The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1890-02-14

" Il-i-lAM bt.JSS. he Wuulu tilk aLbNIL
AT length Governor Bross heard the mans
name and was considerably astoatisie., for
he had once had u brother named Stephen
Decatur l5ross. @-4
That brother, in 1854, left his iorue III Now
jersey for New York city, ard was never,
again heard Of Governor Bross went to Coll
orado, and after Lengthy search found De
catur's ranch in the mountans-in II a Mrs.
Decatur u conleiy Indian woman In few
minutes tie moiintaiueer returned and was
recognized at once
stephen, my brother, my long lost broth
o." Utmost sohbcd The governor
Decatur for few minutes stood perfectly
still, curiously eying the man who had ;4e-
costed him. Then he grutf1y said; "Who are
yuuF'
why, don't you know me- Stephen
am William Bross, your Oldest brother"
Il neve, saw you before in my life
why, Stephen Bross, how z.
II tell You, sir, that you are mistaken;
Ny ua,me is not Bross. | newer heard tho
name before, Ny name is Decatur"
Yes brother, know it is-~Stepien De
catur Bross''
No, sir, it is Stephen Decatur"
In vain did Governor BrosS cite such proofs
us old scars and birth marks; they were uii
on Stephens body, but he knew no such
man as Bross.n In 1876 Decatur was com
missioncd to represent Colorado at the cen
tcnuial, and visited Governor Bross for some
days ut Chicago, but made no sign. He was
long a familiar figure ut Georgetown, Colo,
and there made his ncqua ntance in the su,n-
iner of 1874. a little over ten years previous
ly had become familiar with the features
Of ''Deacon' Bross, and had personal cause
to remember them, us he was tho first man
who ever employed me in newspaper work
though it was but for three weeks. Like
many Others, saw in "Commodoren Deca-
tur q marked resemblance to some one had
known, but could not name the man.
a year later, however, became well ac-
quainted with the commodore u and then,
having meanwhile heard the story, saw in
Vulnerable evidences of the relationship It
WAS not chiefly i'll the personal resemblance
though that was very narked-it was in
tho extremely positive manner of speaking.
the directness of address and, i'll moments o!
excitement, the quick flash of the clear eye
from under its peculiar s'thatch.n The
"commodore's' eyebrow was even mora no.
ticeable than that of the deacon" each par-
ticular hair standing straight out fro !. It's
base md giving an appearance of unnatural
prominence to the alleged perccp;ive fucul-
ties. Surely nature never gave two men
such identical qualities by mere accident.
deacon" Bross was quick enough judge
of men to justify that prominence Of the
'perceptives;" tho "conmodore'' wasa Won
derfully prompt judge of nature. OF all the
formations" about Georgetown and the ores
in them, US well as of the timber and other
things, he was quick and accurate observer:
but somehow formed the idea that his judg-
ment of men was nothing to boast Of He
was quite all authority on mining matters,
and an object of curiosity to visitors from
the east. Few doubted his identity, but back
of the year 1859 in his history he would never
go. domestic troubles" was the far west
ern verdict, of course, for in those days many
q man out west "knew how it was himself"
Stephen Decatur Bross if you willy died in
1885, having made no sign.
William Bross, in 1889, married tue only
daughter OF DR., John T. Jansen, Of Goshen,
N. Y, by wha.l he had eight children. Only
one OF these survived him, she being the wife
Of Henry D. Lloyd, well known newspaper
man. The year following the great Chicago
fire marked the elimination of Governor
Bross' labors. He exerted himself assiduous-
ly to bring relief and hasten tho rebuilding
Of tho city. In this work he made all address
before the relief committee OF the New York
chamber OF commerce which attracted wide
attention. Indeed, his abilities as speaker
were of no mean order-he was equally tren-
chant with tongue and pen, Soon after he
retired from active labors, though retaining
large interest in The Chicago Tribune.
His health began to fail ten years ago, and
he continued to suffer at frequent intervals
thereafter, but he fought against disease with
his old time tenacity till few days before
his death. His last audible words were, "If !
conquer this, I'll take the train" lie left
one brother, Charles E. Bross. now clerk of
the Wisconsin senate, aud one sister. His re-
mains were laid in Rose Hill cemetery with
those Of his seven.children and his brother,
Col. Bross. He had been an earnest Presby-
terian since early life, and held the office
from which he derived the familiar title, af-