Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-18
D. W. wILDER'S TRIBUTE TO JOHN
A. MARTIN.
Thirty Years Of Association in Kansas-A
Hard Worker-The Last Music
He Heard,


He Heard.
From the Hiawatha World.
Topeka, Sunday, Sept. 29.-It is a
gloomy afternoon. Today's papers have
come, and they say that John A. Martin
is probably dying. can think of moth
ing else. A thousand scenes come up
from the pasta past of more than
thirty years duration. and covering al
most the whole history of Kansas.
/ first saw Martin in the Champion
Office when the Office was very small
one and the Champion was a weekly
paper. He was very conspicuous in the
legislature of 81, the first state legisla-
ture, as the pushing friend of S. c.
Pomeroy. Martin was then % years
old, and was a state senator from the
district made of Atchison and Brown
cos. Even before that this precocious
young man had held important positions.
He was the secretary of the convention
that framed our present constitution.
The returning board under that instru-
ment consisted of Samuel Medary, gov
ernor of the territory, James NJ. Win
chell, president of the convention, and
John A. Martin, its secretary. That
board gave certificates to all of the first
officers, state and county, elected under
it, and | remember of receiving one as
probate judge of Doniphan county.
Martin was delegate to the great Re-
publican convention at Chicago in 1860,
and has very often been in those conven-
tions and on the national committee.
Next we were thrown together in
Leavenworth, where l was an editor and
he was raising the Eighth Kansas, of
which he became the colonel. We were
both single and he spent great many
evenings in the Conservative Office. This
intimacy has lasted ever since.
Colonel Martin is so we'll known that
his biography need not be written. We
came together again when he became
governor in January, 1885. His little
official family was made up OF James
Smith, W. W. Admire, Will G.. Smith
and myself. and very happy family it
was.
Governor Martin was then the picture
of health and so remained until stricken
with fatal illness two months ago. In
his early life in Kansas he was slightly
built handsome boy. Now he had be-
come of full habit, twice in former
weight, but vigorous, strong; man of
to the Office as early as in the morning
and remained till 6: not going out to eat
during the day. He took very little ex-
ercise, though often asked to do SO.
After going to his room at night he
usually read books. Dnring the whole
day-and his whole life-he was hard
worker. He dictated letters, listened to
the thousands who called, asking for ap-
pointments or on other public business.
He was an active member of the board
that governs the National Soldiers
home. He took home interest in Atchi-
son and the Champion, very active
part in state politics. He delivered
many addresses at soldiers reunions,
fairs and other meetings. All these
were carefully preserved.
Governor Martin was very fond of
statistics and would work day after day
in collecting and arranging figures. They
were ''boom" years, and he entered
fully into the excitement of that period
of growth and activity. He worked
hard and in all ways to make prohibi-
ton successful. Two great railroad
strikes occurred while he was in office;
there was great excitement over
threatened invasion. and the making of
new counties and county seats was an
endless source of trouble and annoyance.
No governor has ever done more hard
work in four years. He never seemed
tired or overworked. Never complained.
And yet it now appears that those were
his last days and that he was ending his
life's work. He has only been out of
office since January last. Then he called
on every officer and took formal leave.
Once or twice since have met him on
the cars; twice he has called at my office,
when in Topeka. Perfect health-apd
then no more. A long friendship ended
without warning, without d parting.
During his illness his physicians have
not wished to have calls made, and very
few of his best friends have been to see
him.
When the governors Office was left it
was left as if death were not far off.
Every letter, paper and book belonging
to him was carefully put away, boxed.
sent to Atchison. A man who attended
to every detail; but the final packing up
seemed ominous. And, as if every pre-
parauion should be made for ending life,
he made book, containing his many &C.
casional addresses, had it printed and
gave it to his personal friends. The
copy he brought to me. read it over
carefully, wrote, at his request, the in
PRODUCTION, and read the proof of the
printed pages.
Nothing omitted; ready to die.
And that was the last of our work to-
gether.
Governor Carney died last year: the
first of the governors of the state who
have died. Just before his death he sent
to the governors Office his portrait. Then
Governor Martin gave his own to the
state: and made arrangements to secure
pictures of the other governors.
Did he know or feel that his life would
soon end. He was reticent man and
talked to very few persons on matters
that were strictly personal. Politically,
his most intimate friend was Judge
Benjamin F. Simpson, of the supreme
court. He then looked like man who
would live to extreme old age. An in
tense man: nobody more full of life,
vigor, work. He came to Kansas boy,
a printer, and almost Immediately filled
a place in the public eve, never to leave
it while life lasted. Prominent in his
city. his country and state, and doing a
national work as patriotic and success
full soldier. The name of John A. Mar
tin IS indelibly inscribed upon the his
tory of Kansas, and manly work, truth
and honor are linked inseparably with it.
A week ago today, DR.. w. W. Nye, of
this city, an Eighth Kansas soldier. told
me of the recent meeting of the veterans
in Atchison. They decided to call on
their honcred and beloved commander.
There We're about sixty of them present,
and they marched to the house. Arriv-
ing there and learning that Colonel Mar
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