The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-05-11

AND what regrets oershadow reason,
| When sickened by the sting of death.
How sad to think.
A man so loved Is gone,
"A life so noble has departed.
The world will miss him,
| Though heaven and the angels gain;
| Old mother earth and man will weep,
For death like this is pain.
A legion of weeping friends
Can only indicate their sorrow
For 1t Is born of love reciprocated.
Who can fil his placer
who so generous, 30 wise,
| Who so loyal and so bold!
or all Gods creatures
No friend was more faithful,
| No foe so invincible.
! His heart o'erilOwed with love of right
| And hatred of all wrong;
| No man was IN miller than he
| Who now, alas! Is gone.
| Missouri has lost her greatest news
paper man and her constellation o
journalists is dimmed by the departure
of its most brilliant member Mai. JohI
| N. Edwards is dead, and again is ex.
emplilied the adage that the king o
| terrors loves shining mark. Maj
Edwards died at the McCarty house
yesterday at 10 q. m. He has been il
the city some six or eight weeks anC
has been in bad health. suffering iron
wounds received in the civil war and
from heart disease. the latter being the
immediate cause of his death The sad
news soon spread over the city and was
received everywhere with profound
sorrow and regret. AT the capitol il
created great sensation, land the house
of representatives, upon motion OF MIR.
Thompson, OF Macon, adjourned out OF
respect until 9 q. IN. Monday. The
senate also adjourned, and upon the
motion to do so, Senator Moran, in a
brief speech, paid beautiful tribute to
& he dead journalist. All through the
day the death of Maj. Edwards was the
theme of discussion, and groups OF
members and senators formed about
the hotels to discuss the saddest event
hat has occurred in this city for long
time.
EAGER FOR PARTICULARS.
As stated, the news rapidly circulat-
ed and sorrowing friends were eager
to learn particulars. At first it seemed
to daze everybody and it seemed for
awhile az il no one could realize that
John Edwards was gone. He came
here accompanied by Mrs. Edwards
about five weeks ago and she was with
him at the time of his death. He had
been ill nearly every since his arrival
here, only occasionally getting over to
The capitol to see friends. 1t was only
on Wednesday last that his symptoms
became somewhat alarming. Yesterday
morning he arose early, but when DR..
Thompson called he noticed that his
mind was wandering and after remain
ing with him for time he came TO the
conclusion that his end was drawing
near, and so informed Maj. John Bit
finger, whom he requested to inform
DIR. MunfOrd of the Kansas City Times.
The dispatch was sent Immediately and
in an hour aiterward Mai. Edwards
dropped quietly into a sleep, from
which he never awakened. Telegrams
were sent to number of friends
throughout the state.
SAD NEWS WENT OVER THE WIRES.
"John N. Edwards, the brilliant
writer and prince of journalists, is
dead" That was the sorrowful news
the telegraph carried out to the Jour-
nalists of the south and west yesterday.
No sadder intelligence than this has
flashed over the wires of this city than
that. Truly great man in journalism
"has fallen this day." AS the sun in
the firpament is to the solar system, SO
was Maj. John N. Edwards to the Jour.
nalistic armament. But the sun has
set while it was yet noon. Few attain
such eminence in their profession even
hn hatr bns
he attained while yet in the prime of
lite and full vigor of manhood. OF him
it can be said: ellis eve was not dim
nor his natural tOrce abated." But he
is gone-out into the great unknown
future his spirit winged its way. The
summons came and he obeyed the man.
date. He died as he had lived-a friend
to the unfortunate and dOwn.trOdden.
No kind mother ever spread the cover
ing more tenderly over her sleeping
infant than John N. Edwards spread
the mantle of charity over the erring
and the fallen.
Brave as lion, gentle as lamb,
none ever appealed to him for charity
in vain; the defenseless always found
in him prompt and fearless advocate;
a perfect stranger to personal fear, he
was equally unmOved by fiattery or
adulation. Always guided by the most
noble and generous impulses, he was
wholly incapable of committing q
pusilanimous act. His severest Jour-
nalistic castigations were almost char.
acterized by purity of thought and
chastity of language seldom exhibited
by caustic writers. Would that all
tnFo hn
his noble virtues in this respect. "Peace
to his ashes"
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Mai John N. Edwards was born in
Warren county, Va, February 8, 1871.
When boy he entered printing office
aud learned the art preservative. Att
ho age of II he came to Missouri, and
having early evinced ability as a |
writer, became connected with the
Lexington Expositor. The breaking
)ut of the rebellion found him there |
md being a southerner by birth his |
were all with the southern |
cause. He entered the war as aide de
lamp to Gen. Joseph 0. Shelby, and in |
hat capacity rendered distinguished
ervice throughout the war. He wrote
he reports OF all the battles in which
lis command was engaged, and they
re remarkable for their brilhancy and
'ower of description.
lie had been a student of all the
'reat military campaigns of the world
rom The time OF Caesar to Napoleon, so
hat his mind was thoroughly imbued
With the military spirit. This made
i'm an invaluable aid to Gen. Shelby.
10 more gallant soldier ever vaulted
lto a saddle. By the side of his com-
ade he was at the front of every charge
4 many battles. He was the idol of the
Dmmand to which he belonged.
AT the close of the war he accomps.
led Gen. Shelby to Mexico, and there
ecame an ardent supporter of the
mperor MaXimillian. While In the
ty of Mexico. in company with ex.
ov. Henry w. Allen, of Louisiana, he
lifted paper devoted to the cause of
After the latter's over.
row he returned to Missouri and +
'came reporter on the St. Louis
epublican. Leaving that paper he a
'came associate editor of the st. Louis }
mes. From that journal he went to n
'dalia and became editor of the Seda- o