Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-05-16
ECKLEY B. COXE'S DEATH.
PNEUMONIA CUT SHORT A BRIGHT
AND USEFUL CAREER.
The Millionaire Coal Operator and Ex-
State Senator Passed Quietly Away at
His Home on Monday Morning-FuneraI
This Afternoon Mt Drifton

His Home on Monday yMorning-funera
This Afternoon Mt Drifton.
Hon. Eckley B. Coke died at his home
in Drifton on Monday morning at TO- 25
o'clock, aged 55 years, IL months and 8
days. Death was due to pneumonia.
He had been i'll less than two weeks,
and until shortly before he expired there
was no doubt but that he would even
tually recover. On Saturday it was
thought he was improving rapidly, and
such was the information given out to
the public. The sudden change of the
weather on Saturday night, when the
temperature dropped in a few hours
from eighty to forty-three degrees in this
section, brought with it change in the
patients condition, and from then on
Mr. Coxe's physician, DIR. II. M. Neale,
of Upper Lehigh, knew there was dam
ger. DR.. DaCosta, of Philadelphia, was
again summoned on Sunday night, but
did not arrive until after the end had
come.
His death was quiet and peaceful, and
he was conscious to the last. Around
him were gathered his faithful wife, his
private secretary, e. A. Oberrender, DIR.
Neale, Rev. J. p. Buxton and his broth
er, A. b. Coxe and the latter's wife.
The news of Mr.. Coxe's death spread
rapidly and reached this office few
minutes after it occurred, but the TRI-
BUNE had gone to press nearly two hours
earlier than usual and we were unable
to mention the sad fact in our issue OF
that day.
Hon. S. P. Wolverton, of Sunbury,
who was summoned early Monday morn
ing, arrived half an hour after the death
of Mr.. Coke. Mr.. Wolverton was the
deceased's attorney, and had charge of
all his personal legal affairs, and also
considerable of the companies business.
1t was Mr.. Wolverton who drew up his
last will, but what is contained in it will
not be known for some time.
During the day hundreds of kilograms
of sympathy were received from all parts
of the nation, for Mr.. Coke was a man
with national reputation for ability
and energy, and was on intimate terms
of acquaintance with the leading men
of the United States. But it was to the
people OF this immediate vicinity that
his death brought grief and sorrow, for
only those who lived hear him could
fully realize what great loss they were
called upon to sustain in his unexpected
death.
In accordance with one of his last
wishes the remains will be inferred this
afternoon in the churchyard of st.
James Protestant Episcopal church at
Drifton. In desiring to have his body
remain in the midst of the people with
whom he spent the best part of his life,
Mr.. Coke again showed his thorough
consistency, and, since death was newt
able, he could not do anything more
pleasing to his friends than to make the
request above stated
The funeral will take place at st.
James church at /. 40 o'clock this after
noon. The church will be opened at
p. m. and the body will leave the house
at 1.3O o'clock. 1t will not lie in state.
William e. Bellas, III. e. Sweeny and
George Hufford will act as ushcrs at the
church.
The people of town who wish to at
tend the funeral will meet at the opera
house at 1890 o'clock and proceed In a
body to Drifton.
The Mining and Mechanical Institute
students will leave the school at lis
O'Clock and proceed to st. James church.
Nearly all the collierles in the Lehigh
region were closed since Monday out of
respect to the dead operator, all the sta
tions and locomotives of the d. S. & S.
are draped in mourning and flags are
floating at half-mast In every part of
town today.
In the death of Eckley B. Coke it can
truthfully be said that Freeland has
lost its best and staunchest friend. He
was by far the greatest and most san
guine believer in Freelands future that
resided in this community On two
public occasions while addressing audi
ences here he expressed his feelings and
intentions in a manner that did more to
instil confidence in the people than any
number of acts or words which others
could offer.
The people believed in him implicitly.
So much of his life had been spent in
their midst that they had learned to
know that he always meant precisely
what he said. They did not doubt his
words when he told them at the recent
banquets rendered him by the borough
council and the Citizens Hose Company
that the town was yet in the first stage
of its growth that the plans under way
by the Coke corporations would increase
its population many times, that no prop
erty owner should fear real estate would
depreciate, that all the influences he
could bring to bear would be directed
for the best interests of Freeland and
that the borough was looked upon by
him as his ward and he would always be
found personally interested in its