The leader., 1903-10-21
t. HOBBS. Editor and Proprietor.
A MARTYR TO OFFICIAL DUTY.

thrill of admiration for the splen
did courage and fidelity he dis
played in the discharge of his ap,
pointed duty, and a profound
sympathy and regret that he
should have been called upon to
sacrifice his life in such sudden
and violent manner for the good
of others. Whatever may have
been Iijah Forsythe's faults and
errors-and who of us have them
not?-this one act of personal
bravery and official heroism,
should cause his memory to be
honored and cherished as long as
there are those capable of appre-
ciating noble deeds. Once when
Gen. Robert E. Lee was writing
to beloved son at college and
was counseilng him as only such
father could on the rules of con-
duct which should guide his flu
ture, he told the young man that
"duty is the sublimest word in
the English language" and admon-
ished him to make duty the guild
ing star-the dominant principle
of his life. In honoring the
memory of Officer Forsythe, The
Leader can pay him no higher
tribute than to say he died a
martyr to official duty-did it as
it was given him to see it, and did
it bravely without fiinching, under
the supremest test-thereby set
ting an example worthy of emu
lation by all in official station.
Iiiah Forsythe was born in
Amite county, Miss, in February,
1851. He was practical printer,
by trade. and learned the printing
business in the office of the old
Liberty Advocate, which was pub
lished many years before and after
the war by his father. In the
latter part Of the seventies he came
to Brookhaven and worked as a
printer in the Brookhaven Ledger
Office fol- R. H. Henry. He left
the Ledger Office to establish the
Wesson Herald. and while editor
and publisher of that paper, was
married to Mrs. Alice Magee, OF
this city. In 1888 or 1884, he
moved to Br okhaven with his
family and established the Brook
haven Democrat, which he con-
Quoted for several years, and
afterward successfully edited
and published the Brookhaven
Radiator and Brookhaven Citizen.
In the latter part of 1896 be sold
The Brookhaven Citizen to The
Leader, with which it was con.
solidated, and most of the time
since has been employed on the
police force of the city as night
Waterman.
A short time ago Mr.. Forsythe
passed through a trying and al
most fatal spell of illness of three
months' duration and had JUS
about regained his accustomed
health and strength when he me-
his tragic death. In some respects
he was a man of remarkably
strong individuality and indie
pendence of character, while il
others he was tractable and easily
led and influenced. As an EN-
ploye and as an official, it was
characteristic of him always tx
try to faithfully discharge his du
ty. He was of kindly and &C
commodating disposition and hi.
love and devotion to his family
were tender and beautiful.
He leaves a loving and devoted
wife, four grown step-children
four daughters of his own (only
one of whom is grown and mar
ried1, three sisters and other rela
tives to whom The warmest sym
pathy goes ont from all sides.
The funeral services were con
Quoted at the family residenc,
Monday afternoon by Revs. G
w. Crisler and R. H. Purser ant
the funeral cortege was one o
the largest ever seen in Brookha
ven.
Life's ftfnl fever over, may b
sleep we'll.
The Magnolia Cotton Mills hav
been exempted from taxation fo
the legal period and certificat
to that effect has been forwards
to the officers of the concern b,
the auditor. Under the law. it j
necessary for al ME prise under
taking certain manufactures to fill
a statementof what they have don
and intend to do with the Audito
before they are exempted iron
tax levy The plan is the newes
one in the State. Ii will begil
e.. --<<l. !