The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-01-30
. DITTO r. g @ ZA u ES
BE was ia SELF MADE MAN.
a True story thatis Full Of Encour-
aEenncnt to Every Poor
ss Young Man in the
Country.
Country.

Country.
Z Narcisco Gener Gonzales, editor OF
the State, at Columbia, who was shot
IS by Lieut.. Gov. James II. Tillman, was
born August s., 1858, ut Edingsville,
Edisto Island.
He was the son Of Ambrose j ose
I Gonzales, q nutiye Of NIatanzas, Cuba,
who with Narcisco Lopez, began the
q struggle for Cuban independence in
1848. The elder Gonzales was one OF
the junta Of five members who de-
clared the independence. of the island, !,
adopted the present Cuban flag, and
organized the first iilibustering expedi-
tion under Lopez, Of which he was
second in command With the rank Of
brigadier general. He was wounded
at Cardenas, May, 20 1850, after,
which he was exiled under the SEN
tence Of death. In 1856 lie married
$ Harriet Rutledge Elliott, youngest
: daughter Of Hon. William Elliott, of
Beaufort. He served in the Confede-
rate army as colonel and chief Of
artillery for the department. Of South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida, under
Beauregard, Hardee, PembcrtOn and
others, surrendering at Greensboro.
During 1865 he was in charge of the
artillery Of Johnston's army.
N. @. Gonzales was taught at home
until he wiis 10 years OF age. When
h he was IS he attended Il private school
in Virginia for one year. He receiy-
ed no further education, his family be-
ing ruined by the war. He worked
as 4 labOrer on Il farm in Virginia,
and for several years at the family
homestead plantation in Collcton
county. In 1875 he studied telcgraphy,
and from the summer Of that year
until the summer Of 1876 he was en-
ployed as a telegraph operator at
Varneville, Hampton county.
III 1876 he organized the first Demo-
cratic Club on the line OF the Port
Royal railroad, and was campaign
correspondent for the Charleston
Journal Of Commerce, the straight out
Democratic organization Of that time.
In the fall Of 1877 lie obtained Il posi-
tion DIS night operator for the Allan
tic Gulf railroad, later The Plant sys-
TEN, and now the Atlantic Coast
Line, at Savannah. a year later he
was made operator and railroad clerk
at Valdost;i, Ga.
He left ValdQsta in June, 1880, on
the invitation Of a. b. Williams,
whom he had met in the campaign OF
1876, and who had then just assumed
charge Of the Grecnvillc Daily News
to serve in the position Of local report
er for that paper
He left Grcenville on August 5
1880, to begin service with the Char
lesion News and Courier as it's rcgula
correspondent at Columbia. He con
tinued in this position until October
1881, when he was sent to Washing
ton act as its special correspondent il
the exciting year following the dcatl
Of President Garfield He was prcscn
at the Gitcau trial and execution ant
the long session Of the Forty seventh
Congress.
In Agust, 1882, he was transferred
to Charleston and placed on the cdi
torial staff Of the News and Courier
with the understanding that lie wa
ultimately to become the editor o
the paper. But few months latter
owing &c & misunderstanding tic WI.
sent back to Columbia, where, in $50
he organized the News and Courier
bureau, and continued in charge Of it:
news and business departments unit
the election Of benjamin r. Tillmar
as Governor in 1890, reporting all the
State campaigns and many famous
trials In different parts of the State
His personal and political antagon.
ism to Gov. Tillman indisposing hin
to have such relations with the States
chief executive as the policy Of tho
News and Courier required, he resign
cd his position OH that paper to take
effect upon the close of the adj
ministration Of Gov. Richardson.
At that time he intended TO leave
the State and Thought Of taking uu
newspaper work in tic Hawaiian IS
lands. He was, however, urged to re-
main in Columbia and become the cdi-
tor Of paper representing the views
OF the opponents OF fTillman. This he
agreed to do, and, with his brother,
Ambrose e. Gonzales, he secured the
necessary capital 10 start the State OF
which newspaper he was elected edi-
tor and manager.
He purchased the plant, selected
the force and organized the office Of
the State, beginning publication on
February is, 1891 After two years
he gave up the supervision of the bus-
ness department., but he continued in,
control Of the news and editorial
departments OF the State
Though for IL number Of years one
of the foremost political figures in
South Carolina, Mr.. Gonzales ha.
never held office.
His interest in the cause of the in
dependence Of his fathers native land
led him, soon aftcr-thc opening or the
revolution, in 1898, TO offer his scrv.
ices to the insurgents in The field
They were declined on the ground
that he could be OF greater aid to the
cause in his editorial position.
Before the declaration OF war be.
tween the United States and Spain ht
sought the means Of taking up Cuba.
cause on the soil Of the island but wa.
disappointed. a few days after the
declaration OF war he went to TAMPA
where he was appointed a first lieu,
tenant on the stan. OF Gen. Emilio
Nuncz Of thc Cuban army, then pre-
pairing an expedition for the relief o
Gen. Maxine Gomez, in Central Cuba
This expedition could not get trans
pOrtation until June 20, syhcn it sailed
from Tampa in two steamers, tn,
Florida and the FaEiia. with Il con
voy, the Pcotia.
The expedition was two weeks il
III, In. l>,:,