The sun., 1898-02-14
o1D "noWD,rEn MARTIN.
Rrit OF the Only ConErs-amnn VINE Ever Bisv
out tho Gas ana whe Never Surrendered.
Erom the Chicago TYmes. Herald.

From the chicago Times Herald
William Ii. Martin OF Texas. tho only Con.
gresham, so far as the records extend, who
ever blew out the gas, is dead. Iio dicd at Hills
boro on Sunday OF pneumonia. lie was 20
years old. with him went one of the UNIQUE
figures in public lilo OF the decade lie had
outlivcd his time. There Is no doubt tina,
he did blow out the gas in Wilard's Hotel, Wash.
ington, ID. c.. on the night OF Nov. 25. 1887; than
the people OF the hotel broke in his door, and
that he was dragged into the hall utterly un.
conscious. Ho was sick for two days. but az
soon as he was we'll enough to appear on tho
streets he hunted the newspaper man who had
been most instrumental in spreading the tidings
OF his catastrophe and boxed his jaws until hi.
ears sang. II the man had mado tho slightest
resistance. Martin would have killed him where
he stood.
In person he was six feet high and broad OF
shoulder. but very Raunt. His hair and beard
wcro untrimmed. His arms swung loosely and
ho walked with the long stride Of the man who
in his early life hud dono most of his travelling
on foot. His oaths were SO plentiful they ceased
to be profanity. Tho words rolled from his mouth
as unconsciously as his breath. Iheard him tell
once of tho failure of a mornings stroll after
snntched hold of my-old rife. That-.son OF
mine had been n woarin of my kttredge belt. I
rosd wros WRen seen sSttn on aG@h "rrs rne
| pulled & &the-trigEer and the-eun ,wercn'S
off, onSea thsT an np Esa 81, 70
.ssir issS FHs-t4'aii'Fo gun an never Killed 1"
On the morning of tho day when "Buck Xii.
gore-also Of Texas and also dead-kicked his
doors. there had been a wordy passage between
@ Jehnson rS, of , indiana, Republican, n and Grain
each other excitedly and a collision pIGed seemed
imminent. At that juncture the eyes OF
9niescent members were transferred from
the centre aisle, Grain and Johnson were
not not, apt to .. hurt t. each other with any
to DffS Se sR% Ss
the pallor OF death. and his eyes blazed. Tightly
EriPpod IN MI his right hand was % ench clasp
he Of s
to trim his mills with every month"; He spoke only
once. and then in response to q whispered word
son: a D it. lets have settiement! r He GVTr, Wa,
shouldered out however. and taken from tho
ton journalism that an account OF this incident
did not appear in any print.
his invariable salutation to man and woman.
boy and girl, white y and nd black.took out Texas
snd Ia tho nes to M
ment seems incredible, but It is strictly true
that in 1868 the personnel of this regiment was
Teeruitase was dead or incapacited by woands. POUNDS.
" How'd yo" went back to Texas and got another.
Not many of them were left in 1868 when Grants
mighty and victorious host was bearing down
upon the starving and disheartened legions OF
Lee. An old Southerner has told mo of meeting
the Texan on tho morning Of :. tho surrender
as 1t is familiarly called in the South. He was
regulars were bvouacked BY the side of a couii.
try road. Martin asked him for tho news. He
tin drew pistol from his holster. " Ef you say
that agin." he declared, III blow your
He turned to his men and said: Boys, I'm
goin' hack to Texis. where O. man can live an
the blacks can't run US. Who's goin' with me !"
A few Of them responded. The others were too
weary and heartsick to move: He headed his
little band due SOUTH turning his back upon the
scattered Federal line somehow and made his
way home 1t was his boast to the day OF his
death that he had never surrendered