The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1899-04-14
THE GRANDSON OF OSCEOLA.
Il Defendant of the Seminole Chief
" no Was a BootblacE and
Barber

A Defendant of the Seminole Chief
" no Was Bootblack and
Barber.
The lonely tomb of Osceola 10 one
of the principal sights pointed out to
the visitor ON Suliivans Island, and
the famous Seminole was Oile of tho
most picturesque figures in American
history.
It will no doubt he news to many
that his grandson died only last week
in Providence, X. {. His name was
Osceola Cook. His mother was Or
ceola's daughter and his father was
negro, hut Cook was not proud .f
hia lineage ou either side and ,calls d
himself Il Mexican.
He lod al adventurous life. says
the Providence correspondent # the
New York Sun. At the time OF bis
death be weighed 449 pounds, aud
despite this great burden of flesh he
was one at the strongest mon in the
city. Many stories are told of his
great strength, a majority of which
are undoubtIy true. He was about
As years old. He was born in New
Bedford and when boy followed tho
sea, shipping up aud down the coast
before the mast. After the war he
eniisted in the regular army, served
in the SoIthweat, BECAME involved in
an alteration, ,ho~ serious he was
always lodi. posed to tell, and fled
across tie border to Mexico. There
he Joined 3 circus aud \ troupe of
wandering bull fighters. Cook was
even then man of magnificent pro.
portions and strength, aud with the
bull fighters acted as bandillero.
After staying in Mexico long enough
to learn to speak and write Spanish
Huently he wandered northward until
he reached New York, aud tr I'm there
came to this city where he opened the
first bootblacking shop Providence had
and made money. He bought out
the barber shop under the Narragau-
sett Hotel and did business there for
some time. He invented an improve
ment on the patent hair clipping
machines in use then and alao sham.
pooipg machine. He sold his half of
the patent on the first for $500, the
other half being owned by the me-.
cbsnic who put the invention into
running shape. About 1885 he opened
another bootblackiDg shop, and for
the remainder of his active business
life spent most Of his time in this line
of business. He wrote policy f,r y
short period, rau restaurant and was
connected with other affairs, but his
prosperous days were while he ran his
bootblackiug stands. He must have
earned in his life fully $4,000, but
he had very little when he died.
TIE incident in Cooks life which is
freshest in the minds of Providence
people is the trouble, ending in a
shooting, which he had with D. F.
Lingane, editor Of the Providence
telegram, a few years ago. The Tele-
gram described at length dive which
it said was run by Cook. The latter
was greatly angered at the articles,
and cowhidea Lingane ON Wey bosset
sireet. in return for which Lingane
snot him. The wound laid him up ior
u while. He was found guilty of
simple assault, and his assaila t was
convicted of assault with dangerous
weapon, but neither of the men was
sentenced.
A pIize fighter who had won a fight
one night went into Cooks place look {.
ing for trouble. He had accosted
Cook in saloon and had called him
insulting names, but at the request of
the bartender Cook did not retaliate.
But when the pugilist came into Cook 3
bootbIacking establishment and re-
newed bis insults Cook bit him once,
smashing his jaw and taking oil the
fight out of the man.
Despite Cooks great weight, his
height was OIL 5 feet 10 inches, but
his hat size was y, his collars were
Il inches, So was his size in shirts, and
his waistband measured 81 inches.
He spent much time trying to keep
down his weight.
w. F. Rawl, New Brookland, s.
s.. writes: Have used DR.. Nj. A.
Simmons Liver Modicine many years.
and consider it the best liver medicine