The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-11-18

40 Kearney St.,
San Francisco, Cal.
Anril % $500
POOR McELROY.

Len udge- ago Inc local press Vi
Sedalia chronicled briefly the tragic
death of Frank B. McElroy, in Salt
Lake City, Utah. Poor McEiroy !!
he deserves more than a curt para
graph, more than a mere mention OF
bis tsking off.
Nine years ago, the Both day of last
June, memorable as the day Guiteau
was executed in Washington, for the
murder If President Carrie d, he came
to the employ of the BAzoo. At
that lime he was in the possession OF
every faculty of mind and body, and
few reporters were more skillful at
his calling than he. Handsome,
socisble, Intelligent with a classical
education. he was favorite with the
employees Of the paper, with the city
officials and with all whom he came in
contact. Possessed of good taste. he
was always well and neatly attired
and attracted attention wherever he
went. In fact, he was almost the Beau
Brummell of the knights of the pencil
in Sedalia.
McElroy was geod hearted fellow,
and having no economic idea of mon
ey, he was always ready to divide
with his needy brethren. He would
give literally to any object of charity
and then turn to work to procure the
means to satisfy his own necessities.
Deeds ike these over and over again
warmed our heart toward him, and we
could not forget the man and his
many kindly acts.
But, alas poor McElroy, like so
many of his brothers in bis profession,
while kind and charitably disposed to
all the rest of his kind, was uncharitable
and brutal toward himself. Heaven
had erected within him fair and
shapely temple, but his own hand
laid it in ruins. The flowers of ami
bility, sociableness and benevolence
that blossomed in his heart and should
have perfumed his life to the grave,
were plucked from their hallowed bed
by the sacrilegious and defacing
fingers of vice, and the fair garden of
his soul was surrendered to the noxi-
Gus weeds of indulgence and debauch-
cry. The life that had dawned into
manhood with such fair aud sweet
promise of an honored and respected
old age, was laid worse than waste
and blsckened and seered by the fires
of unbridled appetite, as the damned
soul is scorched and blasted by the
consuming and destroying breath Ct
hell itself.
Poor McElroy has passed from life
to death, and We hope to merciful
Judgment. If the world is none the
better for his having lived in it, We
hope that his sad example may prove
a tree, from which those of the knights
of the pencil who are treading the path
that to him proved so disastrous, may
pluck the priceless apple of wisdom.
Of all the men who people the world
and ply the skill and arts that civilize
mankind, none possess the peculiar
advantages acquired by the reporter
and printer. Their very calling is the
foundation OF all knowledge. The
news, like the downy seed of the this
tie, would fly into the air and sink to
the ground in a pent-up corner of a
small L eighborhood, did they not send
it abroad through the world on the
wings of the newspaper. By the
reporters art and skill, he detects
criminals, he unfolds the schemes of
the base, he shapes the destinies of
men and nations, builds up and pulls
down dynasties, dictates the course of
legislation in parliaments and con-
crosses, creates and dissolves parties,
and sways as sole lord of the King
dom of Mind, mightier sceptre than
was ever swayed by Caesar, Car, or
Sultan.
And vet, how often do we see him
cast aside all the pride and glory and
power of his high estate to become
like Poor McElroy-who was not the
first and will not be the last-a
drunkard, and in the end die a dogs
death in the ditch.
Alas poor McElroy. He has gone
with all his virtues and all his faults |
upon his head. Let us hope that the |
former viii cancel the latter in the
Book of Judgment and that in the
grave he has found the peace and
rest and comfort that he denied to
himself in life.