Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-26

trouble, which caused death. was the result
Of pneumonia contracted a year ago. He
was accompanied from New York by only a
man servant and trained nurse
Sketch Of His Career.
Thomas P. Ochiltree was comparatively
unknown when he was sent to Congress as
representative Of Texas district. His
breezy western manners and his capacity
for relating stories and anecdotes soon
brought him Into prominence, and 1t was
not long until his reputation extended
throughout the country and abroad.
He was the first native Texan to Sit in
the House
His appearance-he was stout. erect with
heavy mustache, piercing eye and fiery
red hair-acQuired for him the nickname of
the "Red-Headed Ranger from Texas" and
he was inquired for by and pointed out to
strangers visiting the national capital.
Members said "Ochiltree is funnier than
the minstrels." and by a series of good
stories and amusing "reminiscences he fire.
| quently secured the passage of a measure
he desired passed when simple logic would
have failed
tom" Ochiltree's place of nativity was
Nacogdoches parish. Texas where he first
saw the light in 1910 His father, Judge
William B. Ochiltree, was personal friend
| of Gen. Sam Houston, who was one Of the
first senators from the lone star state.
| Educated for Priesthood.
The father, DESTROYS of bringing up hts
boy for quiet, stuHous life. placed him In
charge of two Catholic priests. but young
| Tom, while displaying a bright intellect
showed the liveliest signs of life. and at
| the age Of fifteen broke away from his tn
| tors and volunteered as a private in the
| Texas Rangers, commanded by Capt John
! G. Walker, with whom he served in the
| campaign against the Apache and Conan
che Indians.
He then became editor of the JefYerso-
MAN, and In 1860 he attended as a delegate
| the conventions at Charleston and Balti-
more. During the civil war he served In
the confederate army on the stats of Gen
| Tom Green and Gen. Dick Taylor. He re-
! ceiyed an honorable mention from Long
! street. and was rewarded with a colonelcy
After Appomattox he accepted the situa-
| ton. and exhorted his compatriots to "stoI
| crying and find solace in work" General
| Grant appointed him United States marshal
| of Texas, and always liked hem personally
In 1865 and 1857 he conducted the Houston
| Daily Telegraph and was untiring in his
sent him to Europe as a commissioner OF
| immigration. and he acquired celebrity
abroad as remarkable American who told
amusing stories.
| 1t was his famous campaign In 1882. In
which he ran as an independent and de-
| feated the so-called most popular demo
| crat in Texas, Mr.. Findlay. that brought
| him into the House of Representatives
His district embraced $1,000 miles
| contained twenty-seven counties, and
stretched from Galveston on the gulf tC
Eagle Pass on the Rio Grande. Ochiltree'
| headquarters were in Galveston. where ne
| occupied the armory, while his opponents
| held forth in the fremont House. Ochil
tree kept the crowd away from the latter
| place by telling stories on himself, which
have since gone the rounds of the English
| periodicals.
Nearly Always "Hard Up"
When he was a member OF Congress the
government, on the advice Of the Attorney
General. seized his pay as a member fol
some old claim, and Ochiltree's efforts Il
get It back. together with his remark!
about the Attorney General, excited wide
spread amusement. He was generally
hard up no matter how large his income
| had been
After his retirement from politics he wal
| retained BY the late John w. Mackay will
a sort OF rowing commission In short. b.
| became a sort of man OF the world. liabl
known In each. On ocean steamers he wal
the great smoking room attraction and a
Saratoga in the season ali new good stories
were attached to his name, whether the.
emanated from him or not.
| frequent visitor to European capital
and on friendly terms with many Of tn
p,JDlfc men and with those prominent Il
| social life. he had the entree to the mos
favored circles. He was never so happ.
as when he was discoursing In his ex-ca
thedra style to admiring audiences. II tn
Prince of Wales came in his way he woul
not hesitate to give him points on dress o
personal demeanor any more than he woul
abstain from telling Salisbury or Bismar cl
how to manae empires.
Volumes would be required to tell tn
, | many interesting experiences of this note
| bon vivant and the stories that emanate
| from his brilliant mind.
At Cleveland's Inauguration.
On the day Of CIevelands first Inaugural
tton he took cab to go to the Capitol TIL
| driver was intoxicated and the horse ra
away. Tom was thrown out and SO &c
verely injured that ne was on crutche
for more than a year He sued the Penn
sylyania Railroad Company. which owne
the cab, for $4,000 damages. His friend
: tocularay insisted that he would cling /
, those crutches until the suit was decidet
Meanwhile he went to Clover Club Dime
In Philadelphia, and, being called on I
speak. arose to respond with no crutches /
, sight As soon al hs uttered the word
''Mr. President Mr.. Postieth waite OF tn
Pennsylvania railroad. one Of the brishtea