The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-08-26
JIM CRAIG, BOHEMIAN.
st. Louis Mourns a Unique Char
acter
est. Louis GIobe-Democrat)


est Louis Democracy
The body Of James Craig, who died at
the Baptist hospital Tuesday afternoon.
viii be shipped to st. Joseph, there
the funeral will be held. No services
are to be held in this city.
With the passing OF Jim Craig
from the Bohemian life of st. Louis the
hard and sordid phases of which hs
could never see, there has disappeared
from the scene one of the most unique
characters to be found in fact or ne
tiCn.
However darkened the scroll OF his
life may appear to the Puritan or the
Phartsee, there viii remain in the mem
cries of those who knew him, Is long
as those memories last, the recollection
of a nature so gentle, so generous and
so true in the matter Of kindly impulse
that natures and visions finer than ours
might have joyed in his comradeship.
In the varied category of gifts that
may be set opposite his name viii be
found the terms lawyer, student, die
tante. lover of art and music, former
hnancier and later student, and over all
an optimism that never failed him.
There was time when his father was
among the wealthy men of Missouri,
and the prospects of the son We're as
sured and flattering. In his younger
days after leaving Harvard, ne trav-
eIed extensively, and became as well
known in all the capitals of Europe as
he afterward became known here. At
one time the study of politics attracted
him, and later art became his whilom
mistress. He gave his attention to
financial problems, and in his strange
mind schemes which rivaled the trans
mutton Of metals, as gloated over by
the sorcerers Of other centuries, found
birth.
He was best. however, in the capaci-
" Of an entertainer, a dispenser of open
handed hospitality. 1t was in this
that the gentle qualities of the nan
were most apparent. There was a self
enactment in his ministratiOns OF good
cheer which enabled him to confer IA
Yors without seeming to offer with
them sense Of obligation. His own
personality was always kept in the
background, unless the opportunity TO
confer G favor arose, when he became
strong in his assertions and efforts.
@ . q
In his politeness, on all Occa siOns, he
wa ELUSIVE. 1t was said of him that
he was never known to forget himself.
When the wine was in and the wit was
out his instinct or the result OF his
training never failed him. and so far.
at least, as outward forms go, he was
still the gentleman. Through the long
descending scale which carried him
from affiuenCe to a lower social scale
out the injunction of Ingersoll-if you
have but % cents. spend it as if il were
millions In his later days he ordered
beer with the same dignity with which
he had formerly called for champagne.
He was q stickler, not for convention
a1ties, for his creed rose to a higher
level than that. but for courtesy. Even
after his only dress coat was thread
bare. he wore il with the assure nee of
q prince when the occasion called fer
sucn gark.
\ more unique figure could scarcely
be imagined than Jim" Craig on step
at Fifteenth and Washington. so late
in the morning that the stars were
fading and the street lamps were be
coming gray and pale against the
dawn, resting q moment before going to
his rooms few squares away. Early
riSers caught q glimpse Of Jim" in
full dress and opera hat. wiping the
perspiration from his face and catching
the breath Of the early day, artisc-svise.
before retiring. The life OF the T3Ohe-
milan never effaced his love for the
beautiful.
He might fairly be called the cham
plcn OptimiSt- When his quarters at
Fifteenth and Chestnut afford ID scarce
" crust, to take the place of fcrmer
Opulence. the sudden acquirement Of
cents made a prince of him, and a
can" OF beer was ordered IN priuccIv
style Larger sums in hand or in prns-
pect resulted in the planning Of Won
derful balls, at which all his friauds
were urgently invited to be present
That list Of balls that never material
lied would have shamed the ceremo-
mails Of a court.
At one time he was president of the
King of Clubs" which was organized