Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-01-12
SHADOW OF DEATH,
The Argus 10 Visited by the
keenest ct Cor.
rows.
PROPRIETOR IL TAKEN

sevant Memorial Hospital ia ChleaeO|
After Hsving sabmittsd 70 . susei j
cal Operation- Sketch Of . Han Who|
Msds nimssiL
John W. Potter. proprietor and
editor Of THE Rock ISLAND Argos.
died at II O'Clock last night at Passa.
sant Memorial hospital, Chicago.
from the effects Of surgical opera.
ton to which be submitted last Sun
day for the relief Of troubles With
which he had been afflicted for Q lit.
tie over three years. The opera.
zion WAS found to be more
serious than was anticipated
Il was performed BY the eminent
surgeon. DIR. Fenger. The disease
Was found to be Intestinal ad-
hest ons. thus sustaining the diagno-
|sis Of Nc. Peters physician. Dr.. c..
10. Carter. The trouble had reached q
most aggravated stage. and three
hours and o half in all were con-
sumsd in the operation. While the
operation was pronounced . success,
The shock was TOO severe, and from
the 6rss the gravest apprehep sions
we're felt by the surgeons in charge
'of the case. From Monday nigh,
;Mr. Potter began to sink, and all
day yesterday he most discourAging
dispatches came from his bedside to
anxious relatives and friends In Rock
Island. Toward morning the mos.
dreaded tidings were received.
The operation had ben advised BY
different eminent physicians whom
Nc. Potter had consulted, including
his family physician, DR.. Carter, and
who Was with him when it was per.
formed.
Mr.. Potter went to Chicago last
Friday accompanied BY Mrs. Potter.
whose constant companionship h.d
contributed 90 much TO his comfort
during the past year, when no had
suffered 80 many distressing attacks.
Saturday night DR.. Carter and Hon.
4. W. Hurst left for Chicago. o. F.
Potter, Of Freeport, his brother. also
joining him there, and was with him
Through all the trying times Of the
past few days.
Early In December Mr.. Potter
reached home from Delavan,
Wis, where no had bsen az.
1ter laying down his public du
ties Ut the postoflice, In hope,
Of regainirg strength. His friends
{wcre distressed to zee no marked
improvement. although he appeared
a little stronger. lie decided then
10 undergo tho operation IS soon as
,the holidays were over, and he bore
Cup bravelS throughout Christmas
,,aad New Years weeks determined
that his condition should be per.
mitted to cast no shadow on TIC
Happy tide rs IL came TO his loved
5ones. When the holidays had passed
jhe vent to his doom.
The remains left Chicago at 4:ls
This afternoon aud will reach Rock
( Island at s:25 this evening, accom-
}psnied BY members OF the family
and friends. The funeral arrange
3ments h.7e not yet been perfected.
! BicG,aphsssi ssstch.
John W. Potter was born in Skib
berreen, County Cork, ireland. Aug
ia. 1861. He was a son OF John VI.
and Josephine (Ryap) Potter. hi.
father being native Of Ireland and
his mother Of Buffalo. n. Y. John
wv. Potter. ST., came TO this country
J lin 1858 and resided for a time q,
Buffalo, N. Y. There he met ard
married Josephine Ryan in 1856
and shortly thereafter the couple re,
Burned to Mr.. Potter's native country
where they remained until 1865. In
that year Mr. Potter. with his family,
came again to the United States. aud
lived for time n Buffalo, but later
removed TO st. Louis. After four
1years' residence there the senior Mr.
Potter established the Herald q,
Bolivar. No. Two years later he
jwent to Freeport for perm aneut resi-.
5dence. purchasing sn interest in the
; Bulletin. OF which he eventually be.
icsmc absolute owner. In 1882 he
! pnrchased The ARGUS Of Richard son
So Powers and installed his son. John
W. Potter, Jr., who came here from
sfreeport. as general manager. The
5eldsr Mr.. Potter remained in con.
gtrol Of the Bulletin until his death il
1885, at the sge OF 81 years. His
wife passed away In 1880. Both
xere consistent members Of the Epis
icopsl church.
Upon The death Of the senior Mr..
Potter. his son, o. F. Potter, sue
decided him in the ownership OF the
Bulletin at Freeport, and his son,
John ". Potter. Jr.. became pro.
3prietor OF The Argus. II was then
THAT the laster's connection with
Rock Island begun. A natural born
aewspaper man, IS had been his
father before him, and also his grand.
father Of the same name, be took
oold Of the paper when it was strug.
ggling for existence and put il on its
tset Though his management had
been bat brief. the paper had al
lresdy begun to show new life, and
with the redoubled energies that he
1 put forth. and sound judgment tina,
be exercised. It gradually grew until
lis Resumed its rank amorg the rep
resenta;ive papers o! Illinois. and
each year has shown steady advance