The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-03-01
DEA 7H OF D. r. LOCKE.

Il the Toledo Blade, and famous as
he author of the petroleum V. Mas.
"" letters. died at bis home in Toledo,
It 6:35 on the morning of February
18th. The immediate cause Of his
leath was consumption of the lungs.
lie was born in Vcstal. n. Y, Sept.
20, 1883, and was in his fifty fifth year
1t the time of his death. :.
Mr.. Locke's wide fame apd populari
ty were due to the Nasty letters. He was
not 4 mere hulnorist, bat was u man
Of strong convictions, and used his hu-
NOR and wit for il purpose. We re-
we'll the history of the Nasby
letters from the first. and we lave
said TO Mr.. Locke that he
laughed the young men ofthe country
out of the. Democratic into the Repub
lican5 party. Never in the history Of
politics have the absurdities and in.
of u party been SO ridicul.
ed aud caricaturcd AS were those of the
Democratic and Pro. Slavery party by
the pen of d. r. Locke. 80. - ~
But Mr.. locke was no mere ''litera.
ry" or humorous writer He WAS a
man of great financial and practical
ability. The Toledo Blade was 4 mere
local paper when he took it. IL three
years; by the aid of DR.. A. T. Miller in
extending the circulation, he had made
it u paper OF National circulation and
influence and had made Il fortune for
himself and his partners. He died ut
the head of the Blade still, worth over
Il million dollars, and the city OF Tole-
dn owes much of her fame aud many
of her fine improvements to him.
The editor of the ADVANCE served
us Associate Editor on the Toledo
Blade. together with the Rev. Robert
McCune. the clief writing editor, when
the Blade was at the height Of its fame
and influence, and we knew Mr.. Locke
well and Can speak by the book. He
WAS the best posted man we ever
''dreW out" aid many were the after
moons he spent in The editorial room
w.t. his two writing editors. taking up
valuable time for which he was paying
ut til. rate of $1,000 and $500 \ year.
pouring out foods Of information con
cprning the inside and underground
history Of the slavery. the liquor. the
social evil. aud a number of other i'm
pOrtaht questions.
Mr.. locxe's Nasty letters we're not
made to order. They We're an rvolu-
tion. His father still lives in Toledo
1T tn ripe age OF ninety-nin ne. We re
member him we'll rs he was twenty
,e.s ago, when his eye was undimme !
and his natural force was not abated. y
He had the clear complexion and the
aura Of u pure lite devoted to truth.
lie was one Of the original anti-slav-
cry men and his son ''DAve' was born
an abOlitionist, and the material t.
make the Nasty letters was implanted
in him from the first. Great success,
like LOcke's, is not al accident and is
not achieved suddenly.
We could give many personal Incl
dents and anecdotes of interest to ad-
mirers of the Nasty letters. but space
forbids. We believe, however. that
we violate no confidence and do better
than to extend cnr OWN remarks, when
we append the following extract from
Il letter received few days ago. from
the Rev. RObt. McCune, who. together
with the editor of the ADVANCE. did
the editorial writing for the Blade
when Mr.. Locke was in his glory and
did little beyond writing his Nasty
letters and delivering his lectures:
lyon spoke Of our friend Locke. !
saw him when last in Toledo. He was
still walking about but much emaciat-
I'd and looking very feeble. At his in
vitation spent the evening with him.
lie lying on his bed. His mind was
bright and clear as ever. and his talk
much as of old. lie had hopes Of get
ting well. but they were mingled with
many fears. could see that his fears
were better grounded than his hopes.
Last Wednesday might rs was speak
ing 1T our weekly service. the janitOr
laid 4 telegram on the table. saying an
immediate answer was desired. 1t
said: MI. Locke is dying-expresses
desire that you speak 1T his funeral
Can you come?'' l answered atfirma-
lively, and have been expecting the
summons daily. Next day his son tel
egraphed saying, Father is very low,
can hardly live through the nj ,ht -
Death is evidently having 4 hard fight
to overcome his magnificent physical
constitution.
This news, when I received it, struck
me in a tender spot, so that l did not
attempt to resume my discourse. l
could not speak because the memories
fore me. l shall 60 when the time
comes. His public life, his literary
work, have been in favor of justice,
He never, to my knowledge, used his
pen to smite religion. He was more
than a mere humOrist; he wrote for 4
higher object than to create a jest or
court Il grin" Other humorists were
content with the laugh they called
forth. Nasty helped the nation to it's
new birth by showing to men the ab-
surdity and ridiculessness of error -
Since the above was written, copies
of the Toledo Blade have come to hand
confirming 6 an account of the obsequies.
Mr.. McCune deIiverd the principal ad-
dress, a most fitting, feeling, and thor
oughly appreciative estimate OF Mr..
l4ocke's character and work. He was
followed by Ex-Congressman J. M.
Ashley, Ex'Congressman Frank Hurd
and Others. Mr.. Ashley related the
following incident:
"Snme years ago met him on Bread
"Nys NC" " NJ auu uO AuSACcu tn0 W
join him. While seated at table he
drew from his pocket and read me the
hymn which is to be sung here to.day
''Come unto me-" was charmed with
it's beauty and touched with its senti-
ment and spirit, and said: David read
that to me again. which he did and in
that hour compreheuded more clearly
the breadth and depth of his poetic
and religious nature. And it must be.
that from this religious nature. sprung
the great moral force which he so he
roicly welded in bait ling for the right. y
The Blade reporter adds:
"Whetf Gov. Ashley related the Incl.
dent and the occasion of the writing
of the hymn, "Come unto me-" by Mr..
Locke, the voice of the speaker failed
him. His eyes filled with tears. and
his lips quivpred with emotion. When
he had finished speaking there was
roo1v Arv ovo mi h IN ho or,ur1 nj