Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-01-31
Miseellansous 8eaait,a.
KRUGER'S WEST POINTER.

Daredevil Career Of j. Y. +. Blake, Who
| is Fighting In the Boer Army.
Grand Rapids, Mich. Dispatch.
John Y. Fillmore Blake, who has
recently won fame by successfully lead
ing Dom Paul's Irish Brigade against
their hereditary foes, has had 70.
mantle career, not the least eventful
period of which was that in this city.
Born of an old Missouri family forty
six years ago, he was headed for West
Point at an early aye. En- route for
the military academy he was nearly
killed by escaping gas.
His friends always insisted he "blew
out the gas" and be let it 60 at that,
never explaining nor indeed seeming
10 care very much how the thing hap
pened. This gives the key to his
character; careless, reckless and fear
less, his daredevil escapades nearly
caused his expulsion more than once
at West Point. Among other things
it is said that he was the ringleader
of the sensational hazing which end
ed in the clipping of the colored ca
det Whittaker's ears. This, like many
other things suspected, could never be
definitely laid 10 his door, and fun
loving, "Give adam" Blake, was sue
cessfully graduated in the class of 80.
A magnificent speci peu of physical
manhood, six feet high, without an
ounce of surplus flesh, he proved him
self marvellous horseman, and for
this reason was assigned 10 the cav
airy branch of the service, and went
with his regiment to see hard fighting
against the hostile redskins in Arizona.
In this service he kept the camp
happy with his merriment aud good
nalured pranks, and his reckless brav-
cry in feats of horsemanship confirmed
his classmates sobriquet of "Give-a
Damn" Blake, the best horseman that
ever sat in government saddle. 1t
is said that the cowboys of that coun-
try still swear by his horsemanship
and still envy his expertness in pro-
family.
In October, 1897, he was promoted
to the rank of first lieutenant for
brave and meritorious service. Some
years previous to this he had met one
of the wealthiest and handsomest
young women of Grand Rapids, then
on visit TO friends at Fort Leaven-
worth, Kan.
The brave, gallant, polished gentle.
man soon won the heart of the Grand
Rapids girl, and on October IA, 1885,
they were married in this city. 1t
was grand wedding, Rt. Rev. George
D. Gillespie, bishop of western Michi-
gan, officiating.
Soon afterward Lieutenant Blake
resigned his commission and went into
business here with money furnished
by his bride. Two sons were born to
them, and for a time all went we'll.
But the attempt to make a soldier
over into a shopkeeper failed in this
as in many other notable instances.
The soldier was as reckless with mon
ey as with other things. and his busi-
ness went to the dogs.
Dlssension crept Into tne lamlly, anu
in 1894 Colonel Blake left for South
Africa, it heing understood that he
would never return.
After proper time, his wife, who
still lives here with her children, Sc
cured divorce on the ground of de-
sertion.
Brave and polished, yet a man pop
ular socially with all classes, and able
to give and take and laugh at a joke
on himself as well as another, Blake
is an ideal leader for a regiment of
Irish.
His friends in this city heard from
him frequently up to the time Of the
outbreak of the Transvaal war; but
since then no letter or news has been
received from him, except as he has
been mentioned in the dispatches.