The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-02-19
JOHN 3. COUGH,
The Great temperance orator Dead.

The Great Temperance Orator Dead.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 18.-Up to last eve
ming, the Improvement in the condition OF
Mr. John B. Cough, first perceptible the
night before, continued until o'clock, when
the reactive fever occurred, and a crisis was
threatened. Consciousness had returned to
him in iull, and he was even able to articu-
late few words at a time, but was not al
lowed to talk for fear of injurious effects.
The fever did not seem to worry him until
towards midnight, from which time on he
was very restless.
DR.. r. Bruce BurnS's report at 9 o'clock
this morning was that little or no rest had
been vouchsafed his patient and that his
condition was then doubtful. At II o'clock,
decided change for The worse was noticed,
Mr.. Cough again lapsing into complete un-
consciousness, in which condition he re-
manned till o'clock this evening, when he
breathed his last
WORCESTER, Mass, Feb. 1S.-The news
of the death of John B. Cough at Phiadel-
phia, .was received at his home with pro-
found sorrow. Coughs pleasant home at
Hillside has been for years one Of the marked
places in Worcester county. He was gen.
erous giver from the time his lecture engage
mentS became remuneratiye, and gave where
little public attention was ever attracted to
his benevolence.
CUllL IL 0Ou5l Hao DOA4i OIA tLO ASASA4oil
side of the Straits of Dover in 1917. His
father was a pensioned soldier, who delight
ed to share his faded military trappings with
his son, and to fight his battles over again
and show how fields were won. His mother
was an humble, Christian woman, long the
schoolmistress in the village. Before young
Cough was II years old, desiring to help
himself and to relieve his father and mother,
he joined family about emigrating to Amer
lea. The separation nearly broke the moth
er's heart, but she sent him away with her
blessing and with sundry pieces Of paper
pinned to his scanty wardrobe, on which
were written texts of Scripture.
Soon after his arrival in America he be-
came bookbinder's apprentice in New
York. Although he had united on proba-
tion wifi the Methodist church, he a fter-
wards became Incorporate, and was accus-
toned to sing and recite in grOg shops, where
his powers of mimicry and action made him
a favorite. In 1888 he sent for his mother
and sister to come over to New York, but
the mother soon after died in the miserable
garret, where they lived in utmost poverty,
and J ,hn and his sister were the only mourn
ers over her grave in the Potter's Field.
Five years after his arrival in New York
he had fallen to the level OF comic singer
precarious life on the stage, obtaining situa-
tions in New York Boston, Lowell and sew
eral smaller New England cities, all the
while becoming more and more of drunk
ard. In one play his part included the ridi-
culing of those staunch temperance men,
Or. Lyman Beecher and Deacon Moses
Grant of Boston.
Cough was good workman, and after his
marriage opened bindery in Newburyport,
but he spent the larger part of his earnings
fnrh hrap6N and his wife and infant
child died. He removed to Worcester, still
keeping the lowest company.
Every one knows how, in the height OF
the Washingtonian movement in 1912, a kind
word drew Mr.. Cough into temperance
meeting at Worcester, where the poor
drunkard arose when the opportunity for
speaking was offered, and overwhelmed the
great audience with the touching story of his
first temperance lecture, and where he pub
licly signed the pledge. A terrible struggle
with the drink demon followed He con.
qnered, and at once commenced his career,
singing temperance songs and telling his ex
perience Once, under the influence OF
medicine, he fell. His old friends rallied
firm During the first year Of his temper
ance work. Mr.. Cough delivered 3S3 address,
es and obtained 1928 signatures to the
pledge.
Whitcomb af Boylston, Mass, who travelled
with him constantly and greatly aided him
in resisting his old enemy and in improving
ais methods of work. His fame as lectur-
er rapidly widened, and in 1858. he sailed for
England. The narrators of this tour be-
co'r0e enthusiastic. 1t is described as sue
cess, On of ovations and an oratorical tri-
umnh which extended from London to Ed
inbnreb. md from August, 1858, to August,
Without do ,rbt, Mr.. Cough was the fore
most Iecfnrer ois his time. His family con-
sisted of 4 wife and four adopted daughters.
An adopted son is on an orange plantation
in Florida