New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-16
PETROLEUM V. NASBY DEAD.
A FAMOUS HUMoRIsTs CAREER.
EVEN UPON HIS DEArHBED HE MAKES HIS FRIENDS
SMILE.

EVEN UPON HIS DEArHBED HE MAKES HIS FRIENDS
SMILE.
DAVID ROSS LOCKE.
TOLEDO Feb 10 D. r. Locke died here this morning,
from consumption and complication OF organic trouD-
les. Tho funeral will Friday afternoon. Con-
sumption was an inherited malady, but It's approach
was slow. Mr Locke was not confined to HIS house
Days II not weeks advance. Mr. Locke had made all
preparations for death. business and PERSONAL and was
cheerful and happy hs dying bonrs. MS br1gh
savings aud quaint humOr forcing smile from fearful
There viii be little change in the policy Of the pspsr
h%s the qs u the
Captain Robinson Locke who has Inherited mncn OF nls
devei,e the management Of The Blade" 8. s. Knaben
shue will col tinue on the editorial stan.
David Ross Locke, bettor known as Petroleum "
NasbyD was born in vestal, Br ONE County, N. Y.
on September 20, 1888. Ills father, Nathaniel Reed
Locke, who is still living Toledo, at the of
ninety four year,, solder Of the war OF 1872
and among the very first in the whole country to
embrace strong anh-slavcry sentiments Young
David left his fathers home when ten years old and
was regularly apprcntced to tho publisher OF - Tho
Cortland Democrat for seven years. Here no learned
the trade Of printer with thoroughness, and at tho
end Of the seven years he began season OF wander
Ing He visited every largo city In tho country earn
Ing his living printer, reporter and Writer upon
newspapers and gaining rich experiences which were
he went through the Southern States, and what no
saw confirmed the strong anti slavery sentiments
he had received from his father. Ho learned then
to hate everything connected with the institution OF
slavery, and his political bias was determined ior tho
future In 1852 he gave the position OF assistant
editor on "The Pittsburg Chronicle and joined
with James G.. Robinson In establishing Tho Adver-
tiserD at Plymouth, Ohio. For two years these young
men labored day and night at an enterprise that
seemed about as hopeless anything could be- They
began with only $40; they bought second hand out
fit they edited the paper, set the type anu did tho
preSs-work and everything else They Sainco inc
confidence OF tho public, and when they sold out at
the end OF two years they had $1,000 mine Oh
wealth in those days-to be divided between thcm.
They had made many friends also and established
good business credit. 1t was while In Plymouth
that Mr. Locke married Miss Martha Bodlnc, who
survives him with three sons.
In 1856, Mr.. Locke started The Journal at Buoy
rus Ohio and there no began to win the reputation
With later on made his name known throughout
the country He wrote a series of stories for his
paper one for each week, for six years. Some OF
these weird and pathetic and Others tragic and
startling; all illustrated certain social phases The
scenes were laid In Bucyrus and the nelehborhood
Tho stories were written with a strong vein OF real
ism and were copied widely, many of them finding
their way to England, France and Germany. Tho
of ono of the most popular of the series was
laid in Pennsylvania mining town and was similar
In incident and character to 1cInyson'S Enoeh
Arden which appeared some years later
he gave birth to the Nasty letters were Tho Mans,
field FIerald' and The Bellefontane Republican" ami
year Of the War. When he was editor and prophet
of {" The JeTersonan," weekly paper published at
Legislature to remove all the col red people from
the State and to forbid their coming into OHIO sug-
gested to Mr.. Locke tho idea of the Nasty letters
Tho first of this series satlres upon public men
hamlet In Crawford County Ohio, which was Intensely
dIsoy al, the citizens being almost to man seccS-
n subject .sy t6 SS sec the petition fo
the removal of the negroes, and this was lowed
week aeE week oy Soc in rebel
policy and holding it IN merciiessly to scorn and
laughter They were copied nlo ne~Sspspe nS c an
cmlaied In pamphlets. At the close OF the war,
that the crushing of the Rebellion could be credited
to three forces the Army the Navy and the Sas1y
qualities. said Appearing with a certain regularity,
and enjoying extensive circulation. they became
we're among tho inrucnces and agencies BY which
dsloyalty in all its forms was exposed and public
bic TO measure their Against the devices OF
slavery and its supporters each letter was IKE
Therefore they belong to the potosi h oc tS
delight to President Lincoln who always kept them
Befors tho Nasty letters had reached their highest
degree Of popularity, Mr.. Locke raised full company
of recruits in Fndlay and sent 70 Columbus for a
ernor Broueh the ground that the wouldbe soldier
could moro good AZ homo fighting with bis pen
and humor than upon the field Later Mr.. Locke sent
a subs inue to the Army. Tho popularity OF tho
Nasbv letters created a demand for tho appearance
urcd in all tho prncipal cities of the North. and
though not he himself often declared. n master
OF orat ~ no never failed 70 draw crowded house.
One popularity Of Mr.. Locke his Determination
n to accept any public Office President Lincoln
offered him any position he might name. but he re-
fused the offer. President Grant made him direct
tender OF the mission to 81. Petersburg or Brrlin
family newspaper that should circulate from Maine
{, Georgia and from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
In October. 1895. Mr. Locke removed TO Toledo
and took editorial charge OF "The Rlade,' then
fairly PROSPEROUS daily and tho pr"pery OF A. D.
Potion Then the weekly edition Of 1.-The Hlafe.'
as II ls now. had existence Mr.. Iocta began at
once tho work Of giving The wrcky BLADE" ma
tional circulate n laborne herd. first Salar'cd
editor. then a part and finally as sole proprietor.
During the first few years HI did large amount OF
editorial writing hut later he gave more attention
tho management ~ tho paror than TO writing Tor
IFS columns Gradually h withdrew from az save
n general snpervSon the paner, ana aitHr rs
last return from Europe. about hvo years ago. ne
wrote nnihIng for IFS columns except an 'ccaSl"nai
Nasty letter and few temperance articles over his
own signature. For time. AT the clos" or me
seventies Mr. Locke connected with an adNcr-
Using agency hero hut his active Interest In Tho
Blader was never eSSrnrd by his absence from Tolro
Mr. TOrre wrote several successful plays, NUM-.
Dor " boots and pamphlets and many poems. all OF
wh'ch less p0nn'ar Among those
works were Flk es from Kentucky" " AhOu Fen
hdhem' Struggles Of Petroleum V. Nasby' I" Swing
Pound tho Circle' Paper City and Hannah
jane
NASBY,S FIRST LETTER.