The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-23
DEATH OF JOHN MOLLERE
He Succumbs to Heart Disease at
Freedman's Hospital.
Led an Adventurous Life From Early
Ci,ildhood-RTn Away to Sea When
Hut Eleven Years of Age-A Vet
cran of the aiexicnn and Civil Wars
lin the Service of the Government.

John f. Mollere for many years a resi-
/ dent of this city. died yesterday afternoon
at Freedman's Hospital. He was about
seventy years of age. At various times
he was in the Government service. but
for three years past, because of total
( blindness. an affiiction resulting from 4
wound sustained at the battle of Shiloh,
4 he has been unemployed. He lived at
1883 Columbia Street northwest Death
came suddenly to Mollere, the result Of
/ heart disease. He passed away few
hours after reaching the hospital. The
remains were taken to Lees undertaking
establishment 322 Pennsylvania Avenue
northwest. late yesterday afternoon. Flu
neral services will take place Saturday
afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Lee es-
! tablishment Internent will be at Ar
/ lington.
1t was the custom of Mollere to rise
| early. Yesterday he breakfasted with his
| family about o'clock and then remained
( about the house during the morning. APP
parently perfectly well, except the afflic-
! tion of blindness. he was left alone in the
/ house about 1890 o'clock while his sister
in-law went to the house of a neighbor
half a block away.
1 A grandchild of the aged Kan who en-
tered the house few minutes later found
/ Mollere lying unconscious on the floor Of
/ the front parlor. A police ambulance was
I called and Mollere was taken to Freed
mans Hospital. There everything pos
sible was done for him but he died shortly
before 8 O'Clock in the afternoon. Word
! was sent to friends and dispatches to chill
! dren OF the deceased at various points in
/ the South and West. Undertaken Lee re-
! moved the remains from the hospital to his
! es adjustment late in the afternoon, where
they were viewed last night by Coroner
/ Nsvitt. He granted a certificate OF death
/ from natural causes.
An Adventurous Life.
More than the average share OF ad-
venture was allotted to Mr.. Mollere dur
ing his life. The recital of his numerous
! adventures in many climes and under many
/ conditions, as he often told them to his
friends in Washington, sounded like a
| romance. He was born in Donaldson, La,
Of parents of French descent, and lived
| there till he was about five years of age.
at which time his parents removed to New
Orleans. Here the spirit of adventure
1 that characterized most of his after life
! began to assert itself.
When but lad of eleven years he ran
away, assumed false name that his
! parents might not be able to find and
make him return home, and shipped as a
/ cabin boy on merchant ship sailing be-
, tween New Orleans and San Francisco. Via
/ Cape Horn. He made a number of these
/ voyages, which at that time consumed
months and when he attained the neces-
| sary age he enlisted in the United States
navy as an apprentice. While in that
I branch of the national service he made
/ complete circuit OF the world, touching at
nearly all of the famous seaports in Eu
rope and Asia
After leaving the navy he returned home
( for the first time since he had left to go
! to sea The mere STRIPPING Of a boy whom
! the parents had given up as lost was then
1 e full-grown man. and was not recognized
| when first he came to the home. The mac
! ton of civil life was irksome to the sailor.
! and when trouble that resulted in the
! Mexican War first began he enlisted in the
United States Artillery and served through
out the whole war.
Sentenced to Death.
! At one time he, with a number of 9th.
ers, was taken prisoner and confined in
the dungeon of one of the Mexican castles
in the City of Mexico. The entire number
of prisoners were ordered shot, but before
the sentence was carried into effect the or.
! der was revoked and the prisoners were
exchanged.
Mr.. Mollere was one of very few sur
yivIng Mexican war veterans in this city
( He drew a pension for his services in that
( war He was a member of a local associa-
ton Of Mexican War Veterans. of which
George C. Gorham, Hallet Kilbourne. w.
n Af-Ig tn tsnrF
also members.
After the close of the war Mr.. Mollere
drifted into the western country. which
was at that time very thinly settled. He
was engaged in a number of expeditions
against hostile Indians. At one time a
party of which he was a member was
J almost entirely eXterminated by the red
/ skins, only himself and one other escap-
I ing Later he returned to New Orleans
, and there engaged in business. He at one
time owned one CT the largest crockery
stores in the Crescent City and was re-
! puted to be wealthy.
In the Civil War.
| At the outbreak of the civil war Mr..
Mollere cast his lot with the fortunes Of
his native State and was commissioned
captain in a Louisiana regiment. He par
ticlpated in the battles of Bull Run, Cor
i inth, Fort Donaldson, and was by the side
of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston when thai
| officer was mortally wounded at Shiloh.
In the same engagement Mollere was
struck In the face by a bullet. The ball
| entered at a point on the nose just below
| the eyes and came out at the back of the
head The wound gave him considerable
trouble in after years and was the cause
of his blindness, which became total about
| three years ago.
After the war he returned to his home
in New Orleans. and shortly afterward
removed to Washington. where ne lived
till the time of his death. His extensive
acquaintance among prominent men of
both the North and South enabled him to
secure Government employ. For number
of years he was a doorkeeper in the gal
lery of the Senate. AT other times he was
connected with the postoliice and the Bu-
reau of Engraving and Printing. He was
at one time driver OF a bullion wagon at
the Treasury
Mr. MolIere went into the contracting
business a number of years before his
blindness became total Under the
Board of Public Works of the District h
built much OF the present system OF
sewers. He acquired during his lifetime
from his numerous business ventures, sew
eral fortunes, but each was either spent
or lost. His acquaintance with public men
of the nation was extensive, and he was
one of the familiar figures about the Ci,y
His kindliness OF disposition and his geI-
ercsity won for him host of friends.
There survive him seven children, two
of whom live in this city, Joseph, ir., whC
is an employe Of the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Company, and Charles, a boy
OF sixteen. Two sons Jules and Paul, are
married and engaged in business in New
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