The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-03-27
GEN. CROOK DEAD.
HE SUDDENLY EXPIRES OF HEART
DISEASE IN HIS BED ROOM
IN CHICAGO.
SKETCH OF HIS MILITARY CAREER.
His Gallantry on the Battlefields of Chick
amauga and Antietam-Indian Cam
paigns in the West.

CHICAGO, H., March 21.-Maj. Gen. Geo
Crook, U. S. A., commanding the depart
ment of Missouri, died at the Grand Pa
cific hotel at 7:l5 O'Clock this morning, of
heart disease. There had not been the
slightest warning that Gen. Crook was not
perfectly well. He was at army head
quarters all day yesterday and last night
at the hotel appeared to be in his usual
good health He got up as usual this
morning at o'clock and while dressing
suddenly said 10 his wife: 81 can't
breathe" Mrs. Crook helped him to a
sofa and doctor was at once summoned
but before he could reach the room Gen.
Crook was Il ad. The general had been in
command of the Department. Of Missouri
several years, succeeding Gen. Schotield.
HE WAS AN oHIOAN.
CINCINNATI, O., March 21.-News of the
death of Maj Gen. George Crook was re-
ceived here with profound sorrow by his
many army friends. His home was in
Ohio near Dayton and he was appointed to
the command Of an Ohio regiment early III
the war. His military service brought him
| into close relations with many ONO men,
| among whom were eX-President Hayes,
Gen. J, d. Cox and many others. 1t was
| only last year that he united with the Ohio
commandery of the military order of the
| Loyal Legion, and its members expected to
elect HIM their senior vice commandment
the coming election.
THE NEWS AT WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March 2l.-News of the
death of Gen. Crook was great shock to
| the officials OF the war department.. Sec
retary Proctor was particularly affected by
| the intelligence as he had very Intimate
associations with Gen. Crook during his
recent visit to Washington a few weeks
ago. He sent personal messages of condo
lence to Mrs. Crook and gave instructions
for the preparation of general order an
nouncIng Gen. Crooks death to the army.
| This order will recite the personal worth
and distinguished services of the deceased
and will direct that the flags on all mill
tary posts be placed AT half mast
on the day of his funeral and
wear the usual badge of mourning for
period of thirty days
| Adiutant General Kelton said this after
, noon the funeral arrangements Will be con-
Quoted entirely in accordance with the
wishes of the family aud will to some ex
tent depend upon the time ana place OF
| burial. From his personal acquaintance
with Gen. Crook he was Of opinion he would
not care to have any particular pomp or
| ceremony at his funeral. Details Will be
arranged, however, as soon as the wishes
of the family are known.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED GENERAL.
Gen. Geo. Crook was born near Dayton,
| o., September 8, 1923, and was graduate
at the Military academy in 1852. lie served
| in several Indian expeditions and at the
| outbreak of the war became colonel of the
Thirty-sixth Ohio infantry. He was
wounded in action at Lewisburg, W. Va,
and in 1862 was breveted for meri, orious
service at Antietam. He took an
active part i'll subsequent actions in VIZ
ginia and in Sheridau's Shenandoah cam
| palgn and in 1864 received the brevet OF
major general. He was mustere out OF
| the volunteer service January 10, 1861, and
was subsequently commander of the
Thirty second infantry, since which time
his services have been ultimately assocl-
ated with Indian campaigns. lie con-
Quoted them so successfully that he gained
the sobriquet Of THE Great Indian
| Fighter"
In 1872, when assigned TO the Arizona
district to qucll Indian disturbances, he
sent an ultimatum to the chiefs to return to
! their reservations or be wiped from the face
of the earth. In 1882 he forced Mormon
squatter miners and stock raisers to yacate
the Indian lands and encouraged the
Apaches in industrial pursuits.
In the spring of 1888 the Chlracahuas en-
trenched themselves in the Businesses of
the mountains on the northern Mexican
boundary and began series of raids. Gen
1 Crook struck their trail and instead OF fol-
lowing took it backward, penetrated into
4 and took posse sion of their strongholds,
and as fast as the warriors returned from
their plundering excursions made them
prisoners. He marched over 200 miles,
taking 800 prisoners and captured all the
horses and plumber.
During the two years following he had
sole charge of the Indians and during that
time no depredatiOns occurred. lie set
them all at work on the farms, polished
the system of trading and paying i'll goods
and store orders INDUCED in by contract
ors, paid cash direct TO the Indians for all
his supplies and stimulated them to in
creased exertion. The tribes became self
supporting within three years.
He was appointed major general April q,
1888, and soon after was placed i'll COM
mand of the division of the Missouri with
headquarters at Chicago.
FcRTHER ABOUT HIS DEATH.
Mr.. John S. Draks, proprietor Of the
Grand Pacific hotel and an intimate friend
of Gen. Crook, made the following state
ment to an Associated Press reporter
Gen. Crook arose shortly before 7 O'Clock
this morning, apparently in his usual
health, and in accordance with his custom
began exercising with weights and pulleys
. connected Wltn apparatus loI Lle purpose
which he kept in his room. After eXercls-
ing for few minutes he stopped and lay
down on lounge, saying he felt difficulty
in breathing. A few moments later he
called out to his wife:
: ''Oh, Mary Mary! 1 need some help! l
can't get my bIelth"
, Assistance was at once summoned and
DR.. Hurlbut, who lives near by, was sent
for. Everything that could be done was
!: done but he failed to rally and died at 7:15.
Mrs. Crook and her sIsver, Mrs Reed,
we've the only members of the family at his
bedside when he passed away. He had nc
children. | suppose his death resulted
from an affection of the heart. For some
weeks, in fact ever since he returned from
his last trip to the northwest he has been
complaining of bearing down sensation in
the neighborhood of the heart.
DIR. V. L. Hurlbut, the physician who was
summoned SAYS: 81 arrived at Gen.
, ! CrooL,S badside only fOur or five minutes