Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-02

WI one OF the DraVest
pOuSe IoekkN and clear-headed OF
the cavalry leaders who fought for the
late Contederacy was General Thomas
L. Rosser, of Virginia. He left West
Point, where he had been the class
mate of Custer, to enter the Southern
army, and proved his skill and valor on
a score OF battlefelds. The surrender
of Lee left him penniless with q wife
and children to support. There were
no openings in the South; but employ
ment must be had, and so he drifted to
Minnesota and became section boss on
the Northern Pacific railroad, then In
course OF construction. One day Cen
eral Custer, riding along the line OF
the road, noticed a section boss whose
face seemed strangely familiar.
"Isn't your name Rosser?" he finally
asked.
% "Why, Custer, how are you?" said
Rosser, looking up from his work.
Thus they met for the first time since
leaving West Point. Next day Custer
called on the chief engineer of the
road and said:
"There is man named Rosser under
you as construction boss?"
"Yes," answered the engineer, land
one of the best I ever had Anything
wrong about him?"
mo" replied Custer, 'but he was at
West Point with me, and afterwards
major general of the Confederate cav
airy. | want you to give him some.
thing better than the work he is
doing"
"Why, I have been looking for Just
such a man," said the engineer.
And so Rosser, through Custer's
kindly offices, became second in COM
mand of the engineer corps at the
time, and a few months later was made
chief engineer. He made good use of
the opportunities his position afforded
for speculation and investment, and is
today easily worth half million dol
lars. Custer died poor man, and his
widow is dependent for support upon
the pension she receives from the gov.
ernment. r"-
Some ten years ago thick-set young
man named Gunther, who had been a
mining engineer in the West, and later
a moderately successful dramatist,
haunted the offices of half the publish
ers in New York with bulky manu-
script for which he was anxious to find
a publisher. The manuscript was the
now famous story, "Mr. Barnes of New
York." but the author could not find a
publisher who would read it, much less
buy or publish it. The critics whose
aid he sought said they had no time to
about concluded that there was no
chance for man without literary
reputation having novel accepted,
when one day he fell in with Wall
street broker whom he had known in
California. Slapping Gunther on the
back, the broker said:
"Archie, have just closed deal
which has put me away beyond the
breakers. Let's have something"
Gunther congratulated the broker
and said he was glad to know that for.
tune attended some of his friends even
if it had failed to smile upon him
Then he told of the rough road he had
been forced to travel while vainly
searching for a publisher for "Barnes
of New York" The broker listened
attentively to his story and then said:
'Give me your manuscript and will
read 1t. I am not one of those do
literary fellows you read about, but
am q man of the world and | know
what men Of the world want and are in
terested in. If like your book I viii
let YOU have the money with which tt
publish it, and you can tell the publish
ers to go to thunder"
The Wall street man took the manu-
script, read it, and furnished the
money for its publication. The bool
was soon on the market, and aftel
hanging fire for moment, went like {
meteor. 1t made the fortune of Its au
thor, who has ever since continued hi.
own publisher, and whose profits il
some years have exceeded 100000.
One day in the early part OF 1870 1
Young man named Samuel M. Bryan
clerk In the postofice department a
Washington, received notice that hi
services were no longer needed. In
competency was the reason given fol
his dismissal. When he looked owe
his stock in trade he found that it con
sisted of less than S1o0 in money and
great idea. A few days later he wa
dead-beating his way to San Francisco
When he reached San Francisco he sc
cured employment as purser on
steamship bound for Japan, and in du
time found himself in Toxic. Once i
Japan's chief city he at once proceede
to put his great idea into execution
What he proposed was to perfect an
put into operation In Japan was q pos
tai system modelled after that of tn
United States. Bryan found willin
From that time on Judge Cowing AM
"Judge" Cochran We'd with each othe
in courtesy, Difference and the exhibi
tion of legal lore. Equally brillian
was eCockran's success with the jurors
He interested them by the masterl
manner in which he handled the viii
nesses for the prosecution, amuse
them by his irresistible flow Of spirit
and won them completely by the elo
ouence and earnestness of his closin
address. They would have brought i
q verdict of acquittal had Judge Cow
ing allowed them to do so. AS ii was
uockran's fame spread abroad and eli