The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1902-06-21
GREENWOOD LEFLoRE's MAN
SION,
A Visit to the Historic Home OF the
Last Chief of the Choctaw Tribe.

A Visit to the Historic Home OF the
| Last Chief OF the Choctaw Tribe.
While in the city of Greenwood
recently the members of the Mis-
sissippl Press Association were
favored with an invitation from
tho Southern Railway Company
Ito visit historic Malmaison, the
home of Greenwood Leiiore. the
last great chief of the Choctaw
Indians, east of the Mississippi
river.
Much has been said and written
about the famous chief and his
home, while yet we are Informed
that in the loss of the second vol
ume of Claibornc's history, more
than half the most interesting
points of the great chiefs history
will never again be produced.
Claiborne and Letlore were warm
Wing friends, and while they diff
fered upon the issue Of war, they
maintained still a strong personaI
friendship throughout the bloody
conflict and even till death claim
ed both.
Upon arrival Mt Malmaison sta
tion, a body of the representative
citizens OF the city of Greenwood
and Lefore county accompanied
to the "home" the press visitors,
numbering in all about 250. This
body visited Malmoison to pay
tribute to all that remains to the
name of him whose ashes repose
in the family graveyard just across
the hill near the spot where he
first settled about three-quarters
of century ago. The family to
the fourth generation, now living
in the old mansion, extended to
the visitors a most hearty wei.
come. The old carriage of state,
now set aside as Il relic, was
brought out to do honor to the
press association, ride in same
from the station to the house, be-
ing rendered to their honorcd
president, forty years and more
since same was in active use.
The procession was led from the
station by a band of music dis
coursing the medly "Dixie" and
Yankee Doodle" followed by
the carriage of honor bedecked
with flags of the Union. A rem
BILE about the home and over the
meadows of this spot of national
fame, and a glance into those large
and expensive volumes presented
by the United States Government
to Governor Leflore, furnishing
interesting sketches of the lives
of the leading friendly Indians,
associated with one of the noblest
types of civilization, proved both
interesting and instructive to the
visitors.
NoBLEsT TRAITS BLENDED.
The noblest traits Of both the
Caucasian and Choctaw Indian
blood flowed through his veins.
He was related by blood to the
distinguished chiefs, John Ross
and Pushmataha. He was as
brave as Julius Caeser, yet amia-
BILE in disposition, as indomitdble
as Andrew jackson, and as noble
and fearless as Robert Il. Lee;
while The late cruel war drew the
mantle of blighted hope over his
bright future, sweeping before it
his vast estate, he, was unswerviDg
in his devotion to his pledge of
citizenship, ever remaining loyal
to the Union, and true to the
treaty stipulating between Presi-
dent Andrew jackson and him
self. With four grandchildren at
his bedside, at his request hold
ing the flag of the Union in view
of his fast-fading vision, his
grandson, Louis Lehore, and
granddaughters, Mrs. Charles
Trumble, Grenada; Mrs. Edgar
West, Durant, and Mrs. w. l..
Ray, now in charge of the Nal
maison home, there remaining till
death claimed its victim, but not
before he uttered in feeble tone
of voice, "the sun of our South
ern hopes is destined to my fate. :"
He knew that his slaves, about
500, were to be liberated, due to
the results of war. He sat one
evening on the portico of his
stately home, looking to the west
he saw mingling with the clouds,
maddening volumes of silvery
grey smoke in the direction of his
two plantations. Unmoyed by
this known suspicion, it proved to
be a loss of near three-quarters of
million dollars in the destruction
by fire of 1900 bales of cotton.
Had he lived to see the bitter
strife amicably settled, his would
have been one OF the most royal
Southern homes extant.
The city of Greenwood and Le-
fore county did all to perpetuate
memory of him whose name they
have chosen in full.
EXQUISITE FURNISHINGS.
As evidence of his intention to
elaborately furnish his home, in
the exercise of good judgement
and excellent taste, he rarely ever
counted cost. Herein is append
ed description of an order to
Paris for suit of furniture es-
pecially designed for Malmaison:
Curtains of brocaded crimson
silk damask, satin lined, draped
with massive gold.coyered COR