Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-26

The Brilliant Journalist Sucfn NIB,
40 PneuIi0nin--sAts Death u dsreai


40 Pncuntonia--Asis Death u great
g.uss 10 taie south.
ATLANTA, Ga, Dec. 23.-Hanry w.
Grady, editor OF the Consultation, died of
pneumonia at 40 o'1look this morning.
DIR. Grady was suffering from y severe
cold when be started norihward to do.
liver his great speech AZ the banquet OF
the Boston Merohants' Association on the
evening OF December l2th. The journey
was undertaken contrary TO the counsel
of his wife. The strain OF travel and
the address itaelf aggravated the cold,
and he was very sick man when
ha reached the Fifth Avenue Hotel, in
New York. lie wRs advised to rest there,
but be refused, and when he got back to
Atlanta his Bymptoms had become quite
serious, culminsting III pneumonia.
Deaths coming had been feared by
those who had watched the cas- closely,
but nobody expected it SO coon. Ihs
scene at his hone during the last hours
was most pathetic 1t WAS shortly after
II O'Clock that DR.. Everett announced
that hr. Grady was sinking rapidly and
lhat the end WAS near. Then it VAS that
all the members of the family and rela
tiyss gstheEed abont the sick bed hoping
against hope, PRAYING that the cup might
be taken from them. Friends who sad,
at the doctors suggestion, LETT the house
few hours previously, were hastily
summoned. The same question, the same
answer, mo hope, NO. Strong men
| wept like childrei. one by one, then stole
OacE, gazed for i few seconds upon the
Sehy pale face and came back
Hith bowed heads and burdened
hearts. They realized for the first time
that death was inevitable, there wns no
hope. He was still unconscious. Al 3. 40
he drew his last breath aud tho great
heart was STILL
The funeral has not vet been definitely
arranged, but he will be bnried in Atlanta
probably on Thursday.
With perhaps single exception
Henry Wooden Grady was the best
known editor In oil tho Southern States.
He stood in the front rank of American
| journalists, and the prospect OF none was
brighter. He had been talked OF as u
nominee for the Yice-presidency Of the
United States. yet he never held public
office. In politics he was thorough
Warwick, finding delight in making kings
hut having no ambition TO wear a crown
himself Places OF honor,and distinction
were frequently within his easy reach.
but he slways turned his back upon
them. II would greatly prefer he once
! said, ''to have my children remember mo
as having helped to brild city than to
have them able to say their father sat in
the council of the nation, or lived in the
Executive Mansion OF his state"
Editor Grady was born at Athens Ga,
in 1861. His father was colonel in the
| Confederate army, and lost his life in
battle when his son was only ii years
old. Young Grady was educated at the
University of Georgia, in his native city,
where he graduated az the head Of his
| class, and his studies were afterwards
continued at tho University OF Virginia.
From the frat MIR. Grady was strongly
attached to journalism, and on leaving
college, lad OF 49, he started daily
paper on his own account at Rome, ia.
The town was then both small and poor
| and the boy editor could not but fail in
his impossible task No whit discouraged
he moved to Atlanta, in search of wider
field. Here he issued the Atlanta Herald,
IN opposition 10 the Constitution, the es
tablished journal of the Georgian metrop-
oils. This bold venture came near PROV.
ing success. Its enterprise and brill.
iapey were acclaimed on all hands, and
the ConstituttoD was severely pressed by
its competition. but there was not Il.
that time room for both the rival papers
and tho Heraids literary merit could no;
avert financial failure.
Yet ono more attempt did Mr.. Grady
make, this time with the Atlanta Courier
Again he failed Of success and he ther
abandoned the idea of e8tnbiilhing q
paper Of his own. Ills ready pen, how
ever found plenty OF employment. Ht
wrote Tor the Atlanta Constitution, The
Louisville G1urier-J0Urndl mud otheI
papers; and Jamas Gordon Bennett, thu
elder, Rppoiuted him Georgia cores
pondent OF the New York HsiU,3, a pos
which lie held for six years. a foEtuDatt
speculation, il Ia said, in railroad stool
yielded him $4,000, which he YER
wisely Invested in quarter interest il
the C2RstitutiOn. This interest, nos
enormously enhanced, he still owned
when he died.
Mr.. Grady became prominent as our
nalist through the south before the Rrea
earthquake shocks OF August and Sep
TENDER, 1886, in Chsrlestown, but hi
brilliant work then placed him suddenl,
and oonspicuously before the who'll
American people. Then in the Decem
ber following the Charleston catastrophe
Mr., Grady again came TO the surface b
delivering an address here in Nav Yorl
ut 81 annual dinner Of the New EnglsrD
Society on the New south" Tha
speech was, and still is, spplauded al
over the country, south as well as north
.nd helped "a MAKE its author fRmous il
remote localities where bis name had nc
bithorto been known. Mr.. Grady'a las
public appearance was az this recent din
nsr Of the Boston Merchants Olnt
: where he and ex President Oleyelan
played star parts. His theme then wa
the status of the negro in the south, an
newspapers throughout the country er
SILL quoting from its ringing sentence
J and eOmmautipq npon his 4lirring utter
ancBg on that occasion.
Mr. GrahY'a personal appearance wa
rather striking. HiB fare was smooth
, shaver, darS-skinned and expressive, wit
hair and eyes jet black. His voice wa
low keyed, but penetrating. He vas
Iann OF marvellous personal imagination
He trampled any and all conventional
ties under foot and triumnhed by Tia
, ecoentricitiss Of bis genius. His ii
> tluence with his fellow.citizens WAS irrt
: sistiole No municipal policy We
! adopted in direct opposition 10 his az
! vice; no local election wax apt to go CO..
trary TO his will, and every plan or pu
pose for public good won hia cordial su;
port. The power OF his influence aud ii
iuestimnblo benefits OF his usefulness v,
" no mesng confined to Atl4nta, d,
extend with liks force and value through
ont the state OF Georgia He counte
!ds friends by hosts, end, therefore, WI
able to work ont his purposes in opa