The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-01-09
be left alone.


His brain was affected" said the
doctor, but his intellect was all right.
lie never gave any signs of mental
breakdown during his illness.
"He suffered from profound nervous
exhaustion, complicated with a recur-
ring kidney trouble and an asthmatic
affection. The late political campaign
had undermined his health"
No writings were found in Mr.. Nc
Cu!iagh's o explaining his act or
leaving instructions for the arrange
ment of his affairs.
Mr.. McCullagh's illness first came
upon him shortly after the close of
the late Republican national conven-
ton. 1t took the form of acute asthma,
complicated with nervous depression.
When he passed through the acute
stage he found himself slow in recov-
cry. His limbs had lost their vigor,
his arms were numb and there were
p~remonitions that the brain had come
under the same shadowy spell.
EIA- 4lNSullHBh "OuAN " NNhlA IAh1L
he was failing either physically or
mentally. He insisted on managing
his newspaper from his bedroom. All
through the day he sat in his arm
chair wrapped in blankets, received
reports from his subordinates and
gave them orders for the conduct of
the paper.
Joseph b. McCullagh was born in Dublin,
Ireland, in November. 1882 and when but II
years Of age came to this country on q sailing
ship, working his passage before the mast"
imbued even in that early time Of life with an
ambition to make his fortune in the new coun-
try across the seas. Arriving in New York
City in 1883, he was apprenticed to learn the
printing business in the Office OF the Free
mans Journal.
Five years later, in 1853, he came to st. Louis
and entered the Office of the Christian Advo-
cate. then edited by Dr.. McAnally, and while
engaged on that paper studied the art Of pho
biography, in which in a short time he became
an expert. Mr.. John Frazier, who was fore
man OF the Advocate Office at the time, and az
forwards went to the Missouri Democrat
Office, recommended Mr.. McCullagh to MesSrs.
Mckee ana Fishback as a promising reporter,
and he was finally, in 1859, given u place on the
daily paper.
He proved himself industrious and capable,
and in the winter of 16s9-GO was sent to Jefer-
son City as legislative correspondent. He was
faithful and fearless in the discharge Of his
duties at the state capital, aid incurred the
animOsity OF many democratic members Of
both houses, but on the whole was liked for
his fearless, truthful style OF reporting. In the
spring OF 1850 he severed his connection with
the Democrat to accept a very advantageous
Offer from the Cincinnati Gazette.
When the war broke out. he changed TO the
Cincinnati Commercial. and continued as its
war correspondent throughout all the noted
campaigns in the west. undergoing great
fatigue and deprivation, and taking many
chances OF his life. He was with Commodore
Foote in the attack on Fort DOnelSOn the only
reporter in the pilothouse of the gunboat with
the gallant old naval officer when he was so
severely wounded by a shell from = confeder-
ate battery. lie was afterwards one OF
tie correspondents who ran the confederate
batteries at NickSburg, and narrowly escaped
with his life. Throughout the whc:o war he
was ever 1T the front. shrinking from no labor
or risk, and writing home TO his newspaper,
the Commercial, Il series Of descriptive letters
which we're not surpassed in the whole liters-
ture OF the war. Those letters gained him
great reputation. and contributed largely to
the immense circulation Of the paper. Find
ing him so capable in his letters, the Commer-
cial, after the war, established him as its
Washington correspondent
The letters OF Mack from the capital only
enhanced his reputation as a writer. While In
this service he invented, so 70 speak, the art
Of interviewing. which in later years has been
SO much used and abused by the American
press. In that admirable series OF interview VS.
with President Andrew Johnson and Senator
Ben F. Wade, OF Ohio, Mr.. McCullagh won
wide fame.
Mack" By means Of his shorthand az
cOmpliShmenL. made it a point not only to pre-
serve the matter OF tho interview, but also the
manner of the nan, his actual speech, phrase,
information, geSticulation, al! that the subject
was ana said and did 81 the moment. SO that
his talks with ANDY johnson" and Ben
Wade excited the atteOtiOn and contributed
70 the information and amusement OF the
whole country. In 1858 he severed
his connection with the Commercial and
became editor OF the Cincinnati Enquirer. and
subsequently,, in ls1V. went TO Chicago and
took barge Of the Republican Of that city,
which be conducted win remarkable ability