The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-20

Ap-NaS anu tO-llSnl nunOreQS OF tel
egrams of sympathy have poured in,
not only from communities, newspa-
pers and citizens from all over South
carolina, but from many American
cities, North and South. Among them
were expressions from Hugh S. Thomp-
son of New York, Ex-Governor of
South Carolina, and Gonzales de Que
sada, the Cuban minister at Washing
ton.
Career of Gonzales.
Narcisso G. Gonzales was born Aug.
Q, 1858, at Edingsville, Edisto Island.
). {. He was the second son of Gen.
Ambrose Gonzales, a native of Ma
tanzas, Cuba, who with Narcisso Lo-
per- began the struggle for Cuban in
dependence in 1913. Gen. Gonzales
was one of the junta of five members
who declared the independence of the
Island, adopted the present Cuban flag
and organized the first filibustering ex-
pedltlon under Lopez, of which he was
second in command with the rank of
brlgadier general. In the Civil War
Gen. Gonzales played a very important
part. In 1856 he married Harriet Rut-
ledge Elliott, youngest daughter of
Hon. William Elliott of Beaufort S. c..
Narcisso G. Gonzales was taught at
home until he was ten years of age.
private school in Virginia. His family
being ruined by the war, he received
no further education at school In 1875
he studied telegraphy, and in 1876 was
employed as a telegraph operator in
Hampton, S. c. In 1877 he was night
telegraph operator in Savannah and
later at ValdOsta, Ga, for the Atlantic
and Gulf Railroad, and later for the
Plant System. A year later he was
made railroad clerk at the same
place. In 1880 he joined A. B. Will
ltams in newspaper work in Greenville,
). &. In August of the same year he
became member of the reportorial
staff of the Charleston News and
Courier, acting as its Columbia CORE
spondent From 1881 until some time
in 1882 he was the papers correspond
ent in Washington; then he returned
to Columbia and resumed correspond
ence from that point. In 1890, with his
brother A. E. Gonzales, he secured the
necessary capital and started The
State newspaper, and from that time
until his death he was editor of it,
Being a man of great force of charac-
ter and having ability of a high order
he made his paper an important fac
tor in the politics of the state, and he
himself was looked upon as one of
South Cardinals leading men. He,
however, never sought nor held a pub
lie office.
He Served in Cuban Army.
Before the declaration of war be-
tween the United States and Spain,
Mr.. Gonzales rendered his services to
the army of freedom of his fathers
native isle. Shortly after the war was
declared, but before the American
army began it's movement in Cuba, he
went to Tampa and Joined an expe-
dition led by Gen. Emilio Nunez on
whose staff he was appointed a lieu
tenant. The expedition was for the
relief of Gen. Maxine Gomez. The
expedition was two weeks in making
a landing, being repulsed at two points
by the Spaniards, but on July g. 1898,
succeeded in disembarking at Palo
Alto, on the south coast of Cuba, a
few miles west of the central trocha.
The next day Gen. Gomez was found
and relieved. After six weeks of ex-
treme hardship and privation, cam
paigning northward along the trocha,
during which he participated in the at
tack of the fortified town, Moron, at
the northern end of the trocha, Mr..
Gonzales learned that the war was
over. He at once procured his dis
charge and embarked for home in an
expeditionary schooner, which after
various adventures, reached Key West,
Sept. l, 1898.
Mr. Gonzales was married to Miss
Lucy Barron of Manning, S. c., on
Nov. IA, 1901.