely
faced the speaker and exclaimed, waving his
hand majestically, and with fiery CLEAN in
his eyes: " .....
"Mr. -, they call me drunkard, when
the blood of an hundred years of Virginia's
choicest chivalry throbs in my veins!"
Some time previous to this he was in Tai
lahassee, where, with little cause, he became
possessed with the idea that some political
opponents contemplated making an assault
upon him. Having opposed, in his paper
and otherwise, the carrying of concealed
weapons, he would not stultify his record be
procuring revolver. But he did purchasy
heavy mill-saw file, from twenty to twenty
four inches in length, which he closely
wrapped in newspaper and carried in his
hands about the streets of the Capital for
nearly fortnight.
Late one night he and an old-time ac-
qualntance went into saloon and called for
the standard Southern beverage whisky.
Mr.. Tyler's friend filed his glass, when the
evil-hearted bartender, by quick move
ment, exchanged the bottle of whisky for q
bottle of peppersauce. With the latter Mr..
Tyler filled his tumbler to the brim, and
| with a toast having some reference to his an
cestry, swallowed it without taking breath.
Before he could set the glass down his face
Woo " POAAOS0 OAAA0s t1Lu s3IodI Let1TS rOu0O
from his eyes. Bringing his clenched hand
down upon the counter he exclaimed to the
bartender: ssMr. Otis, that's the vilest
! liquor ever drank!'' In about ten minutes
the report came in that he was perfectly
| sober.
About IL P. NJ, an hour when every thing
is rushing in morning newspaper Office,
Mr.. Tyler came into my room and was in
| formed with some frmness that I could not
| be interrupted. Bates, foreman in the news
! room, was at one time in The government
printing Office in Washington, and there
knew Mr.. Tyler, and had much sympathy
for him. He took him into the composing
room and seated him at q small table beside
the proof-reader. Mr.. Tyler asked for and
was given paper, which he commenced to
cover with cabalistic signs that no living
person could interpret, remarking half aloud
as he wrote: "That's strongl'' "God, amt
that powerful!' s'Ah, that's the best SEN
tence I ever wrote,'' etc. Having filed
about thirty pages he said, peremptorily:
'Bates, want you to put that in as editorial
tomorrow morning" He then bowed his
head on the table and slept. The foreman.
with the assistance of one or two compost
tors, then carried him to the back part of
the room, removed his coat, vest and shoes
and laid him out on pile Of old newspapers.
whore he was still sleeping when I cot down
to the Office at nine O'Clock the following
morning.
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