Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-28

He seemed surprised yesterday when
approached on The subject
'I cannot imagine how such a report
has gained circulation" said he.
us 1t true. he was asked. that YOU
contemplate preparing to enter a Jesuit
sem mary as nOyitate?'
Concerning that / have nothing to
say. he replied. after a pause.
do YOU say that the report is absO-
lUtely wiihout foundation?'
NO ne answered; but positively
refuse to discuss this matter"
HIS HEALTH is POOR.
Since the ex-Congressman's return
from abroad his old political friends
have seen little of him. He has been a
stranger in places which he formerly
freQuented. and this has given rise to
much speculation. At the same time
it is known that he is not - the best
of health He is a severe suuerer from
insomnia, and the strain upon his ner-
vous system is evident. His eve has
lost nearly all of its old-trne fire and
his strong, fOrceful face has a careworn.
iatlgued expression. That he needs
rest and quiet is agreed by sympathetic
friends who have seen him recently.
The Rev. William Jackson. pastor of
ST. Paul's Roman Catholic Church. in
East one Hundred and Seventeenth
street, is brother of Mr. Cockran's
first wife. IF ne should enter the
priesthood said Father Jackson yes
terday. 81 would be very much sur
prised. / have heard several of Mr..
COclrans friends i'm the world say that
ne contemplated going into The priest
hood, but he has never spoken to me
about il. / saw him on Wednesday
last and then me gave mo no inumation
! that chat was his intention.
81 know that he has several friends
! among the Jesuits What bis intcu-
uons are concerning the priesthood. [
cannot say. lie mas neither consulted
me nor broached the matter to me-
FAMOUS AS AN ORATOR.
William Bourke Cochran is best
known as an orator. His eloQuence
made him for several years one of the
most conspicuous figures in Tammanv
lall and he needed only the oDportun-
| Ivy auoIde0 him in the Democratic Ma
uonal Convention oil 1892 when he
nominated Senator Hill for the Presi-
| dency 10 make his reputation as an
I orator spread from one end OF the coun-
/ Try 20 the other. This speech was the
inspiration OF the moment.
The convention had been i'm session
/ nearly all night and it was 3 O'Clock
/ in the morning after Mr. Cleveland
/ had been nominated and when the dele
gates were tagged ont and half asleep
thar Mr. Cochran took the platform TO
nominate Mr.. Hill. He aWOke the con-
vendon to the widest enthusiasm i'm a
! speech which some of his hearers de
: scribed as the greatest that was ever
made at national convention. 1t was
| in his opening remarks that he spoke
/ of Mr.. Cleveland as "a popular man
a popular man every day in the year
| except election day"
| Mr. COckran's next great triumpb as
an orator was during the tariff debate
/ i'm Congress i'm January. 1894. when he
vanquished PhOmas b. Reed. of Maine.
/ When Mr. Reed threw down the gaunt-
/ let 20 the New Yorker near the close of
the discussion the Republicans expect
ed that Mr.. Cochran would find him
! self overmatobed They were disap-
! pointed. for Mr Cochran attacked Mr..
Reeds arguments so effectively that
the Democrats cheered and shouted in
! delight
STUDIED FOR THE PRIESTHOOD.
Bourke COckran-few designate him
in any other way-was born in the
County Of Sligo. Ireland, February 2S.
1854. His parents intended him for
the church. and with this end in view
he was carefully educated in schools
of his native country. and in his early
youth was sent 10 q Catholic college in
France At the age Of seventeen he
decided that he was not suited for the
church. With scarcely enough money
10 pay for a weeks board after DIR
chasing his passage, he sailed for this