The semi-weekly messenger., 1904-02-23
LUKE wR1GHrs GRIT.


Face Of Deatt-JOhn Louis Tayler
Tells How the General BrAved it
for Humanity's Sake and Describes
His Character as Indicated I'm q
Memphis Yellow Fever Epidemic.
General Luke e. Wright. who is to
succeed William H. Taft as governor
OF the Philippines. says John Lous
Taylor in the El Paso News. was, prior
to his appointment to the Philippine
commission. a lawyer at Memphis,
States Senator Tom Turley. who was
made a senator against his will and
who had never before held a public Of
fice. 1t Is presumed that it was partial
ly due to Senator Turkeys influence
that President Mckinley selected Gen
ippine commission The choice wa.
wise one, as subsequent developments
have proved
That the people OF Memphis have
cause to revere General Wright and re-
Joice over any good fortune that may
come to him is due TO the fact that he
proved himself to be a man during the
yellow fever epidemics which swept
that city in 1S7S-19 and killed tens OF
thousands. 1t was during those m
which tried mems souls that he show
ed what stuff he was made OF. He did
not run away. as did physicians, ordi-
nary citizens and nearly all ministers
except Catholic priests, but stayed at
home and fought the yellow death.
He was member OF what wa. call
ed the Howard association" which
was composed OF men banded together
and pledged to face the calamity that
confronted them and risk their lives
rs~4r
and Dreserve order in city devasta ted
by one Of the most terrible epidemics
of modern times. At that dav when
Memphis was devastated and silent
when the greatest noise was that made
by the carts at midnight rumbling over
the stones en- route to the cemeteries
with their high piled burdens of un-
known dead, General Wright stayed at
his post and braved death for human
ityS sake. Dozens OF his associates
died, yet he remained steadfast. 1t was
necessary that some one should remain
The populace was scattered to the four
winds. and thieves. ghouls and bur
glars ran rampant through the town.
Those who had been trapped by the
quarantine lines knew that almost GER
tain death awaited them and all the
Veneering of civilization was thrown
off. Men became brutes and in their
desperation committed all manner OF
crimes
General Wright and his collea que.
succored the sick and suppressed crime
by radical means. Ghouls and pflag-
ers were dealt with in a manner sirnt-
lar to that in vogue after the Calves
ton disaster, and order was preserved
at the point of the bayonet.
It was during the awful summer Of
1873 that L first say General Wright.
I have never forgotten his face The
yellow death had swept out Of exist
ence entire families in the neighbor-
hood where l lived. 1 was a child
Playmates and associates had died and
been carted away. Next door to me
the son Of Jefferson Davis, president Of
the Southern Confederacy, had breath
ed his last. One day after my little
brother was stricken. At the end of
three days he expired. One week later
the disease fastened upon me. then but
lad Of eight. In the dimness Of the
silent room and the whirling dizziness
Of eyes burning with fever remember
that a man came into the house. He
sat beside the bed and felt my pulse
They told me it was General Wright
of the relief committee. He was fac.
ing death, but was as cool and delib-
crate as the soldier who goes into bat
tie expecting to die and unmindfuI o.
his fate. He spoke q few words to me
and the attendants, laid his hand upon
my scorching brow. turned aside, wrote
an order for medicines and supplies
from the relief station and went out.
Beyond the open doorway an August
sun was blazing with unusual ferocfty
in a cloudless sky. There was q hush
everywhere. No laborers were in the
fields. and the wheels OF commerce
were still. Only the graveyards exhib-
tied signs of activity. The dead and
dying were on every hand. General
Luke E Wright walked among these,
looking death in the eye as calmly as
he occupies his position today as gov
ernor Of the Philippine Islands.