New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-19
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.

John b. Cough was born in England, at
SYNDICATE Kent, August o. 1917. His father pri-
vate soldier in the British Army, and had married
village school mistress private soldier occupies
very low social station, but the elder Cough have
been man OF much more than the common strength OF
character indicated by his sons anecdotes Of his
ventures in the Peninsuar War; III 1929 the Coughs
assisted TO emigrate. They came to the United
States and for two years lived in oneida County
New-York. Young Cough then apprenticed to
| a boOkbinder In this city Hitherto and up TO
his twenty fifth year tho lad had been with
out educational opportunities His youth
OF prlvaton and narrow conditions When he TO
NeNYork the opportunities which fell him most
ly evil His companions loose lvers. lie learned
to drink. He had always had passion for the stage
No doubt the dramatic power strong In his nature
He made at least determined effort TO become
actor. For time his nimetc faculty. which was strong
brought him a bastard popularity. lie was welcomed
in beer shops and saloons for the songs he could
sing and the spirited Rotations he could give
The applause the booty companionshp the excitement
drew him lower There danger that he would be-
come a common drunkard. His efforts to do his work
without giving up his nightly dissipation 80 strained
his strength that he the OF delirium tre
He has told how at time the tools Of his trade
seemed to turn to serpents and crawl about him. He
escaped that time, but did give up drink until Oc
tober 1892 when poor shaken In health and depressed
spirits almost drained OF seirespect and energy, he
| persuaded to attend temperance meeting. Then
there he took the pledge OF total abstinence ana
| at the time there came upon him
an irresistible yearning go and do something for
| those who suffering from tho drink evil. In his
autobiography he has described wildly the difficulties
of the undertaking to which he had devoted himself
| At that time the cause Of temperance not hon
| ored as now. Those who became It's advocates were
looked upon with suspicion by the friends of mod
Grafton. They generally assumed to be fanatics,
AMI when they not abused they were ridiculed.
But John b. Cough was well equipped for the
| campaign. He born orator. He
never in his life speech beforehand
prepared notes for Like almost ali orators, from
| Demosthenes to Mr. Gladstone. he suffered from what
has called stage fright TO the last Writing after
thrtyseven years experience public speaker he
| said: have never known tho time when did not
dread audience Often that fear has amounted to
tive suffering. AMI seldom am called TO face
dience when would not rather by far the other
way and as grow older this suffering Is Increasing
Yet from the first his addresses took hold upon
| his hearers strongly. As unknown young
man he set forth, carpet bag in hand, TO tramp
through the New-England States, glad enough TO
obtain seventyhve cents for temperance lecture But
did last long The reputation OF the fiery young
speaker who carried his arguments home by the most
striking and examples from everyday fe be-
| gan TO spread lie able TO demand five dollars
lecture in a short time. His zeal hot In the first
year he spoke 3s6 times Thenceforward for seventeen
| years he dealt only with temperance and during that
| period he addressed 5000 andiencea
|
and Canada. every where creating "A deep Impression
was in ;he Northern states that his best work was
sI,70o signatures the temperance pledge, aud this
tory His fame reached England and the London Tenn
perance League persuaded him to visit Great Britain
tanned by George Cruikshank the veteran artist and
total abstainer and his address, delivered Exeter
the nsi vIst U0 ability had not been orerestinatsd
National and Scottish Temperance Leagues urged him
to prolong his stay and he consented eventually
tending 10 two years trip he mad originally Intended TO
last but six months His success In Great Britain
marked. The harvest certainly was ripe. The drink
evil mad attained fearful proportions aud ilustrations
Of IT'S effects were only zoo pentiu ~ has been sald
practical value OF Coughs labors Certainly the Tenn
perance Leagues desired TO MS but he had
In the United states which could no longer
be postponed and in 1880 he returned and took up his
work with undated In 1887 he made another
| journey TO England. and remained there unl lo0o
After having confined his addresses to temperance for
literary and social though first to last his chief
cesses were obtained on the temperance platform AS
steady progress OF the cause he had at
heart. Ia 1854 he had undertaken to speak
prevent him. He greeted with Kisses, cat-calls,
yells, EXPLANATIONS. But lie preserved disciplined
1etha love "a f NAV ~ tha lime oupo opIbon
rather approved behavior OF the OXonians But In
1873. when Cough next visited England. he was re-
wh pnaS e and py many on is
was welcomed with an address bearing the sig
| Public opinion had undergone marked change. The
reality and seriousness OF tho drink ,eyi had become
| recognized. higher refinement OF life had aenated
from the support drink influential class Society
longer tolerated open intoxicatOn. The reputation
of gentleman was no longer compatible with the habit
OF inebrlety Reform great progress the
lower strata but there was evidence even there OF
GnIckened conscience and a dimnution OF animalis".
For whatever change had occurred John b. Cough was
justified in'takng some personal credit Tor lew men
have champoned great cause In the teeth OF Inherited
prejudice, habit and a the sensual tendencies OF man
KIND with such power, persistence and eloquenee From
abandoned his first love- Until 1882 he almost con-