Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-02-25
JOHN 3. COUGH DEAD.
The Greatest of Temperance Orators
Passes Away at Philadelphia
His Last Words.
philadelphia telegram. !

John B. Cough, the eloquent temperance
lecturer died on the 18th of February, at the
residence of DIR. r. Bruce Burns in Frankford,
a suburb Of Philadelphia, where he was taken
on Monday night when stricken with paralysis
while lecturng at the Frankford Presbyterian
Church. His wife was at bis bedside when he
died. There were also present Mrs. Prdge, his
sister; Mrs. Burns and two nieces, Misses Mary
and Fanny Whitcomb; Mr.. John Wananaker,
the Rev. Thomas Murphy, and Mrs. Jacob
Wagner.
Mr.. Coughs last ineligible words were
spoken on the lecture platform Monday evening,
Feb. 10. Il, said Mr.. Cough, have seven years
in the record OF my own life when was held in
the iron grasp OF intemperauce. I would give
the world to blot IL out; but alas cannot. "
Stepping forward with impressive gesture, the
lecturer said: Therefore, young men, make
your record"
He failed to finish the sentence, but sank help
lessly into a chair.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED.
John B. Cough cas- born at Sandgate, Kent
Aug. ~, 1917. His parents were poor, and he
contributed, by exercising his talents a read
he emigrated to New York and became nppren-
ticed to n tradesman, with whom he settled on
farm in Oneida County, New York. In Decem-
ber 1891 he obtained employment in New York
City as book-bnder. He soon fell into habits
OF dissipation, and was frequently thrown out Of
employment To such degradation did he sink
that, night after night, he sang comic songs and
played the buffoon to the habitues of the lowest
grogshops, who in return supplied him with
urlllh. nc married IN lb1J, ana became book
binder on his own account; but intemperance
prevented his success. He had suffered from
deliium tremens had lost his wife and child
and was reduced to the utmost misery, when a
Quaker invited him in the street to take the tenn
peranoe pledge. Having told his story at a tenn
perance meeting, he at once became n leading
orator in the temperance cause. In 1842 some OF
his former companions induced him to violate
his pledge, and he confessed the fact at public
meeting at Worcester.
Since l843 he has labored necessarily in behalf
M Ifo
reputation as orator quickly spread through
the United States and Canada, and reached
England. In 1853 the London Temperance
League invited him To visit Great Britain. The
visit, Intended to last only six weeks, was pro-
tracted to two years, during which he advocated
the cause Of temperance throughout the
island. He then resumed his labors in
America In 1857 he again went to En-
gland, and lectured with still greater success
America. He then began to lecture ON other
TOPICS with great success, acquiring largo in
come. In 1896 he published his autobiography" |;
q volume OF "Orations" in 1854 n collection Of
Temperance Lectures, 1870 and Sunlight and
Shadow, or Gleanings from My Life-Work, 1880.
In 1873 he announced that he was about TO leave
the field as public lecturer; but no appeared
subsequently at intervals. In 1873 he again Wis
tied England.
For twenty years twenty or thirty managers
sought Mr. Coughs services, and he lectured in
cessantly from four TO six months in the year.
He never asked for an advance in fees, but al
ways accepted the terms offered him and visited
every point 70 which he was invited that was
within his reach His lectures brought him
from 81 to $500 a night, and he earned from
$4,000 to $4,000 year.