The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1899-02-02
The IMMORTAL ]. N"
NEVER PAID A CENT ANYWHERE AND AL.
WAYS FOUND A HEARTY WELCOME.
Noted and Eccentric Lecturer on Pressure,
Who is Familiar to Railroads, Hotels
and Newspapers.

.tlon OF the populace at large as "Ihe
immortal j NJ" is reported dying at
the residence of his nephew, William
Free, at Urbana, Ill.
81. ~" cameinto being 45 years ago,
though Jacob Newman Free is 70 years
old. Free was engaged in a battle for
the life of man accused of murder at
Cincinnati, The case was desperate,
but his professional faith in the inno-
cence of his client and his matchless
eloquence secured verdict Of mot
guilty"
Frees appeal for mercy won the hearts
of Judge, jury, and spectators, and like
wise of the prisoner After the trial
Free went to his residence to recuperate
his strength, which had suffered from
the severe draft of months night and
day work. The released prisoner fol-
lowed him there and confessed his guilt.
Free rushed back to the court house
snd dashed into the cenrt room, where
bench and bar we're intent upon anoth-
er case, and shrieked, "Your Honor"
An attack of apople1y ended the SEN
tence, which was the last Free ever ut
tered in court. The shattering of his
belief in the murderer he had defended
with so much zeal and the nervous
strain together proved too great a
wrench to his finely organized mind
He recovered his health in few days,
but his unclouded intellect never.
Free disappeared shortly afterwards.
When next heard from he was no more
Jacob Newman Free, successful practi-
tioner and admired orator, but ~. N. -"
lecturer on Pressure" an unknown
force with which he identified himself
and claimed to control. His fame tray
oiled faster than the railways and large
audiences ofeager listeners awaited him
wherever he W ent. His renown was
at its height when the civil war diver
ted attention from all other subjects.
Ever since he ceased practicing law
GIN" has been supervising the wealth
er. 'lifting the pressure, from the
United States, and, Atlas-like, stand.
ing between his native country and
mysterious calamities which he was
sure would overwhelm millions with nm
drempt of evils if he did not intervene
He also speedily acquired fame by hi'
ability to separate the rural editor from
his exchanges, live without payins
board bills. and ride without paying
railroad fare. Owing to his duties Al
superintendent of pressure" he die
not think it incumbent upon him t.
pay bills of any kind, and there are few
who can boast of ever collecting on,
from him. He has been bird of pass
age. rarely staying more than a few
days in the same town. He has visited
every State in the Union and ever,
town Of more than village proportions
What pressure" is or why he wa
able to secure control over it he neve
undertook to explain. or at least neve
succeeded in making anybody full,
share his views. He was ready lee
turer and one gathered from his fervic
remarks that pressure" is savage an,
vindictive and only his martyrdom ha
= prevented it from hurting the univers'
back into chaos.
There is said to be hardly an impor
tant railroad in the country on whic
he has not been as welcome to ride a
its president, How he secured hi
unparalleled assortment of life passe
is mystery, but he was railway al
torney in the "fifties," and that ma
account for it in part Over a hundre
slips of paper reading Good for J. n
and one over all lines for life" are i
his possession, and they have neve
failed to be honored.
~. n IS" appearance in rural news
paper Office used to cause greater com
motion than a lifelong subscriber wit
! a dark brown grievance. Whenhe Ell
tered the front door the editor woul
vanish, if he was wise, by the rear en-
trance. leaving the philosopher to mu
tilate the files and exchanges and an
noy the "devil." He always demande
notice Of his lectures. and when his r,
quest was not complied with he woul
return and scare the Office lilly wit
threats to resign his position as super
intendent of pressure, or at least t
let it visit its wrath upon the offender
4 But this did not prevent him fror
y numbering newspaper people amoni
j his warmest friends.
& Next to paying railroad fare, 81
N" entered the most hearty antipath
i to hotel bills. He had no intention ,
q paying them and saw no reason why
i should be annoyed with the discussion
& He never failed to register at the be,
3 hotel in the town.
& Long ago, when his fame was NJ
firmly established, he visited st. Lou
and naturally made his way to til
y Southern. When he was taking leav,
y the manager said: "Well, 81. N.
8 you have been welcome visitor, an
q have afforded both profit and pleasui
I tous. Seeing it is you, TIL knock @
4 half your bill.
; 81 never allow anybody to be MOI