The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-27
ABOUT MAJ. POND
New York American Discusses
His Life.
Carried a "Beecher's Bible'' in
Kansas.
INTERESTING CAREER.
As a Lecture Manager He Be-
came Famous.
Wife of Brigham Young His
First Celebrity.

ever known, died yesterday at his home
in Jersey City.
The major had been i'll for about a
month. His right foot had become uI-
cerated and was exceedingly painful
Finally gangrene set in. after a slight
operation had been performed in the
hope of giving relief.
Major Pond faced the ordeal of an
operation with his usual cheerful hope
full attitude. 1t was viewed by his
friends with more than usual apprehen-
sion, however, on account of the maj jor's
years. He was siXty-fve. He rallied
from the shock with the buoyancy of
youth, and the surgeons were hopeful of
mis- recovery. Soon, however, hope faded.
1t was found that poison had permeated
the system, and he began to sink rap
idly
The funeral services will be tomor-
row evening at the Pond residence, No.
604 Bergen avenue, Jersey City.
FOUND HUNDRED GENIUSES.
Major Pond had had a remarkabl
career. 1t may be said safely that ev-
cry lecturer or singer worth remember
ing was at some time managed by him.
The following is a partial list of lee
turers and singers whose tours were
managed by Major Pond Henry Ward
Beecher, Wendell Phillips, John b.
Cough Rev. DR.. Joseph Parker, Fred
erick Douglass, Canon Kingsley, Wlll<le
Collins, Charles Bradlaugh, Matthew
Arnold Archdeacon Farrar, Henry M.
Stanley. Max O'Ren, Dean Hole, Ian
Maclaren. Sir Edwin Arnold, William
Parsons, Mrs. Annie Besant Sir A
Conan Doyle, Archibald Forbes, Fred
erick Nillers, F. Marion Crawford, Han
Caine r. A Proctor, Anthony Hope,
George Augustus Sala. Israel Zangwiu,
Justin Huntly Mccarthy, NJ. p; Mark
Twain. Rev. T. De Witt Talmage. Nine
Sarah Grand, Josh Billings, Bill Nye,
George w. Gable, Anna r. Dlckenson,
Clara Louise Kellogg, Mrs Mary A
Iivernlore Mrs. Maude Ballington
Booth. Miss Helen Potter Emma Ab-
bott. Ann Eliza Young, Richard lie Cal
lienne Winston Churchill, Thomas Mast
william Lloyd Garrison, Charles sum
ner. Booker y. washington, Lieutenant
Robert f. Peary and Walt Whitman
ABOIITIONIST BY HERITAGE.
James Burton Pond was born IN
cuba. Allegheny county New YORK
mer Pond farmer, with mis- faInliy'
ioined the pioneers to Illinois IN 1910
Later he went to Wisconsin ana ylelu-
ing to the strong sentiment around NM
became an aboitionist ana engages II.
UNDERGROUND slave-running. MAJOR
Pond as a boy assisted his tather IN
af5iner the slaves to escape nortnWa1u,
their house being a station for slaves
HE RAIDS KANSAS.
After serving his apprenticeship IN
Fond du Lac. Major Pond began to set
tvpe on the Herald of Freedom at Law
renee Kas. There the cail came 70
him as it had come to John Brown
And he became one Of those who MADE
history that Will live to the end OF
time as a raider in the little frontier
town of Kansas. This was IN 1896 As
member of Brown's band he carried
one 0f the SharpS rifles known as the
ReecheT Bible for the reason that the
guns were shipped west by abolitonists
as Bibles.
BECOMES PIXIES PEAK PIONEER.
Ma iOr Pond was one of the pioneers
to Denver and Pixies Peak in 1853
When the civil war broke out he en-
listed. rose from the ranks until he was
made a major, and in 1853 was one OF
the seventeen survivors of band OF
11S union cavalryInen who were at
tackled by Quantrell in the Baxter
Springs massacre
Next we see him in Utah. the pro-
prietor of the first Gentle paper there.
the Salt Lake Tribune.
HIS FIRST CELEBRITY.
When Ann Eliza Young apOstasized,
Major Pond was delegated to go with
her to Washington, where she told heN
the genius Of the major as manager
became apparent. He at once saw the
possibilities of making money with Ann
Eliza Young as lecturer. He yielded
speak there first. OF this experience he
said: Il got the school room, charged
81 80 a ticket sold 400 tickets and took
in $500 that evening. I remember when
she was to appear in Denver went to
the house and did not know her She
was dressed up, and. WELL she looked
pretty. The leading Methodist minister
she had been converted by a Metho-
dist, and so they claimed her-intrO-
duced her to one of the largest audi
enceS ever seen in Denver.
Il have never found so earnest
talker'' the major said afterward. Y
have heard a great many, too. She had
a cause She was in dead earnest. She
was able in two years from that time
to leave Utah with her children and
her family. and she never returned
HIS FIRST GOOD ANGEL.
Major Pond was a good angel on two
notable occasions in the life of Char
lOtte Cushman, the great actress. The
first was when from a tramp printer he
became a callboy in a. St Louis theater
a 81 a week. He began the night Char
lotte Cushman opened her enga cement
as Lady Macbeth" She had COM
planned that the boy who carried the
basket containing her jewels had loiter
ed. She needed some one she could rely
upon, who would walk faithfully by ner
side with that precious basket. To the
little lad Pond fell the honor.
$50 that night I walked home with
Charlotte Cushman, the great actress,
be writes. carrying her basket to her
room in the Planters house did this
until I became i'll and was obliged to
send a substitute. who brought the
basket on Saturday night After the
play, when the light were turned off
with the exception of the dressing room.
I heard Miss Cushnan asking for me.
] replied and she came across the stage
to me, hoped I would not be ill., and
put a coin in my hands. I scratched
about and got to where there was suffi-
cient lgnt to discover that I was the
owner Of a 800 gold piece. I changed my
lodging that night
Years passed before the callboy and
the actress again met. He was giving
entertainments in the Boston theater,
and they were meeting with great sue
cess. Suddenly he thought of Charlotte
Cushman. and offered her $1,000 if she
would give reading there.
When he gave her the certified check
for the amount it was with the re-