Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-05-29


: simpkins learned all that he wante'
to know about the packing industry Il
thirty days. and | learned all that
wanted 20 know about Ezra In thu
same time. Pork packing seemed 10 b'
the only thing that he wasn't interested
in. | got his resignation one day Just
five minutes before the one which
was having written out for him wal
ready, for will do Simpkins the jus
tice TO say that there was nothing slow
about him. He and his father split up
temporarily over IL. and OF course II
cost me the old mans trade and friend.
ship. want TO say right here that the
easiest way in the world 10 make enc
mics is 10 hire friends.
/ lost sight Of Simpkins for awhile,
and then he turned up at the office one
morning as friendly and familiar as
ever. Said he was a reporter and want
ed TO interview me on the December
wheat deal. OF course ! wouldn't talk
ON that, but | gave him little father
ly advice-told him Ne would sleep in a
hall bedroom all his life II he didn't
quit his foolishness and 60 back to his
father. though didn't really believe 1t.
He thanked me and went of and wrote
a column about what might have said
about December wheat, and somehow
gave the impression that / had said IL.
The next heard of Simpkins he was
dead. The Associated Press dispatches
announced it, the Cuban Junta con-
firmed sand last of all a long dispatch
from Simpkins himself detailed the cir
cumstances leading up to the "atroc-
ity," the headlines in his paper called
1t.
l got long wire from Ezra's father
asking me to see the managing editor
and get at the facts for him. 1t seemed
that the paper had thought heap Of
Simpkins and that he had been sent
out to Cuba as correspondent and sta
toned with the insurgent army. Simp-
kins in Cuba had evidently lived up to
the reputation of Simpkins In Chicago.
When there was any news he sent 1t,
and when there wasn't he Just made
news and sent that along.
The first word Of his death had come
in his own letter, brought across on a
filibustering steamer and wired on
from Jacksonville. 1t told, with close
attention to detail-something he had
learned since he left mellow he had
strayed away from the little band of
insurgents with which ne had been
out scouting and had blundered into
the Spanish lines. He had been prompt
ly made prisoner, and, despite his pa
pers proving his American citizenship
and the nature Of his job and the red
cross on his sleeve, he had been tried
by drumhead court martial and SEN
fenced to be shot at dawn. All this he |
had written out, and then that his &C.
count might be complete he had gone
on and imagined his own execution.
This was written In a sort Of pigeon,
or perhaps you would call 1t black
Spanish, English, and let on to be the
work of the eyewitness to whom
Simpkins had confided his letter. He
had been the sentry over the prisoner,
and for small bride in hand and the
promise of larger one from the paper
he had turned his back ON Simpkins
While he wrote out the story, and aft
,rward had deserted and carried it to
he Cuban lines.
The account ended, "Then, as the or.
Ter to fire was given by the lieutenant,
senior Simpkins raised his eyes toward
heaven and cried, protest in the name
II my American citizenship" At the
'nd OF the letter, and not intended for
was scrawled: This is a t
'ully scoop for you, boys, but it's pref.
y tough on me. Goodby. Simpkins."
The managing editor dashed a tear !
rom his eye when he read this to me
no gulped little as he said: IL can't
eip II. lie was such ID thought. =
III boy. Why, he even remembered to
nclose descriptions for the picturesw
slmpk1ns' last story covered the
Vhole OF the front page and three col.
INNS or the second, and it Just nat.
rally sold cords of papers. His cd.
.or demanded that the state depart.
leht take 1t up, though the Spaniards
ehieu the execution or any previous
noWiedge OF any such person as this
ehor slmpkins. That made another
age IN the paper, of course, and then
icy got up memorial service, which
as good for three columns. One of
iose Fellows that you can find in ev.
)! once, who goes around and makes
lie boys give up their lunch money To
~ flowers for the deceased amt ~
e cellar boss wife, managed to col
CT Szo among our clerks, and thew
mt a floral notebook with "Gone to
Fess' done In blue immortelles on tho
Yer as their tribute"
put on plug hat and attended tho
rvice out Of respect for h,s fatbor
1T had hardly got back to the office
lore received wire from Jamaica
auing: Gable your correspondent
re let me have hundred. Notify 70.
CT an hunk. Keep it dark from 9th.
J. Simpkins." ''A-
Kept 1t dark, and Ezra came back
lie ny easy stages and in such a
" as not to attract any special atten.
Il 10 himself. He managed to get the
preston around that he'd henn
ltched from the jaws of death hv
= party at the last moment. The
l heard of him he was in New
IN ana drawing ten thousand a wear
ieh was more than he could have
rked up to In the leather business IN
entury. Al -