The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-05
COL. BIRD IS DEAD
One of WiChita'S Foremost
Citizens Passes Away.
WAS PROMINENT LAWYER
AT One Time a Challenger OF
Judge Reed.
WAS PROMINENT LAWYER

Nicholas Bird died yesterday morning al
$40. after a long illness. The complain
was one Of the liver and liberation of the
stomach. The funeral viii occur on FIJI
dav morning at 10 o'clock, from the First
Methodist church.
= Two years ago Mr.. Bird was stricken
with pneumonia, and never fully recovered
from its harmful effects. No man was
ever a more patient sufferer There was
strong vein of unselhshness in the man ;
nature. a kindness for his fellow man. an
eegerness to act perfectly fair with all
and fear Of doing anyone wrong. He was
cujck too. TO resent a slight, and quick TO
forgive absolutely without fear ana Oh
many an occasion ready to throw hlmseIl
into the breach and hold situation untli
someone came to the rescue.
He was known universally as Colonel
Pird. He was not a colonel, and never had
been. but the title was popularity imposed
as an evidence Of kindness and admira-
ton from the community. He was fun OF
enthusiasm; full of youthful energy up 10
TWO years ago. He always had an opinion
on all public questions and formulated his
arguments readily and could speak them
fuentlv.
He was born in Dunmanway, Ireland a
small place about twenty miles from Cork.
sixty-four years ago last December 16.
When he was Q years old his parents
moved to America, locating in Cincinnati
In that city, then rapidly growing, Mich
olas Bird grew up. working early and late,
for his condition was not prosperous. But
he rose from meager circumstances to one
of the prominent attorneys of the city.
He new Cincinnati by heart, every street
and alley. the public men, the ward heel
ers, the newspaper reporters and the city 5
society. About once a year he would re-
turn to Cincinnati on a visit and the Gin
cinnati papers always gave him wei
come and printed his boom interviews on
Wichita in full.
BY hard work and by f-education Mr..
Bird soon rose to great prominence in
Cincinnati law circles. For years he was
associated with Judge Fox of the Cincin-
natl bar, and one Of the most brilliant at
torneys in Ohio. He was also acquainted
with all the big men of the Buckeye state
and had a national acquaintance with the
statesmen Of the country in addition. He
had a correspondence once with Horace
Greeley. IN whose office he once worked.
One of Greeley's letters to him, an IL
legdble scrawl. he presented to the editor
of the Eagle as a mementO. He was ac-
or,ainted with Alice and Phoebe Carev.
the possesses.
Eleven years ago he moved to Wichita.
HIS enthusiastic nature was in perfect &C
cord with the excitement of the boom. lie
had 1Inbounded faith in the city, and was
so certain that it would grow to an i'm
nense population that he constructed a
business block on North Emporia over a
half mile above Douglas avenue. He made
other Investments. His love for his adopt
ed town was as fervent as his love for
Cincinnati had been in the old days. If
public meeting was held Colonel Bird was
there. If contributions had TO be made. he
was always a giver. In works Of charity,
in kindness and thoughtfulness Of suffer-
ers anywhere his heart was always active
Governor Stanley, when told Of his death
last night, said that when he was Grip
pled, a year and half ago, the first caller
at his home to express sympathy was
Nicholas Bird.
As has been said. Colonel Bird would re-
sent slight. and had a high sense of per-
sonal honor. over some small dispute he
once challenged Judge Christopher Reed to
a duel. Judge Reed refused to reply to the
challenge. Afterward Colonel Bird laughed
about his show of temper himself.
He had unbounded courage, when he be-
neved he was right. 1t is part of the I'M
written history of the town that when the
mass meeting was called in Wichita to
protest against Morri!l's removal Of the
Jones-Pratt-H usey board of police COM
missioners. that while everybody intended
20 be present, no one could be found to
preside. George Douglass had taken a
stand that any man who combatted Nor
ril's purpose was against the enforce
ment Of law" and the local lights. while
against Morrill, were not willing to preside
at the meeting and court possible political
death At the last moment Colonel Bird,
seeing that no one e-se would jump into
the breach. himself agreed TO preside. The
meeting had been mismanaged anF. no pro-
gram had been arranged, and Colonel Bird
saw that he must keep on talking until he
had warmed the audience mp until it would
produce speakers who would should follow
him He began TO talk. He talked about
everything. The audience grew tired.
Colonel Bird knew they were tired. but he
was afraid that if he stopped talking 10
one would arise TO succeed him. so he
kept on talking and talking. Few men
would have offered themselves up as a sac
Tiiice IN this way. for he was moulding a
reputation for tiresomeness which he in
nc way deserved. He finally was inter
rupted By someone in the audience 10 ask
a question. and he called the man to the
platform and told him to go ahead. and
sat down after profound applause.
There are fifty incidents Of this kind s.,
the life Of Colonel Bird in his short rssi-
dence here.
lie mas an Odd Fellow. There survive