Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-04-15
Mr.. ". A. TURK DEAD.


"a
= William Armstrong TUX, passeng6
) traffic manager OF the Southern Rail
way Company. and one of the best
known railroad men of the country
J. died OF pneumonia at GAO O'Clock las
If evening at his apartments at the Men
dota after an illness of three days Hi
wife, who was Miss Mordecai, former
s. " of Raleigh, N. c.; two children, Miss
!. Margaret Turk and Rudolph Turk
;, and brother, Mr.. r. s. Turk, editor
u of the Spectator, Virginia weekly
IS survive him.
q The body will be taken to Raleigh
!. N. c., for interment, leaving this city
tonight at 7:10 O'Clock, and arriving
in Raleigh at 1890 Monday morning
. 1t will be accompanied by the mem
bers of the family, several Ot1i Gals OF
j the Southern Railway. and some init
S mate friends. The funeral services
will be held Monday afternoon at Chris
/, Episcopal Church, where Mr.. Turk
, formerly attended.
Although his health had been poor
for long time, Mr.. Turk felt as well
, as usual when be went from this city
to New York with his son Rudolph
last Monday on little recr cation trip
, He returned to Washington Tuesday
night, and was at his office w ednesday.
He felt indisposed, and went directly
from his office Wednesday evening and
retired early. That night be COM
planned of feeling ill. aud at O'Clock
Thursday morning he was awakened
with q chill. DR.. Larkin W. Glaze
brook was summoned and, upon exami-
nation, found that the upper and lower
| Ioh Iaft
Later in the Gay evidences of acute con-
gestion developed, and the sick mans
condition was finally diagnosed as
pneumonia Thursday night.
DR.. Thayer, the noted specialist, was
called from Johns Hopkins Hospital,
in Baltimore, Thursday, and he came
over for consultation with DIR. Glaze
brook again on Friday and yesterday.
He was conscious until about
4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon, and real
lied bis desperate condition. He ask
ed several times for his brother, Mr.
| r. s. Turk, and the latter was tele
graphed for. but he was absent from
bis home, in Virginia and cannot reach
Washington until some time to day.
Some other relatives and friends were
notified of his critical condition,
among them DIR. James Mckee. one
of his closest personal, friends,
and superintendent of the Hospital for
the Insane at Raleigh, N. e. DR.. Nc |
Kee had been the family physician for
many years, and his knowledge OF |
his constitution and former all |
ments was the occasion of the call for |
him. Miss Pattie Mordecai, sister of
Mrs. Tnrk, of Raleigh, N. o., was the
only relative who reached Mr.. Turk g
bedside before he breathed his last.
He was very large man. and
his weight, as we'll as a weak heart &C.
ton. made those attending him de-
spair of saving him as soon as the case
was diagnosed to be pneumonia.
He was born in Augusta cOun-
ty, Va, and was fifty-three years old.
His father was an extensive land
owner, and for many years a prOmi-
nent figure IN Virginia politics. He
received his early education at the /,
public school and afterWard attended K
Roanoke College. from which institu- [
tion he graduated. From college he
went to Charlotte, N. g., whence be 1
removed to Raleigh, NC. He became Il
connected with the Southern Railway
Company as soliciting agent, and by p,
industry, honesty, and capacity rose
rapidly from his humble position in its
passe niger department.. K
His splendid work and extraordinary {
executive ability attracted the atten- 9
ton of the people in charge of the road, {
and he was rapidly promoted and sent
to Pittsburg as soliciting passenger =,
agent, and then to New Y ork and Bos. {
ton. X
His first important promotion S
was an assistant general passenger and
freight agent of the Western North !
Carolina Railroad. Then he became j
assistant passenger agent OF the Rich
mond and Danville. and was soon pro- J
noted to the general passenger agency
of the road, with headquarters In ]
w Washington. r
was reorganized and became the South r
ern, Mr.. Turk was continued as gen a
eral passenger agent. This position 7
be filled with distinction to himself and !
the company for years, and about two c
years ago he was promoted to be pas {
senger traffic manager of the South c
ern, which office was created for him
in recognition of his splendid services t
to the company. He was an ex presi- r
dent of the American Association of | e
General Passenger Agents. Id
Last night there was a constant /
stream of callers at the Mendoza, to s
extend their sympathy to the family, t
for he was known widely outside of '
circles. He was gifted with s
an unusually bright mind and one of i
the best entertainers and converse Z
tionalists in the country. This fact t
was recognized and appreciated by the q
newspaper men of Washington, who g
had the greatest admiration for the {
man. There never was dinner of the b
Gridiron Club to which he was not t
invited. a
Though Mr.. Turk was native of T
Raleigh was home to him.
There be spent the happy days of his (
young manhood and there he contem- b
plated passing his final days. 1t
THE FUNERAL OBSEQUIES.
The funeral party, composed of the e
family of Mr.. Turk, many promi-
nent railroad officials and friends. &C.