The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-01-27
Late Jacob Stotler, Pioneer
Editor in Oklahoma.
THINGS HE ORIGINATED
Now in Use Everywhere in
Local Newspapers.

days OF the veteran frontier editor Jacob
StotIer. pleasant
Mr.. Stotler was not here long. but in
that time he made many friends. He
edited the Republican here. a weekly.
and by his wit made it exceptionally
bright and readable.
Temperamentally constituted so that
he could understand the customs and var
/. ious manners of new community, ne
took a great interest in this city. not
yet ten years old. More than any other
editor in this territory he had seen the
constantly moving line of civilization
While not given TO reminescence, as a
rule. ne pointed out how and when he
moved first to Emporia, Kansas, he had
gone TO wilderness. leaving far be-
hind him the marks of settlement and
how that line had overtaken him and
passed him, out onto the great plains
where it displaced the India and buf-
falo. In the big boom period he was at
Wellington, Kansas. and watched the
rapid settlement Of Southern Kansas.
Later he saw the opening of the original
Oklahoma, and it so happened that ne
became part of the new territory before
his life ended
He was primarily good newspaper
man. and IN his time probably scored
more scoops than any other living writer
His first paper, the EmDoria News. was
taken far out on the frontier and con-
veyed stories Of Indian massacres, raids.
and civil war news to many a lonely
pioneer in whose house his paper was
the only printed matter. Much Of the
style Of local weeklies is due to him.
The distinctly local page. with its short
items and personals he originated. The
gentle editorial attack on the delinquent
subscriber. now so universal, was origin
ally employed by him.
He had pre-eminently the sensitive nat
ure Of the writer. 1t hurt him when he
gave a citizen kind notice to see it
unrewarded by the ungratefuI indifference
which an acknowledging word of thanks
would have obviated. but he never
showed his disappointment.
He was by nature an optimist and ~
lieved good of all men. Like hundreds
of other editors who have followed him
he was quick to laud industry when II
appeared locally; was eager to push a
young business man forward, and always
had kind word for the old man who had
struggled on to commercial failure. He
wrote with his own hand hundreds Of
obituaries and hundreds of birth notices.
with the same enthusiasm in the latter
case as if the babe was his own.
In short. he evolved the local weekly:
the paper which aloneenjoys the intimacy
Of a community, particularly Of western
communities. He wept with the sorrow
ing and reioiced with the happy; felt
elation over other mems successes, and
depression over their failures, and voiced
it all in matter from his pen. suppressing.
as thousands Of his followers do today
this or that for mothers sake, or a
husbands peace Of mind. or a wife's
broken heart.
OF these things he would not talk him
self. but to those who were intimate
with him there was something in his tone
at times which led one to believe that
his greatest mental hurt was that he
had lived an unthanked life
Emporia, Kans., Jan. 25.-A dispatch
from Kansas City. says: The case OF Mr..
Stotler's death was given by the physi-
clans as cystitis, a bladder complaint
This trouble was aggravated by his gen
eral broken down condition Brought on
by very hard work. While he had suf-
fered from bladder and kidney ailments
for more than a year past, he did not
yield until two weeks ago yesterday.
when he was compelled to take to his
bed HIS condition did not improve and
on Tuesday Of last week he left Perry
for his old home at Emporia. Kans.
When he reached there or the following
day. he was just able to stagger into
his house. and he has been bedridden
ever since.
At Emporia Mr.. Stotler was attended
family physician for forty years Dr.
Jacobs recognized the case as a very. SER
ious one and advised that the patient be
brought to Kansas city and placed in a
hospital IN the hope THAI On operation
might probing life. Accordingly. his son
who had been called to Emporia early
this week. on wednesday. Brought MS
father TO this city and ne was taken 20
St Jospeh's hospital and Or. II T. Hi5-
bard summoned. Altar an examination
Dr. Hi5hard decided that an operation /
would - Of no avail and that death vas !
q matter only ot DAYS Fer the first two
OF three days after reaching Kansas
City Nr St0tier was aoie 20 take nour- /
ishment. but since then ha has beeu prac- +
tlcalIy without stimuianfs Hls sen waa
ar his bedside almost constantly. bat vas
seldom recognized. Mr Stosier became (
unconscious early sundag mernins and f
remained So untu hs death
a