The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-02-24
JOHN B. COUGH,
Thee WelI-Known Temperance Advocate
sketch OF the >Checkered Career of
the Noted Lecturer, and How
He Reformed.

The announcement of the death OF John
B. Cough, the famous temperance orator,
was received with genuine regret in all parts
of the United States and even in the old
world. Mr.. Cough was an .Englishman by
birth, and was OF humble parentage. He
was born August %, 1917. His father
was a soldier in the British service, and
his mother was, during a score of years,
the schoolmistress in the village of Sand
gate, where they resided. In his youth he
knew what poverty was, for when the elder
Cough was absent IN war time Mrs. Cough
was sometimes sorely straitened for means.
The boy appears to have had educational ad-
vantageS, however, and when eight years old
was remarkably good reader. Often while
reading to his mother as she sat working by
her cottage door strangers would stop to
listen, and he was frequently sent for to read
to ladies and gentlemen at the village
library. When he was twelve years old his
father decided to send HIM to America with
family then about to emigrate, in
order that in this country he might
LEARN A TRADE
and establish himself in life. The family
settled on a farm in the interior of the State
of New York. He remained with them two
years, but in 1881, having obtained his faith
er's consent, he went to the city of New
York TO learn a trade. Meanwhile he had
become member of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church. Shortly after his arrival in New
York he found employment in the Metho-
dist Book Concern as GRAND boy and as a
learner of the bookbinders trade. He be-
came a skillful workman, and as his pros
poets began to improve he sent for his
parents and sister to join him. His mother
and sister arrived In 1888, but his father did
not accompany them, being loath to lose his
pension OF go per annum. For short time
the family lived comfortably and in happi-
ness, but the depression IN business which
OppUrrp0 in 1929 rpSIIItp1 in a IOSS Of pnn
ment and in a series of severe trials. In the
summer of 1884 Mrs. Cough died of apo
plexy, and soon afterward Mr.. Cough began
that career of dissipation which came so
near wrecking him wholly, and which in his
LECTURES ON TEMPERANCE
he has described with such terrible vividness
He had been under the influences of moth
er's love, and had been pure-minded young
man. After his mothers death his abilities
as story teller and mimic made him wei
come to certain circle of young men. He
became an inebriate and sank so low that his
companions, who had enticed him into evil
ways, forsook him. During the years
from 1884 to 1912 he went from
place to place, sometimes appearing on
the stage as comic singer or as a low
comedian, and sometimes working at his
trade, and always sinking lower and lower
into the depths of sottishneSs. In 1888 he
went on fishing voyage from Newburyport
and was gone several months. On his return
he married and did we'll for time, but re-
lapsed. A child was born to him but died
in infancy. Left at one time by his wife,
who went to Providence to care for an inYa-
lid sister, he came near being burned to
death in his own bed, which, in his drunken
carelessness he had set on fire.
DELTRIUM TREMENs
followed, and then his wife died, and at last
he seemed to be without friend In the
world. The story is a terrible one and it
would be charity not to repeat it, were it not
that Mr.. Cough in his own inimitable way
has told it again and again as warning to
others. The turning point in Mr.. Coughs
life was in october, 1912. On Sunday even
ing he was walking along the streets OF Wor-
cester, miserable and hopeless, when he was
touched upon the shoulder. Turning he
met the kindly glance of Mr.. Joe Stratton,
who asked him to go to a temperance meet
ing the next night and sign the pledge He
promised to do so, and went. Another at
tack of delirium followed, nearly costing
HIM his life. Recovering, he kept his pledge
five months, when he FELL but was soon re-
stored, and since then he has been a thor
ough-goiDg temperance man. His qualitica-
tiOns for public speaking were called into
requisition, and for about forty years he has
been one Of the most welcome occupants of
THE LECTURE PLATFORM
He has been heard with eagernesS bv all
classes of society, and his work in the tenn
peraDce cause has been broad and effective.
Probably no man has ever appeared upon
the lecture platform more frequently. He
has travelled something like half million
miles, and has delivered something like
5000 lectures. In his later years he has
taken other subjects in addition to temper
ance to talk upon. He has been interested
always in religious matters, and has deliv-
cred number of addresses at religious gath
erings. In 1875 he was in England, and while
| there he spoke namber of times. He was
warmly welcomed there, and was heard by
| immense audiences. This was his second
visit his frat having been made in 1853.
| Mr.. Cough was speaker of very peculiar
| type, and attracted as much attention by his
| platform manners as by the eloquence of his
| language. He was an actor, and delivered
| his lectures with much dramatic force his
action at times appearing to verge upon &c
( centricity. MI. Coughs income from his
lectures has been very large, but he was a
| man of large generosity and devoted much
of his wealth to good works. He was mar
| ried a second time at Worcester, November
"a, 1913, and his married life has been very
! happy.