The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-27
A Brave Reporters End.

Brave Reporters End.
The death last Monday of poor Fred 1.
Hamilton, one of the staff of the Mornino
Advertiser, has touched me profoundly. He
was one of the most conscientious, palms.
taking, earnest and devoted men l have
known in newspaper work. He had a
sense of duty absolutely beautiful to be-
hold, and a conscientiousness which al
most earned for him the title of ''crank."
A few days after the announcement that
the typhus fever had made its appearance
in this city he came to me with the re-
quest that he be permitted to go over to
the pest hospitals on North Brother
island, study the character of
the disease, and write such
report as would be of value to
the people of New York. objected upon
the ground that he would be exposing
himself unnecessarily to the disease and
that the situation did not call for any such
sacrifice. He insisted that we we're pretty
certain to have scourge of typhus here
and that inasmuch as little was known to
the public concerning the pathology of the
disease and its treatment, no greater serv-
ice could be rendered than to study up
and write intelligently thereof in the
newspapers. The more 1 objected the
more he argued in favor of the enterprise
and finally he went away with the de-
termination to visit the island, say
ing as he went that he would
assume all personal responsibility and
acquit me in the event that any bad
result followed l talked to him of his
wife and his duty to her. but it seemed to
make no impression upon his mind. No
picture of the risk or neealessness of the
trip could defect him from his intention.
He did not visit the island, but he stayed
about the health board headquarters for
some days and gathered from doctors,
nurses and stewards from North Brother
island great deal of valuable information
upon typhus, which he wrote and pub
lished in the Commercial Advertiser. He
was thoroughly absorbed in the work and
was thoroughly convinced that it was the
duty of somebody to write intelligently
about typhus.
In furtherance of this idea, he accom-
panied some of the inspectors in their
rounds among the tenement-houses on the
East side, where the passengers OF the ty-
phus-striken Italian ship Masilia were
lodged. 1t was here that he came in di-
rect contact with the disease. The first
intimation that had of his illness came
in the form of note, written by him from
DIR. Edson's headquarters, informing me
that he had what was pronounced
TO be case of typhus fever and
that he was just about taking up his
abode in the lazaretto hospital He had
left home that morning feeling somewhat
feverish and depressed, and he never saw
his wife or home again. When DR.. Edison
found him covered with the unmistakable
rash of the pestilence he hurried him over
to the hospital, and there he had the best
attention that could be given under such
surroundings. Cut of from all commuui
ton from friends and home his life wasted
away, and all that is left OF him IS the
memory of n noble hearted fellow who was
ever faithful in his duty, ever noble in
his associations and always proud of his
profession knowing him as l did, can
not say that ne was in any sense fool
hardy. He had an idea that it was the
duty of some newspaper man to DO Just
what he did, and once that impression
lodged in his mind, he was irresistible in
the tixedness of his purpose. He has paid
the sad penalty, but | am satisfied that the
memory which he has left will not be lost
so long as there are honest workers in
Journalism to cherish his memory.
Tenor De Reszke's Compatriots.
Town talk has been full Of De Reszke
stories. Here's a good one that has not
been published, and it is well worth nav
ing that honor-if honor 1t be. In some
way or another it seems TO spoil good
story to print it. But here goes. 1t was
7 by the clock an evening or two ago,
when a group OF men about town, who are
really men and do cut something OF
figure about the city. sat down IN the
Breslin residence in Twenty-eighth street,
for supper. They had agreed beforehand
TO call it supper. because they expected 1t 10
last into the supper hour, if not into the
heel of an early breakfast James, uni
versally called Jim" Breslin, he. o. the
famous Gilsey house, was the host. lie
lives in Twenty-eighth street. not Tar from
the famous old site on which the same
Gilseys have just built and are finishing
the handsOmest theater in town, the new
Fifth Avenue. The De Reszke brothers
Edouard. the Cyclopean Mephisto, ana
Jean. the tenor-loving, as robust anu
handsome as all tenors are loved to
be-had the seats of honor. Next
came Lassalle, the gigantic brown BARI
tone. who is said TO be the very man the
De ReSzkes ought to want for brother, II
they did want one, and next to him Frank
W. Sanger, one of the luckiest, most sue
eessful and shrewdest young thester
managers in New York. Maurice Grau,
the worthy partner of Henry +. Abbey,
aud Bob" Knox. as his intimates call aim,
the furnisher. filled out the festive circle.
There was much 10 eat, the quality OF
the rnapritV and an