The Topeka state journal., 1898-07-16
REVERED HIS MOTHER.
Bob Evans First Earned His Title by
Fighting Cadets
Chicago Times-Herald.)

Chicago Times-H -Herald)
Robley DungIison Evans is his official
name and he was christened after a
man who wrote a medical dictionary
but to the American people, who love
him for the record he has made, the,
gallant captain of the Iowa is known
only as Fighting Bob Evans-hero of
two wars, and typical patriot of the
bloOd-stained sea.
Much has been said of this man of
the hour. His deeds of the past and
glories of the present have placed him
In the public eye as the idol of the re-
public for which he fights without fear.
The people know his achievements in
the navy by heart, but of Evans the
boy and Evans the private citizen they
are not so familiar. He is a Democrat
who never votes. In religious faith he
is a. devOut Roman Catholic. Officially
an the navy he is credited to Utah, and
he became a rpet-bagger in his youth
TO get into this branch of Uncle Sans
service.
This hero of today, to whom the ma
tion now takes off it's hat with rever-
ence, IS so ugly that when he was
young Cupid had a deSpairing task in
introducing him to a girl that would
take him for life. But Evans fell badly
wounded in battle one day, and during
his cOnValeScence he met the sister of
a naval officer, whom he wOOed with
the story of his devotion to his country.
She became his wife, and of all happy
Evans is a native of Virginia He
comes from good old colonial stock. His
father was a physician, with a limited
practice in Chr1StianSburS, small
town in the Shenandoah Valley, and
died in 1855. Bob later went to Wash
dngtOn to live with his uncle. He was
educated at GOnzaga college, a Catholic
school of excellent reputation. It was
while at the national capital that young
Evans attracted the attention of Will
liam Hooper, who was a delegate to
fwnr71 10 twill r1d "
territory of Utah. Hooper had an ap-
pOintment to the naval academy at his
disposal Evans had ambition. He
wanted to go to sea and live among
the frOwning guns of an American man
Of-war. In 1853 Hooper told him that
if he would go to Utah to live long
enough to be eligible to the appointment
his dream of future marine glory could
possibly be realized. With the prompt
itude of excited youth Evans borrowed
$500 from his relatives and started to
the land of the mOrmons. With visions
of peril from Indians, he bought re-
vOlver of liberal dimensions, and made
the trip over the plains by stage. Be
fore his arrival at Salt Lake City he
fired his first vOlley in warfare from
the business end of that big revolver
and shot an Indian, who was one of a
savage band that made an unsuccess-
full attempt to waylay the stage. This
was first blood for Evans. 1t saved his
scalp.
Later, in 1860, the young virginian
entered the naval academy at Annap-
oils. It was here that he originally
earned his nickname of Fighting Bob
and he won it in a war of sentiment.
With tender sOicitude for her absent
son, his dear old mother in Dixie had
sent him a small decoration Tor. his
roOm-a motto which she had en-
broidered with her own hands, and
which the son appreciated with char
parent. BOb's love and loyalty to his
estimable mother had long been a sub
ject of favorable comment among those
who knew him at home.
The hand that rocked his cradle had
never been gemmed with diamonds.
Mrs. Evans, on the contrary, was one
of the plain people. The gift was an or
binary homemade piece of decorative
art, an unpretentious bit of work, but
to the recipient it was sacred as souv
enir. Around it were clustered the
memories of childhood, sweetened by
the thoughts of the old homestead down
among the green hills of Virginia. 1t
recalled a mothers sacrifice to educate
a struggling son. 1t brought up recOl-
lections of her heroic battle with pow
erty. With great pride he gave the
souvenir a conspicuous position on the
walls of his room at the naval acad-
emy.
no decorations would be permitted in
the quarters of the cadets. His COM
rades ridiculed the gift One of them
tore 1t down with a Sneer, and this in
discretion resulted in prompt resent
rnent from Evans. Others sided against
Evans and tried to OverpOwer him, but
the memory of his mother gave him
marvellous strength, and with his south
ern blood fairly boiling with the fury
of a righteous cause he proceeded to
fight. He used his fists with an energy
that amazed the combined opposition.
He soon knocked out all three of his
antagonists, including the bully of the
school, who had never been conquered
before. Replacing the motto on the
WALL Evans defied students and fac
lllty to remove it. With blackened eyes
and blood-stained faces fhis tormentors
beat a hasty retreat, and it was upon