Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-20

Friends and Admirers of Gen. LaNtOn
DepIOre His Death.

| Friends and Admirers of Gen. LawtOn
| DepIOre His Death.
| From all parts of the country have come
| expressions of deep regret at the unfortu-
| nate death of Gen. LawtOn at San Mateo
| yesterday These expressions are voiced
| alike by men who knew the matchless SOL
| der personally and by those who only
| judged of his high character by his achieve
ments in the field.
Col. Charles DENLY, a member of the
Philippine commission. said in reference to
| the death of Gen. Lawton:
Il knew him we'll in the Philippines. 1
| vainly reasoned with him as to his constant
| PERSONAL exposure In battle. He told me AT
| that time that he had been in 163 fights.
| AT Zapote bridge he did as he always
| did-stood in the most exposed place that
Two Filipino guns were stationed on the
other end. at a measured distance from
Lawton of thirty-four yards. We had a
gun end of the bridge.
He stood there. exposed to the fire of
the artillery and of the sharpshooters and
infantry of the enemy. Wheaton stood be-
side him. The Filipinos had gone to church
the night before, and had registered an
oath that no American should ever cross
the bridge which the Spaniards had never
| been able to cross. Our men loaded their
| guns into a boat and pushed it across the
river. swimming and charging the enemy
| on the flank. They drove them from their
trenches and Lawton crossed the bridge.
This was only one example Of the per-
scnal heroism which he displayed con-
stantly.
He was an ideal soldier as careful and
prudent of everybody but himself as he
was brave. His loss is the most deplorable
event that could have happened to our
army.
He Was Married In Louisville.
\ special dispatch from Louisville, Ky,
says:
The news of General Lawton's death
touched Louisville closely. His wife and
their children made their home here most
of the time with her mother. Mrs. Annie
Craig, and her sister, Mrs. Samuel A. Gull
bertson.
The generals bride was Miss Mamie
Craig and she was a debutante in her first
season when she met her future husband
then an army captain. This was In 1879
They became engaged and preparations
were made for an elaborate wedding
The bride had a SiSter-in-law, to whom
she was deVotedly attached, and who was
Frustrated by fatal disease soon after the
engagement was announced. The young
natror, when told that the end was near
begged that the ceremony might take place
at once The marriage took place by the
bedside of the dying woman. The next day
the invalid died.
From His BOyhOOd Home.
General Lawton was a native Of Toledo
and was personally acquainted with nearly
all members of the Maumee Valley Pioneer
Association, of which he was an honorary
member. 1t was only last month that the
Maumee Valley Pioneer Association made
General LawtOn an honorary member and
his reply to letter of Secretary j. L. PRAY
acknowledging the courtesy was received
from Manila Only few days ago. In this
letter he wrote:
Il have observed that there has been
some controversy among of m
friends relative TO the place of my birth.
and that there may be no misapprehensions
on that point with the Maumee Valley
Pioneer Association. l desire to state that
L was born in Manhattan near Toledo
| Ohio. March II, 1913, although my parents
removed almost Immediately to Maumee
| city, Ohio where l spent my bOyhood"
Gen. Chas. Kings Tribute.
Gen. Charles King. who commanded a
| brigade in General Lawton's division I'D to
| June last in the war against the Filpinos,
was much depressed on hearing of the
| death of his former commander In an In
terview in Milwaukee last night General
King paid warm tribute to the dead gen.
| eral in the following words:
| The death of General Lawton Is a
calamity, yet one that l have been In dread
I or ever since he took command of our d.
| vision last March In point Of DASH ener-
| gy and endurance, he was our best His
| one fault lay in his utter contempt for dan
! cover or shelter of any kind He was con-
| ttnualiy running into every kind of danger.
| exposing himself to death or capture when
| ttere was no need OF 1t: He wanted to see
! everything for himself, and would stalk
| out In front of the lines, the most promi-
| Hent figure on the field.
We loved him-we always have, ever
since old cavalry days. when he was the
I hardest and most daring of all the band of
| young officers that won distinction under
Crook Miles and Merritt. He was Mac
kenzie right bower, and his later work
| IN tne PhlllpplneS was Incompatible. As
| friend and comrade he was as lovabIe as he
was great, and heroic a soldier"
As senator Beyeridge Knew Him.
United States Senator Albert j. Bever-
idge of Indiana was an intimate friend OF
Maj. Gen. Lawton, and campaigned with
him IN the Philippines for several weeks
last spring. Senator Beveridge, who Is In
New York, was almost overcome by the
shock when informed of Lawtons death
He said:
"Lawton was like Napoleons marshaIs
he was not simply brave. but had so lit
tie self-consciousness in the hour of battle
that he was literally unconscious of dan
ger. l have seen him the target for the
not know he was being fired at, because
| his mind was SO engaged In studying out
| what should be done
The Filipinos called him the soldier OF
| the night, because he was on the go night
| as well as day. He represented to them
| the opposite of the spirit of Spanish gener-
aiship. He was simply tireless. He ap-
| peared TO need neither food nor Sleep and
more than any other man ever saw, did
| not spare himself any hardship, storm,
| fierce torrid sun. danger-all the terrible
| elements of war. He was truly a great
| soldier.
He was. | believe. the most silent man
1 ever knew. and yet, strange to say he was
| perfectly unreservsd when he did speak ana
| did not have the least bit of afrectation
| about him He was as simple minded as a
| child. Sometimes he reminded you of a
| child in the clearness and simplicity of his
| remarks He was not seeker after per-
sonal glory"
| Ayers Estimate of Lawton.
| Ex-secretary of War Alger who is in De-
| troit. when told of the death of Gen Law
ton. said:
| Il regard Gen. Lawton as the greatest
| soldier that the late war produced His
| loss is a terrible one. 1t is strange that
| a general should be killed in action. but
| It is hardly strange that Gen Lawton
| should meet death at the head of his
| troops. for he was the most fearless man
| / ever knew. His great bravery was the
| cause OF his death.
| The present military governor of Gu
| 10 hra,