Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-01-23
EVERYBODY SANG his SONG.
The Death OF the Composer OF There's y
Light In the window for Thee"

INet"NA AtfFNaa-
Ten days ago an old man. dressed In
rags, appeared AZ the city prison in
CoreyNille, Kan, and asked the jailer
10 allow him TO sleep Ia one OF the
empty cells overnight He declined to
tell his name, but said he had arrived
on freight train from Texas His re-
quest was granted. Next morning he
was found TO be an. and though prop
erly taken care OF. died four days later.
A few hours before his death he called
the lailer TO his side, and told him his
/ name was Edward Dunbar. aud that he
was the author OF that beautiful hymn,
There's light in the Window for
Thee, Brother" He was buried In the
Coheyville cemetery.
When Dunbar was small BOY he
lived in New Bedford. Mass, and
worked in factory. His mother lived
at the foot OF the street on which the
factory was located, and, as the lads
| work Kept Hun away till after dark. she
always placed light In the window TO
guide his footsteps homeward. One
day he took a notion TO go TO sea, and
! on he went on a three years cruise.
During his absence his mother fell ill
and was at deaths door. She talked in
cessantly about her boy. aud every night
she asked those around her to place q
light In the window In anticipation Of
his return. When she realized that her
end had come, she said: Tell Edward
that will set light in the window OF
heaven tor hun" These were her last
words.
The lad had grown to manhood ore he
returned home, and his mothers dying
message so affected him that he re-
formed aud became preacher. In the
course OF his reformation he wrote the
! song, There's Light in the Window
| Tor Thee, Brother The song became
| widely known.
! The Rev. Edward Dunbar married a
| young woman in New Bedford during
his work In a great revival ia 1855, and
several children were the result OF this
! union. The young divine soon made a
reputation as a brilliant pulpit orator.
and the public WAS therefore greatly
surprised when one bright Sunday
morning he skipped the country, leaving
his wife and children behind. He came
| 10 Kansas, and after snatching brands
| from the burning in different parts OF
the State, he went to Minneapolis, aud
began TO show people the error OF their
ways. A great revival followed and
hundreds were converted.
Miss Eunice Bell Lewis, a handsome
| young helreSS OF indianapolis, was one
OF the converts. She fell in love with
the evangelist aud married him against
the wishes OF her friends. Shortly
after the wedding Dunbar returned to
Kansas 10 fill an engagement at Leav-
enworth. While he was away the
friends OF the bride, who had mistrust-
ed the evangelist all along. laid their
suspicious before w ID Webb, now
Judge OF the Second judicial district of
Kansas, and Judge Austin Young, who
were law partners in Minneapolis, and
they took the case. The result was
that they soon found evidence sufficient
TO warrant an arrest, and Dunbar's IN n
isterial career was brought TO a close.
Judge Webb and Judge Young assist
ed in the prosecution OF Dunbar. After
Dunbar's Incarceration Judge Young
secured a divorce for Mrs. Dunbar and
married her himself. They now live
happily together in Minneapolis. Judga
Lochren, the present Comm ssloner OF
Pensions, defended Dunbar in the case.
Dunbars first wife died in Taunton
Mass, about two years ago.