The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-02-08
DEATH OF DR.. W. W. LANE
THIS ABLE PHYSICIAN PASSED AWAY
YESTERDAY MORNING AT 5 O'CLOCK
He Died at tho City Hospital OF which
He Had Been Physician and Surgeon
In Charge for Nearly go Y~ears-Obse-
quies &C Take Place at -. James this
Morning at IL O'clock.

With sincere and ver- deep sorrow
The Messenger chronicles the death of
DR.. w. W. Lane. physician and surgeon
in charge of the city hospital. This able
physician and chivalrous gentleman
breathed his last yesterday morning at
5 O'Clock at the city hospital.
For the last two years DIR. Lane has
been in bad health and for several
months his condition caused serious
apprehension among his friends who
could see his decline day by day. His
health was undermined by a complica-
ton of maladies, the most obstinate of
which was scirrhosis of the liver. For
the last year or so he had occasional
spells which confined him TO his room
but he would appear TO get better and
at all times would faithfully discharge
his duty, frequently when he was real
ly not able to do SO. On Saturday De-
cember %, he had to take TO his bed and
most ever since he has been confined to
his room. Last Monday he felt so much
better that he came down stairs and
visited all the Yards in the line of his
duty. He thought he was able TO re-
sumo work but after making the rounds
he had to go back to bed. From that
time his life went out.
DIR. Lane was born August Il, 1881,
| at WrightSville Sound, where his father
at one time owned almost the entire
| Sound front and had his summer resi-
dence. His parents were the late
Levin and Margaret Moore Lane,
whose homestead was near ROCKY
Point, then in New Hanover count
now in Pender county. He never mar
ried until late in life, about three years
ago having married Miss HELEN Green
who was matron of the hospital. This
most estimable woman watched over
him with great tenderness and was un-
renting in her attentions to him IN
all his illness. The faithful and afec-
tomato wife who is left to mourn his
loss has the deep and sincere sympathy
of the numerous friends of her husband
and self.
DIR. Lane received an academic
schooling in Wilmington and many of
our older citizens were his school,
mates. He received his collegiate edu-
cation at the university of North car
DINA, being a student there with the
Hon. Alfred M. Waddell. and other well
known citizens of his and other parts
Of the state. At the age of Il years he
graduated with credit in 1852, in the
class ahead of Colonel Waddell. He
chose medicine as his profession, and
after leaving Chapel Hill he entered
and graduated from the medical de-
partment of the university Of New
York. Subsequently he went to Paris,
France, and took a two years post
graduate course and had extensive OPP
portunities in the hospitals of the
French capital. He returned to this
country one of the most cultured and
finished physicians and surgeons of his
day. For the practice of his profession
he located in Mississippi near VickS-
burg, and also engaged extensively in
planting. When the war for confed-
crate independence came on he entered
the confederate service and had large
experience as assistant surgeon and
surgeon from the beginning till the con-
clusion of the war.
After the war he located at the Lane
homestead near Rocky Point, where
he engaged in agriculture and prac-
ticed medicine. In 1870 he removed to
Wilmington and acquired a large prac-
tice. In the seventies he was appoint
ed surgeon in charge Of the United
States marine hospital in this city, but
while at that institution he was able
to look after his private practice, as at
that early period the marine hospital
did not require all his time. Later he
successfully directed a private hos
pital, until 1881. When the city hospital
was blished. he was made the first
superintendent and physician and sur
geon in charge of that institution. With
the exception Of a couple OF years
probably, he has been constantly in
charge of the hospital. He was deep
ly interested in the work. and gave his
whole attention and able services in
building it up against almost lnsur-
mountable circumstances. Now, when
the handsome and extensive Walker
/ rnQn1nrinl hnCniro1 a hTlnk h1lil6inO ~
co~mmodious structure and great con-
veniences and facilities. is nearing
completion, to take the place of the old
city hospital. it is seemingly a cruel
fate which takes him away from his
long cheished hope to be in charge
of it.
In addition to his ability and wide
experience as a physician and surgeon,
DR.. Lane was a man of great acquire
mentS. He had peculiar literary taste
and was a man OF wide and varied
reading He was retentive of mind
and among all the men We nave ever
known he was one of the most remark
able for the storehouse of knowledge
which he had of literature. history, art
and science He was never %ostenta-
tiouS and was a close ead rather a
student of standard and current liter
allure. Withal he vas an urbane, cour-
teous, dignified gentleman. with deep
Hlpdtnl ana ldTgeHeSS Oh HedTl, anu
in his death suffering humanity has
lost a skillful surgeon and true friend.
DR.. Lane has only one sister surviv-
ing out Of a family Of ten brothers and
sisters. She is Mrs. Margaret Walker,
who resides in Washington, d. c., with
her two daughters. Misses Margaret
and Carrie. Her son. CAPTAIN John NJ.
Walker, is the we'll known conductor
on the Atlantic and Yadkin branch Of
the Atlantic Coast Line. between Will
mington, Fayetteville and Sanford.
His other nieces and nephews are DR..
j. II. Hardin. the well known pharma-
cist OF u city, Captain II. III. Lane.
of New Bern: DR.. A. II. Goelet, Of New
York: DR.. Edward B. Goelet of Saluda.
N. c.; Mrs. r. B. Jewettt. Of Savan-
nah, Ga; Mrs. ". j. Lalaotte, OF sum-
ter, S. c.. and Miss Julia Goelet,.of Sa-
luda, N. c.
The services for the burial OF the