Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-24
HIS ROMANTIC LIFE.
FULL OF ADVENTURE, PERlLS AND
 VIClSSlTUDES.
His Early Life in California-,Jninir:s the Mormon Church-His Appearance i" HonOlulu-"The Power Rehind the Throne"-Close of His Eventful Career.

Mormon ChurcIl-His Appearance in
 Honolulu-"The Power Behind the
 Throne"-Close of His EventfuI Career.
 SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 24.-With the death of Walter Murray Gibson, in this city Satur day evening, ended a career which ri"aied in interest many of those conceived in the fertile brains of the romancers. His father was a merchant and importer at Newcastie-on-Tyne, England, and in 1S23 while returning with his family from business trip to Ca,iiz a son was born to him at sea. under the American flag. This son was named Walter Murray Gibson. Six years later the Gibson family removed to Montreal, Canada, where MT. Gibson engaged ill business, and young Walter was placed ill school st the College of St. Sul- pice.
 At the age of II he turned up in New York. Regarding this interval of eight years noth- ing definite is known, but it was said that he had gathered enough experience and knowl- edge of the world during that period to form the basis of respectable dime novel. Being out of funds hero he answered the advertise ment of William Van Wyck, a wealthy south ern planter on his wedding trip, who wanted a driver to take his coach back to Anderson county, S. C. In the south he became teacher. and there married |, daughter of Jesse Lewis, q planter. The wife died five years later, leaving three children. Gibson, tIcl only P years old, set off on toH: with definite purpose ill view. For a short while he ran a passenger steamer oil tie savannah river; tried jour naian v q wh:,c il New York; took advan- ta"t., t.," i':,.i:o::lia fever and made a snug fort :; r'.;,.ating in cheap mining appa- ratI,-". latter part of lS49 he inter este | d.. i. Daniel Wcisters idea of cen- f, hIc--;,.o,, toto +o tl GREET. with the Russian envoy, De Cra... ii that end in view His travels t!!c-c .:im iltO reg ions where Americans had i.. .tr aefoie penetrated, and his adven- lures Wr:a something remarkable.
 In 1855 Gibson took his children and went to Salt Lake City. He remained there until 1861 and then went to the Hawaiian Islands as an agent of the Mormon church, with @ commission to establish a colony. He found it necessary tG begin life anew ill some such way, a" all,of his property, which was in the south, had been destroyed during the war; a = He settled down in the ancient capital La haina, on the island of Maui, seventy miles from Honolulu. After time he abandoned the Mormon colonization scheme, but the Mormons remained, and now with their con verts they number nearly 2,OO0, all told. Learning of the beauty and fertility of the island of Lanai MT. Gibson formed a CO., operative company, with about 100 natives, and leased tract of 5000 acres on the island, for the raising of wheat and pro- duce. Becoming weary of this quiet life, he moved to Honolulu in 1867 and took an active interest in public life In 1869 he visited the United States and assisted in negotiating the existing reef iprOcity treaty. When Iunalilo died Mr. Gibson urged the claims of Kalakaua, and, after the latter was olactaI ho OffaJaI T,1a i,,t tbo oobi He declined, but for many years was promi- nent in the councils of the king, and was referred to by many as the power behind the throne" In 1878 he was elected to the legislature, and, after overthrOwing the min istry ill 1882, he was offered the portfolios of premier and of foreign affairs. He made himself very popular with the natives by his policy of Hawaii for the Hawaiians." He wrote and spoke their tongue with won derful fuency and power, and ill the legisla- ture nodded men to his will with ease. He was also proficient in dozen other languages, including those of the Orient. Gibson remained in almost autocratic power until the revolu tion of last July deposed him. The revolu tionists, who comprised the missionary ele ment were so incensed against him that lynch law was talked of, and rope was ever prepared for him. Wiser councils prevailed however, and he was given a civil trial. He had covered his tracks too we'll to be con victed, but he gladly embraced the opportu nifty to escape to San Francisco on a sailing vessel.
 He was compelled to leave his fortune be, hind him, and died at last, from consumption, as he begun life, penniless. His two sons are long since dead, but daughter is married to F. H. Hayselden, who shared his fortune in Hawaii, and is now a fugitive in San Fran