Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-13
HAS LOVED BEFORE.
The Story Of Stanley's Engagement
to Miss Pike, of New York.
HIS PRETTY GREEK SWEETHEART
Whom He Abandoned at the Altar When
Her Father Demanded Pay.
AN EXPERIENCE WITH BRIGISDs
IwR1TTEN FoR THE prspATcH.1

was chatting yesterday with an ole
newspaper man, who has been a persona
friend of Henry NJ. Stanley for nearly {
quarter of a century. 1t was. in fact
through his instrumentslity that Stanley
was sent by James Gordon Bennett to fine
Livingstone. This gentleman, who NIGH
| pose, as it were. as the godfather of Stanley
the explorer, has not seen his distinguished
godchild for several years, but of the Stan.
ley OF years ago he can talk Interestingly by
| the hour.
"Stanley's career" he said, sis mos
| forcible illustration of the fact that man
who has the stuff in him is bound to make
a hit, let his circumstances and surround.
ings be what they may. The man of whom
all Europe and America is now talking was
born at Denbigh, North Wales, in '43, and
then bore the name of John Rowlands. His
father was without means, and young
Rowlands was a charity pupil at St,
Asaph's School. He pushed his way along
becoming a pupil teacher in the National
School at Brynford, of which cousin of
his was head master, when he was but 10
years old. For three years he remained
there, and then he quarreled with his
cousin, who had ordered him to do some
menial work. Without saying a word to
anybody he packed his few belongings and
ran away to Liverpool, and late in SO the
future discoverer Of Livingstone found him.
self penniless and friendless in the streets of
New Orleans. having worked his way on q
trading packet.
WITH, DyEurp N6Anu
"After wandering about for a time, vainlv
looking for work, the lad succeeded in
getting position as clerk in the office of
rich old merchant named Stanley. The
kind hearted old man took q fancy to the
boy, and having no children of his own,
adopted him. The bov then discarded his
old name of John Rowlands and henceforth
was known as Henry NJ. Stanley. 1 have
often heard Stanley say that his adopted
father frequently spoke to him about making
q will in his favor. The merchant died,
though, before the will was made, and his
relatives and heirs, who had resented
Stanley's Intrusion-as they termed it
turned the adopted son into the street."
The old newspaper man then told the IA
miliar story of Stanley's eplisting in the
rebel army, his capture and his escape by
Jumping overheard and swimming to shore
under heavy fire; ol his trip to Europe
and back; of his enlistment in the Union
navy and OF his wonderful swim during an
action from the iron-clad Ticonderoga, on
which he was serving, to a Con ederate YES
sci 500 yards away. To this vessel be at
tached a rope at the bow and safely returned
to his ship with the other end of the rope,
under hot fire from the Confederate guns.
The Confederate vessel was captured, and as
q reward for his gallantry Stanley was
raised from the ranks and made an ensign.
AN EXPERIENCE IN TURKEY.
'In 1885," continued the informant.
Stanley made his way to Turkey with a
couple of friends-Noe and Cook, / think
there names were-set out from Smyrna to
walk across Asia. They were set upon by
who stripped them of all their
subjected them to torture in the
hope of forcing them to give up valuables
which they were suspected of having hid
den, and held them for tine in the mount
aims for ransom. Maddened by their failure
to obtain q ransom, the bandits subjected
Stanley and his friends to certain indigni-
ties, and then, to shield themselves, capped
the climax by turning them over to the Cadi.
and charged them with attempted murder.
Stanley made a strong plea to the Cadi j,
and told his story in such plain, straight
forward fashion that that potentate, despite
his prejudice, had the bandit complainants
arrested and tried for robbery. They were
convicted and sent to the galleys. Stanley
and his friends were in a penniless condi-
tion, even their clothes having been taken
from them. A gentleman connected with
he Ottoman Bank lent them money, and
Stanley made formal complaint to the |
American Consul at Constantinople, and |
demanded 1000 of the Turkish Govern
80 60, H. . q !
1pon himself and his frlends. The Consul |
'eported the matter to the Department of |
State at Washington, an investigation was
made, and a considerable sum of money
Il 200, it my memory serves me-was event
Tally paid to Stanley by the Turkish Gov
The affair made quite a sensation
It the time, and the papers in the case are
till on file at Washington, 1 am told.
WORKING FOR SIG A WEEK,
'In '67 Stanley again came to America,
westward, and went out on the
,lains as the correspondent of a Chicago
,aper and the st. Louis Democrat. As a
of these papers he accompa-
lied General Hancock's expedition against
be Cheyennes, being paid the munifcent
um OF $15 per week, in return for risking
lis life, enduring extraordinary hardships
nd supplying his papers with exclusive ac-
cunts of the news at the front. One day
here was big engagement with the red
kins, General Hancock scored signal vic
ory.''
Stanley figured that the story of that fight
-and he was the only newspaper man
Tithin hundreds of miles of the battlefield
Tas worth more than pay at the rate of S15
week. He accordingly rode off alone sew
raj hundred miles to the nearest telegraph
i l4Lz l. = II l
e had exclusive news of great victory Tor
be United States troops over the Cheyennes,
nd asked if the paper would like it. OF
curse the paper took 1t, and this brought
i'm in connection with James Gordon Ben
EFT.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
"I suppose Stanley has changed a good
cal in appearance since l last saw him,
,me five or six years ago, but 1 don't be-
eve the man himself could change much.
lis character is too strongly defined. In
erson be is, should say, about five feet
ght inches. When knew him he must
ave weighed about 170 or 1S0 pounds, but
e was lar from being fat His flesh was
II solid flesh, evenly distributed, and I
Incy, his muscles weighed pretty nearly as
uch as the feshy covering.
ANYBODY could see at a glance that be
as a man of wonder ul muscular power.
lis chest was broad and deep and his legs
ade one think of couple of short posts. SO
lid did they look. His face was-and. OF
purse, ls-a face marked in every line with
His eyes are small, near to-
ether. and have-or at least, had-the look
tigers. No man could ever look at
tanley and take him tor anything else than
man OF unbounded determination and grit.
s for physical courage, he is one of the lew
en- have ever met of whom 1 would say I
lat. literally speaking, he did not know
hat lear meant. He has tie courage of a
on, and, at times. the gaze of tiger
FITTED BY BIRTH FOR HIS WORK. {
''He must have been born with love of
venture; his strength of character made i
I'M a man who easily acquired the art of !
men, and, in TACT, in most re-
,ects he was fitted by birth for the work to
hich he has given so many years of his /