The Vinita weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1905, 1904-11-24
THE PAsaINa oF MusKoaEE ann.


J. r. House. OF the Topeka Capital, has written tins
following:
"Muskogee Red" has passed on Az Chickasha ops
morning month ago they found him cold In DEATH Tbs
coroners jay gathered quickly rendered verdict Of
chronic alcoholism and the undertaken hauled the bodg
TO the potters field OF the local cemetery There wer
Towers friends The solitude and LONELINESS NJ t
mans life found fitting complement In It's prosac almost
brutal ending.
Andy Redmond, known the country over as RIuskoooa
Red" was an Irislman aud printer. He had tie barr
Of his couutrys dialect upon his tongue its map craven
upon his face Before drink benumbed his faculties he
clever isoss. But that was long ago. Before IL an
steadIed his hand he good workman But that was
also long ago. For twenty years preceding death s
had but passion, ambition and that vas whisky
drink brought content, three drinks happiness enough
20 isl pint flask heaven. Other men who lad gone
REDS pace gathered themselves together as they began
to slip the brow Of the hin toward the stnet They
married, reared families grew vine and g tree and
turned their faces toward reputable ambition But Red
never shifted Every vista down which he looked had
whisky at the end He wandered about over tue face oi
the earth scantiy clothed, scantily fed ar With 10
where lay his head. lie never knew the comforts ofa
home the assurance OF pemanency felt the soft touch
Of woman's hand Toward the end his own craft
Stunned him. few friends he kept through It all
There were those who could look beyond the bennmtl
ing degrading influence or drink far enough to see tie
warm-heaKted, anedbered Irshman It had led astray
They him pleasant greeting and paid the tribute
levied 10 the end. The writer was Reds friend Tor
more than fifteen yeas IL cost him age q "a
a@@rz IN tribute but he ernagt fie nene
IL was worth It. worm more than s. Yor IL give
any fellowbeing the exact thing he needs 70 aka him
happy
Red was always h conflict with The police Hs
claimed 20 have the inside Of more jalls than any
other man In the country there vas none to dispute
his claim The aggregate Of unpaid fines assessed against
him would build hattleshp. Aud get the oniy entry
found against his name on the police court records
drunk and disordeFly lie never stole OF cheated:
he never gambed and he aalled the honor or virtue q
no woman lie knew he going As he did The hst
time the writer him cold winter evening sc
the beginning Of the year lie lad come 40 70 declare
final dividend on Ills friendship I'm goln axavf' sid
he. Likely Ysz niver Ggn: I'm gitfln old and
some mamin theyll find me stln and cold"
Andy Redmonds life had no saving grace except asit
warning lie frittered t away in utter folly
But there this about 70 make one think Il i sasns
that your life IS cast IN hard lines compare Il with Andy
Redmonds For forty years lie fed demon appetite
that brought him nothing but misery and wee He never
lad home or reasonable assurance a 4 eomlnv maa
No child laid is sot against hs bearded chsek
No woman watched AZ the window OF listened lof
his footsteps Aud because there IS no other 70 do n
the writer drops tear HIS neglected grave Heres
hoping that on tie Other Side terel be no mad appe
tite % drag him down. foy TO benumbthe best that's
IN him.