Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1903-02-10
COL. J. |. MORRIS.
The Old Soldier and Indian Fighter
Passes In His Checks.
HIS DEATH FROM PNEUMONIA.

Col. J. l.. Morris, the white haired
veteran, is dead.
The sad news brings feeling of re-
gret to the hearts of everyone who
knew the brave soldier and daring In
dian fighter.
For the past three weeks he has
been confined to the ST. Joseph's hos
pital, where his death occurred just
few minutes before midnight. The
colonel suffered from an attack of
pneumonia last fall from which he
never fully recovered Although he
was able to be around the streets for
several months after his illness, he
was never the robust and healthy
Morris again.
Colonel Morris was 62 years old, and
more than half of those years were
spent in serving his country. And dur
Ing that time many exclung events
took place. which branded the colonel
as brave and fearless man. The
colonel was chief of scouts from 1870
to 1880. Previous to that time he was
a soldier during the rebellion, having
served under different capacities. His
war records are in care of the Carlton
post, Grand Army of the Republic, of
Santa Fe, and at present it is impossi
BILE to obtain his correct record.
| While the colonel was scout on the
frontier in the year of 1870, he was
| awarded medal by the congress Of
the United States for a noted act OF
| bravery. The story of the colonel's
daring deed appeared in the Christmas
number of The Citizen. With thirteen
men the colonel killed Chief Juaneka
and thirty Apache warriors who were
on the warpath. Out of the thirteen
men three were killed and the other
ten wounded. The colonel was shot
in the neck, but there was plenty of
fight left in him, and he shot the brave
old chief with the last shot left in his
gun. The scalp of the Apache chief,
and his bow and arrows used in the
fight are in the Smithsonian Institute
at Washington, ID. c.
Five years after this, when the rec
ords were being looked over, the con-
gress of the United States came to the
conclusion that among the brave deeds
during the year of 1870, this thrilling
and successful experience of Colonel
Morris stood out most conspicuous and
he was presented with a medal of
honor
Colonel Morris was powerful man
during his active days. He weighed
2l5 pounds and was six feet and three
inches in his stocking feet He re-
tanned his fine physique until only
few years ago.
Colonel Morris served in the capac-
ity of postmaster at Thornton up to
the time of his illness last fall, where
he also conducted a general merchand-
ise store.
Undertaken j. w. Edwards took
charge of the remains, and the Carlton
post, Grand Army of the Republic. of
Santa Fe, of which ne was a member, |
was telegraphed and word was receiv- !
ed that they would stand the expense
of shipping the body to the capital and !
the remains would be buried in the Ma |
tional cemetery.
Final arrangements for the shipment |
and funeral will be made later.
Arrangements for the funeral of Col. !
j. l.. Morris were completed late this
afternoon. The funeral services will |
take place from the church of Immac- |
ulate Conception at 10 o'clock Thurs
day morning, under the auspices of G..
X. Warren post, Grand Army of the
Republic. The veterans will meet at
the undertaking parlors of ]. w. Ed
wards and conduct the body TO the
church, thence 10 the Santa Barbara
cemetery, where the interment will
take place.