Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-08
THOMAS mast DEAD.
PASSED AWAY At 0UAYAQUn
YESTERDAY.
Was Consul General There-His Fame
Rested on His Work as
Cartoonist,

4 dispatch from G;uayaqhH, Ecuador, yes
terday says: United Slater consul General
Thomas Mast, the famous icartoonist, died
Of yellow fever here today at noon after
an illness Of three days.
He was buried five hours later. The
coffin was wrapped in an American flag.
The funeral was attended by the COVER
nor, the consular corps, the American col
ony and many friends. The British consul
reci.ed "a prayer in the cemetery.
The death of Mr.. Mast is deeply lamented
by the natives, who held him In high es-
TEEN.
The New York World Of today gives the
following sketch of Mr.. Mast:
The last picture Thomas Mast drew on
American soil, just before he sailed for his
South American post last July, humorously
depicted the very disease to which he fell
a victim. The drawing was jocular Illus
tration of the dangers in store for him in
the equatorial region-earthquakes and yell
low fever-and was his farewell to the
American public he had amused and in
structed for many years.
Thomas Mast held undisputed the title of
1.-THE Father Of American Caricature." He
was, too. a pioneer in the illustrating of
public prints. When he began, very hum
bly,, to make pictures for publications there
were hardly round dozen of artists in
that field.
When Mast was diminutive lad of four
teen he applied to Frank Leslie for a posi-
ton. Mr.. Leslie told him to go down to
the river and draw a ferryboat. The boy
did as he was told, and on returning with
his drawing was given place at So
week.
Mr. Nasts civil war pictures, which ap-
peared in Harpers Weekly, secured for
him a national reputation. President Lin
coin said that they were the best recruit
Ing sergeants on the side of the Union.
hoe orfn and fn11 i've frn,
the same hand were for many years by far
the most popular of the time.
He invented the tiger the symbol for
Tammany Hall and the elephant as an en-
blem of the republican party came from
his brain. In derision of the democrats he
represented their party by a donkey.
His cartoons were watched for in Har-
per's Weekly by people all over the coun-
mendous.
When he was named for consul to Ecua-
dor the World said editoriafly that his APP
pofntment was good enough civil service
fought with a cartoonist's pencil. not with
sword, and that he deserved all consid-
GRAFTON from a country for which he did
such signal service.
Mr.. Mast is credited with an immense
service in his work that helped to break
up the notorious Tweed ring. His vigorous
illustrations of the inquities, of the Tam
many chieftain and his band, though pub
llSNeu III the early seventies are we'll re-
membered to this day, and are as much a
part of the history of New York city as
anything that has been written.
Mr. Mast had an amazing talent, ge-
MUS in fact, for caricaturing portraits, and
his stories In lines had great power 1t is
said that Boss" Tweed offered the Har-
on him.
Nast's emblematc cartoons Of the Union
army, which he gloriied, were done when
he was only twenty-one, and they endeared
him to the soldiers and first brought him
into public view. His work at that time
was serious and intensely earnest, and it
was not until after the war that he de-
veloped the humorous side to his abilities.
In the years Of his practical retirement
Mr.. Mast devoted himself to serious labors
to work that he was even more ambitious
than anything he had ever attempted. He
once said his ambition was to be a his
torical painter.
His large painting of the surrender of
Lee was bought by a Chicago millionaire,
who presented II to Galena ILL., on an an
niversary of General Grants birth. He also
painted historical picture of Lincoln as
an emancipation, and afterward a Shakes
pearian allegory to the order Of Sir Henry
Irving, dashing, bold, giraffe in drawing,
with touch Of the grotesque
MIR. Mast was born In Landau, Bavaria,
In $40, and was brought to this country
when six years old. His wife, two sons
and two married daughters survive him.
Mrs. Mast and their son, Cyril, still re-
tain the residence at Morristown. Mrs.
Mast was made Ill by the news Of her hus
bands death.
1--WE had a letter from father in the last
MALL the son said. He complained then
of suffering from slight attack Of grip,
but seemed to think there was nothing Sc
rious in It, We all noticed that there was
a somber tone about the letter. He did not
seem as cheerful as usual"
A brief cablegram from Vice Consul Cen
eral Jones, at Guayaquil, dated yesterday.
announced to the Department of State the
death of Consul General Thomas Mast. The
dispatch gave no details of the end. Owing
to the contagious nature of the disease.
which caused Mr.. Nasts death, 1t will
probably be impossible for the department
to follow the usual custom Of bringing the
remains to the United States.