Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-01-21

xhe Eccentric George Francis Train
Dies Of Heart Disease.
q SHORT SKETCH or HIS CAREER.
1Deezarsd : Lunatic in Omaha, whore 1000
&Sts no Ownsd Were Sold for TAxes--
Threw liis Money Away and Was =
I. AIoat Prolific Writer. M

Most Prolific Visitor. n
New York, Jan. H. George Franci
TRAIN died last night from heart dis
mase OF Mills hotel No. /. where he ha
lived for some years. He was born Il
1,cston, March "a. 1929. He was Or
phaned In 1889, his father. mother ans
three sisters dying at New Orleans o
yellow fever. He organized the firm d
Train & Co., shipping agents, with Of
ices here and In Australia, and started
che FIRST clipper ships to California II
\ 1S49.f He promoted several railroads
and made an independent race fol
president In 1879. He was noted AZ q
prolific writer and for his eccentrici-
lies.
There Is 30 much that Is interesting
n his travels. Everywhere be went
he commanded the attention Of the
great people. In Paris he was the
admiration Of the Empress Eugenie
and Napoleon. He secured millions
from Queen Marin Christina, Of Spain,
10 build the Atlantic q Great Western
railway, 400 miles long, from Erie TO
The Ohio and the Mississippi. Every
where he was courted, feted, admired,
accepted as one Of the great organizers
and financial geniuses.
He built the flrst street railway In
England, and during the civil war
made reputation as m orator and
debater In England, where be espoused
the union cause.
The Credit Mobilier was organized
IN his house at No. 1866 Madison ave-
niue, which ID now owned by his daugh-
cor, Mrs. Gulinger. He says 1t was
the original trust. His schemes in
connection with the Union Pacific rail-
way, In which he was the prime
mover, were chimerical then, but time
mas proved them. In Omaha, where
he owned 5000 lots, now worth $780,
O0.00O--they were sold for non-pay-
1nent Of taxes after he had been le-
gaiiy declared d iunatic--he built
hotel In 90 days and called 1t Cozzen's
hotel, because, when be criticised an
other hotel, the proprietor asked him
why he did not build hotel Of his
avn,
In 1870, when he went around the
world In 80 days, he was already
known a. O radical \ He reached Mar
aeilles and that proved that his coming
WIS awaited. A committee hailed
him as liberator and asked him to be-
rome head Of q commune. He was
lalsan directly to the opera house,
where 5000 people were waiting for |
him, He wrote:
sTrom the moment : entered the
,pera house, packed with people from
he stage to the topmost boxes, | was
possessed by the French revolutionary
lpirit. The genius and enthusiasm Of |
no people had swept me Of my feet.
was thenceforth Communist D
Of their Red Republic"
Mr.. Train became the head Of the
with Gen. Cluseret as mil
tary leader. They took possession
II the military Notifications Of Mar
'eilles. He blufied d detachment Of
he Guard Mobile that came to arrest
Zen. Cluseret.
The citizen came home TO run as an
candidate for president OF
ne United States When the Victoria
Woodruff affair came up he defended
Ter and published extracts from the
bible that landed him in the Tombs
ae was placed In "Murderers' Row"
Nth Richard Croker. John J. Scan
,ell and charlottesville aharkey who
escaped IN w0man's clothing.
His socialistic ideas began asserting
themselves more rapidly He threw
lis money away and behaved most
,xtravagantly Then the court de-
Haired him lunatic. /,
For IA years he never spoke to a
nan or woman, but devoted himself
o children. because he declared that ,
grown people robbed him Of his
'sychic force. Every day he was In
Madison square. He could call $4,000 II
'oung people--they were children when i
. frst met them-by name. and they ,
owe him to this day H
Mr., Train formerly lived In q villa
nd spent $4,000 a week IN maintain
ng It. He died in the Mills hotel.
vhere II cost only % a week to live.
THE DEMOCRATIC SLATE.