The Ravalli Republican., 1898-07-27
PREACHER DIED A PAuPER.
Chcc!>ercd Career Of tho Author OF a Once
Popular song.

CEcckercd Career Of tho Author OF Once
Popular song.
The Rev. Edward Dunbar, who
wrote the ole. Sunday school song,
"The1os IS q Light In the Window For
Thee Brother, sleeps in a pauper's
grave at Coffeyville, Kan, where he
died a tramp in the town jail years
ago. His name became a byWord in
the places where he was known, and
from prison cell he wont forth q
vagabond upon the face Of the earth.
In 1862 Dunbar was arrested at
Leavenworth while cngagedin hold
ing a series OF revival meetings and
taken to Minneapolis. where he was
tried for bigamy, convicted and sent
to the penitentjary for three years
and eight months. u..-5 g..
One night in the spring of 1896
Dunbar applied at the Cofreyvillo
Jail for lodging. He was i'll, and the
authorities took him in. He died
the next day. Papers in his pockets
revealed his identity and showed
that he had tramped all over the
country Some church people have
erected a marble slab over his grave,
on which these words are inscribed:
"Here lies Edward Dunbar, who
wrote There's Light In the Win
dow For Thee, Brother. -
When Dunbar was /, small boy, he
lived in New Bedford, Mass, and
worked in factory His mother
lived at the foot Of the street on
which the factory was located, and
as the lad work kept him away till
after dark she always PLACED light
in tho indow to guide his footsteps
homowarl. One day the boy took
q notion to go to sea, and off he
went for a three years cruise. Dur
ing his absence his mother fell i'll
and was at death door. She talked
necessarily about her boy, and every
night she asked those around her to
place q light in the window in anti
cipation of his return. When she
realized that the end had come, she
said, "Tel} Edward that will set /,
light in. the window Of heaven fo1"
him." These were her last words
Tho lad had grown tc manhood
ere he returned homo, and his moth
er's dying message had such an ef-
feet upon him that he reformed and
became Il preacher. In the course Of
his reformation lie wrote the song,
''There;s Light In the Window For
Thee, Brother. - 5@.. -.:
The Rev. Edward Dunbar married
a young lady Of New Bedford, and
several children were the result Of
the union. The young divine soo11
made reputation as q brilliant pull
pit orator, and the public was there
fore greatly surprised when one
Sunday morning he skipped tho
country, leaving his wife and chill
dren behind. He came to Kansas,
and after snatching brands from the
burning in different parts of the
state lso swooped down upon the city
of Minneapolis and began to show
the people the error OF their way.
A great revival followed, and hun
dreds were converted Miss Elnice
Been Lewis, a handsome young heir
ess OF Minneapolis, was one Of the
converts. She fell in love with the
evangelist and married him against
the wishes Of her friends.
Shortly after the wedding Dunbar
returned to Kansas to fill an engage
mcnt at Leavonwortll. While lie
was away the friends: of the bride,
who had mjstrusted the evangelist
MI along, laid their suspicious be-
fore W. D. Webb, lately judge Of the
Second judicial district Of Kansas,
and Judge Austin H. Voting, who
wore law partners III Minneapolis,
and they took the case. Tho result
wns that they soon found evidence
sufficient to warrant an arrest, ard
Dunbar's ministerial career was
brought TO !, sudden close.
After Du1tbars incarceration
Judge Young secured . divorce for
Mrs. Dunbar and ,rt.llled her him
self They NOW live happily together
in minneapolis. Topeka Capital.
N~t~ l,1<. u