The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1900-12-08

From the Arkansas Democrat Dec. l.
.Col. NJ. L. DeMahler died at noon
today of typhoid fever. Please inform
friends there.
The above telegram was received yes
terday afternoon from Harrison, Boone
county, by Mr.. Damon Clarke, super.
intendent of the Bradstreet Mercantile
agency. The funeral, it has been
learned, was held at 2 p. IN. today at
Harrison. where he had made his home
for the past two years.
Col. NJ. l.. DeMahler, who was 70
years of age, was well known through
out Arkansas. He was In many res
poets remarkable man. He WAS a
geologist, linguist. globe trotter, a writ
.er OF ability. at one time wealthy, ever
genial and gallant, if excentric, and
proud to degree. For several years
he was staff correspondent of the Ark
ansas Gazette, writing over the nom de-
plume of ''Potomnc, and for the past
two years has been employed on the
Harrison 'Times in similar capac.
ity in exploring and describing the North
Arkansas mineral belt. In 1893 he was
a candidate before the primaries for the
Office of commissioner of mines, manu-
features and agriculture, and made a
thorough canvass of the state. A friend
at that time wrote the following sketch
of him;
'sCol. DeMahler was n years of age
last Sunday, and bears his age so well
that no one would guess him over 80.
He was born in Virginia and educated
l. Tba uantu1 nn1ona1 hna
had varied career and has seen much
Of the world Though never married,
he adopted and raised to womanhood
eleven girls, taking them to his home
in Virginia all at one time. 1t happened
this way: While in the army-a colon
ell on the Confederate side--he promised
many dying soldier to look after his
children. The result was that after the
war he succeeded in finding eleven small
girls in Georgia, gathered them togeth-
.pr and took them home with him. The
fortunes Of war had about ruined the
colonel financially. but he was able to
carry outhis promises, devoting twenty
years of his life and all the money he
could raise to bringing up the orphans.
educating them and seeing them all
happily married. Col. DeMahler s
health became impaired and, after try
ing the best of physicians without avail,
he WAS advised while in Paris to exer
else by walking. This he adopted to a
degree never before known. He walked
all over the world, visiting nearly every
country. In the United States he
walked through and over every state
and territory. He maintained himself
by writing for the great newspapers and
sketching for the London Graphic. -
During his tour or series OF tours, the
colonel estimates that he walked SO,
600 miles. This record we do not be-
lieve has ever been excelled
Col. j. N. Smithee, former editor Of
the Gazette, pays him the following
tribute:
Col. DeMahler was an educated gen.
tleman- u graduate Of the leading edu.
cational institutions Of South Carolina,
of which state he was native, and Of
the University Of Heidelberg, in Ger
many. He was honest, upright and
courageous--an ideal gentleman of the
old Southern school. AS u newspaper
correspondent his statements could be
relied upon he was Christian in whom
there was no guile slow to anger, he
had the courage of u Roman. Col.
DeMahler went about doing good. II
was his highest and only ambition. Lit.
tie children were attracted TO him M to
q father. His love Of the young was
one Of the most beautiful traits In his
character. Col. DeMahler did much to
bring the hidden resources of the state