Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-08
MR.. SALE WATKINS.
Sudden Death Yesterday OIL This PCpu'
Tar Citizen aud Business Nan.
HAD BEEN GREAT SUFFERER.
After Many Months of sickness anu
pain lie Yielded to an Cncon-
.ro,t,,,l. tmpuIse and Ended His
Exlstence-sketch of His Life.

popular men In Richmond, vie dlng 70 '"'
uncomfortable impulse welded by suie'
ing that overmastered VIII weahe'4''
by disease. took his own lie al inc Nv
treat for the Sick yesterday ai'ei"oo"
bv shooting himself through the head WIN
pistol. ,.,us
For more than a year MIR. Wa'hihs
had been suffering from an incurap'e o''
ease. and for the last five or SIX iho"'"'
his friends who visited him constantly
nod known the terrible suffering which
he underwent. For months he had oee"
unable TO lie down at Night ana '"'
only rest that he could get was IN an up
right position ~, .Ao
Mr. Watklns's friends had noticed the
effect OF the disease upon his minu' anu
fears had been entertained by them io'
sona time that his expressions oil anguish
wou,d find some such consummauoh as
that OF yesterday.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
Mr. Roosevelt Page writes for the DIS
,atch the following sketch of Mr.. wat
fins. beautiful in the pathetic sentiment
II expresses for the memory OF MS me
long friend: 49,. o, 81
anrollus Sale Watkins was the son OF
The Rev. Henry w. Watkins and Judith
his wife. and was born In the county u
Powhatan about fifty-five years ago
AS boy his friends say OF him thal he
was clever and active in mind ana Dou!
BEFORE the war he had taken u,p
ara',r3 the world as paymaster's clerk IN
the navy. and had brought rom NE
travels many charming experiences OF
manners and people. H..
when the war began, Ike the oth'i
bows of the South who were strong enOusH
10 hear a musket. he enlisted, ana was
a member Of / Company. whose recoiu
is a matter of history.
Since the war Mr. Watkins had peen
,aentjfed with the business Of this city
ss ono ~ the leaders in the wholesale
hardware business To him, indeed as
much as TO any other person, Is due inc
credit ~ the extensive hardware trace
which centres here ST.,
AS q member Of the firms OF Watkins
Cottrell & Co. and Cottre., Watklhs
Co. he was a valuable factor IN tle
business OF Richmond. And 1t is only
within the last few months that ne mas
retired from the last-named hIm' 10
whose prosperity he had lent the pest
efforts Of his life.
HIS HAPPY DlSPOSl Hun
Rut any sketch of Mr. Watkins's life
would be wanting that failed to notice the
charm Of his personality. In any society
I'm which he appeared his presence was
felt. Who Is there that has known nm
that can forget the pleasure OF associatioh
with him? Who that has heard his merry
laughter can fail to recall its effect?
Who that has heard him sing can ever
forget the sweetness of that voice, which
was not less enchanting than 1t was
ready TO obiige
Two years ago Mr.. Watkins went South
in search of health. and returned win
only partial benefit. Since he has been
at the Retreat the attention of his friends
has been most gratifying to him. me
goodness Of his friends and nurses has
been often commented on by him, ana
one OF the latter said he was an IDEAL
patient
Mr.. Watkins was a man Of decided Ite-
rary tastes, and on several occasions has
rsad papers before the literary club or
which he was a member that showed a
cultivation and knowledge OF books that
is unusual In one whose whole life has
been devoted TO business pursuits.
The recent death Of his devoted friend
and partner, Orin L. Cottrell, mad a most
depressing effect upon him. coming as
it CID upon an diIeduy tiASSDiNN IVY
and depressed mind.
Mr.. Watkins leaves two brothers-Mr.
Charles T. Watkins, Of Greenville. n. Co.
and Mr.. A. Judson Watkins, OF this city
and two sisters--Mrs. A. X. Yancey, or
Mexico, Mo-, and Mrs. ]. S. Withrow, O.
Staunton, Va
His three Decentralization, Joel b.
and Claiborne-died before him.
In his last Illness he read much-the
great English novels and biographies and
the Bible.
His charity was as generous as his
heart was kind, and as unostentatious as
the life / have tried to describe lie Will
be mourned by host Of loving kindred
and friends, and by al those who admire
a warm-hearted, genial spirit and an
upright. noble, and true man.
FUNERAL TOMORROW.
The funeral Will take place from the
First Baptist church tomorrow after
noon at $3.50 o'clock.
The following will act as pall-bearers:
Honorary-Messrs. Thomas n. Page
George ID. Wise. william r. Trigg, w. L.
Royal, Major T. II. ID. Myers, Joseph
Bryan, K. ". Powers, John p. Branch,
C. ID Langhorne, John 5. Elicit, 5. B
witt. G. OBJ. Cow1rdin.
Active-Messrs. W. S. Robinson, e. H.
Boiling. William r. Massie, w. IA. Grant,
T.. ID. Taylor c. w Branch. ]. ii. Lyons,
j. s. Crenshaw. Roosevelt Page.