The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-09-08
DEA1H On MAJOR |IOOSCAN.
Aa 0ld ssd nsteemed Citizen Of
Houston Passes Away.
1 LAWYER, SCHOLAR AND SOLDIER.
HIS Unexpectsd Death u shock 20
the Community where He Had
1aved 30 Long.

was dead ia announcement met with I
RESPONSE Of universal regret. because Ma,o'
Iooscan was q man whom everyone Loved
and esteemed.
1t was only q few short months hack tna'
Major Looscan was In the enjoyment o.
apparently vigorous and robust health ana
II was but q few days ago that he was
seen upon the street. hence the announce
ment Of his death was all the more starti-
ing because unexpected
Last February the deceased was attacked
! with a maiady that seemed TO effect his
brain and from which he never recovered.
He gave UP his active practice OF the law
and went to various health resorts with me
hupe OF securing restoration to his usuai
mental and physical vigor. but all Efforts
In this direction proving futile he returned
to hts home in Houston about two weeks
ago.
While his friends knew that no was In
feeble health but few were aware tlat
his condition was so serious, change icr
the worse being caused by a severe fever
that set In few days ago.
Death occurred at o'clock yesterday
afternoon at the family residence Oh Capl-
toll avenue. corner OF Austin. whence the
funefal will take place this afternoon at
A o'clock. nterment in Glenw0od.
Dick Bowling camp. OF which eeceaged
was member. win attend the funeral
and meeting of the bar Will be neld at
O clock this afternoon iu Judge Wilson's
court room to take action upon the tcath
OF one Of their respected members.
Michael Looscan was born at Caher,
County Mayo, Ireland, on September 25
1888. being the fifth Of eleven children aud
the son OF one OF the most successful small
farmers in that region. His parents were
Celts OF the purcst typo, and Celtic songs
lulled him to sleep in his infancy and his
childish petitions TO the throne OF grace
were offered in the Celtic tongue ue re-
ceiyed a good common school education
and early acquired the plain habits Of the
rugged. honest yoemanry of the West OF
Ireland preserved through centuries OF OPP
preston. and kept intact along with their
spirit of independence.
Young Michael Witnessed the sufferings
attendant upon the terrible famine of lSi7,
but owing TO the providence of his father
escaped experiencing them. In May, 1855,
he resolved to emigrate some of his family
having previously gone to America, and
taking passage on sailing vessel he came
To America. His first employment In this
country was on the Eric canal. He after
ward worked In a cotton mill at Utica N
y. After n few months in Utica he came
South and found employment on the Mobile
Mercury as press boy. In his early boy
mood no INDUCED taste for reading, Sc
Letting the standard authors He came to
Texas in 1858 and taught school near where
longviow is now located. Upon the sugges-
tion OF Judge NJ. II. Bonner young Loosoan
took up the reading OF law In his office and
was law student at the breaking out
or the civil war. He Was one OF the first to
enlist as a soldier on February / 1861, at
Rusk, In Cherokee county He enlisted as
private IN company a, Peter Hardoman,
captain. This company subsequently, be-
came part OF the Second regiment OF
Texas mounted rlnemen. They were mus
tered into State service at AUSTIN and be-
came part OF the forces under General
Van Dorm few months after his enlist
ment Mr.. Looscan was detached from his
company and appointed acting Gdjutant OF
the battalion. When Colonel Baylor after
ward organized n troop OF cavalry MIR.
Looscan was made adjutant general M
tne brigade. Upon u reorganization of the
command Captain Hnrdeman was made
colonel OF the First regiment with dir.
1ooscan as major. When General s. II,
Maxey was made major general and de
tailed to organize a military division IN
Iexas H. appointed Major Iooscan as in
spec'or general OF the division. which posi-
uon ne occupied TIL the close of the war.
inough never sick during the war I'M
Heuiately after its close Major Looscan
WAS taken with chills and feyers, which
Sou.'iueu SO stubbornly and persstently
~ 10 cause him TO seek II higher alti-
suoe, winch he found In Hamilton county,
on the banks of the Leon river. where he
recovered his health whiio engaged in
tehcnins. Having been admitted TO the
par lust before the commencement N, thc
Wat, ne decided to commence its practice
ana having accumulated about 5000 by
teacning no came to Houston as NJ, I.oos-
can. attorney at law. This was about
aeuo OF 1885,. He was given desk room In
the office OF Judge William s. oldham
and Tor long time slept upon the floor
81 the office, with but single blanket
lor MS bed and his oyercoat for covering
rms office was situated In the Wilson
Snhlng, corner OF Main and Congress.
IN istV the republican legislature created
the olnce OF county attorney. TO which Of
ny MAJOR Looscan was elected by the
commissioners III court as the law provided.
70 NE republicans tho law was repealed
ior the sole purpose of getting him out OF
office, the bill introduced IN the leglsla-
ture Tor this purpose being called the
Looscan Relief Bill" The effort to Dust
lam failed and Major I.oosran was again