San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-04
HEROES OF THE PLAGUE
Those Who gave Given UP Their
Lives IN Yellow Fever Time
Times When the Best and Worst
Phases of Human Nature Were
Brought Out-NObIe Sac
rffces.


Yellow fever has developed the
worlds greatest heroes and heroines.
Out of the horror. misery and terror
of an epidemic of the dread disease
there have come characters whose sub.
lime acts of courage and heroism will
ever be remembered. The fever which
Is now causing panic in the south re-
calls to mind that greatest epidemic in
our history in 1873
The most touching example of heroic
devotion to duty and absolute indiffer-
ence to fear in helping the people he
loved is furnished in the acts of young
Herbert Landrum, a brother of DR.. W.
W. Landrum, pastor of the First Baptist
church, in this city. Herbert Landrum
was one of the martyrs of journalism,
WIFI went to their death during that ia
nous plague at Memphis, because they
we're too brave to leave their posts.
Young Landrum cheerfully gave his
life in trying to save young jeff Davis,
the son of the president of the confeder-
acy. At that time Landrum was city
editor of the Memphis Avalanche. When
the epidemic broke out at Memphis he
was at Nashville reporting democratic
convention. He left at once for home,
and during the rest of life never left the
city of death and desolation. Though
but 90 years of age. he was among the
brightest newspaper men Of the coun-
try. He had displayed rare ability and
talent in his work and had won a fine
reputation as writer. Memphis at
that time had population of $4,000.
This was reduced by fight to $4,000. and
struct guarantees stopped the exodus
or the city would have been deserted
OF the $4,000 left in the city, 5000 had
the yellow fever. OF the patients, 1900
died. For weeks the city was shut off
from the world. Sickness and death
were in every house. The police force
was disorganized. Riot and outlawry
prevailed, and added to the already
overwhelming terror Of the situation.
Such conditions necessarily developed
the best and the worst In the human
character. In this region of terror hun
dreds who had never displayed any
very striking qualities developed ma
lures full of enduring strength and
courage
Among the bravest and most active
was Herbert Landrum. He would labor
all day at his newspaper duties and
would sit by the side of some suffering
patient all night, ministering to wants
that were soon to end with death.
Every day hundreds would die.
Thompson. the noble editor-in-chief of
the Avalanche. fell victim to the dread
destroyer. Other members of the staff
died or LEFT the city. In a few weeks
after the beginning of the epidemic the
young city editor was the only member
Of the staff left The printers had died
or refugeed, and only one compositor
was left. He and Landrum swore to
stick to their posts until death tore
them away. They kept their oath.
twas on bright September day that
Jefferson Davis. Jr.. was touched by the
breath of the disease. Nurses were
scarce and the young mans friends had
to nurse him. True to his friends even
in times Of greatest danger, Herbert
Landrum went to the bedside Of the son
Of the great man whom all'the south
still loves and honors though he is dead.
For days Landrum was by the side of
his friend. Then death came and re-
lieved the devoted watcher. All this
time he continued to publish a small
daily paper, in which there was no news
except OF fever.
The fever, of course, claimed Lam
drum. He knew that he would have Il
when be went to watch by Davis, but he
was not afraid. He had in his nature
the same brave loyal qualities that
made his father famous during that
long epidemic.
He was sick but one day before he
began to recover. In few days he was
able to go to work. He went back to his
duties and, with the aid of the printer,
published the Avalanche. He worked
but one day. Then he relapsed. In a
few hours he was dead. He had kept
his word. He died at his post, the last
of the staff
The next day the compositor died and
the Avalanche was printed no more
Landrum could have left the city as the
Others did, but be chose to stand by his
post of duty.
George Landrum was another brother
who gave up his life for his untiring de-
votion to his friend. AT the beginning
of the outbreak he left Memphis to car
ry to Augusta the children of DR.. Boggs,
who is now chancellor of the state uni
versity, but who was then pastor of a
Presbyterian church in Memphis. When
he bad landed the children safe in Au-
gusta George Landrum went back to
Memphis to help care for the suffering.
When he arrived at night he found
man and two women holding drunken