The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-15

The death of Col. William Houston Pat terson of Philadelphia, announced in the Associated Press dispatches, will be re- eeived with deep sadness not only in that place of his birth, but in many southern cities The passing away of any member of the distinguished Patterson family would recall much that is of in terest, and the death of Colonel Patter- son at the age of seventy has removed one of the most interesting men of an older generation and one whose family history is indelibly linked with that of this country
 Colonel Pattersons father, the late Gen Robert Patterson, filled distinctive and unique place in Philadelphia, his long and honorable career being painted today with pardonable pride by all who are familiar with his life. His career as a soldier$ was in no less degree remarkable thh his life as a private citizen He fouG Ght through three wars and was the fouA Ader of the Aztec club. organized at .heAlose of the Mexican war. Only officerA were eligible and the annual dinners Ayen to the members by General Patters&h at the fine old Patterson mansion wAe events of historic significance. One ~ America's best known authors has made one of these annual gatherings an occaAon to intro duce his military hero andEhe description of the Patterson mansi& with it's old fashioned garden corTH THsponds perfectly with It's appearance t2hay.
 The author describA General Patterson as closely resemblAg the Duke of Well lington. Much has been written and more could yet be toA of the brilliant life associated with AGeneral Patterson. The most distinguiz he'd men and women of that day were Eentertained by him and the personal acqzaintance enjoyed by his son, the late CKl Patterson, with the cele- Drities of fthat time have furnished the the material Flor the memoirs upon which he was at Zork He met the Prince of Wales' now Ang Edward on the occasion Of his visit kto Philadelphia He was personal ly akauainted with Charles Dickens. Many ofk the great men who made frequent Visits to Philadelphia were well known to 2olonel Patterson and his memoirs could II fnot have failed in much that was ot in- terest
 As Colonel Patterson was writer a.
 singular charm and superb English,
 to be hoped that these memc@ {"
 not wholly incomplete at the, M
 authors death. 1youo,a
 nnh,,sned series es fticles by Colonel
 pup,'si'e 4,s., ,CWest Indies and the
 Fat'erson o tsaster They attracted wide
 ""r'i''lp' Ind his observations were of
 "''eir'o1 '. l1terest. In conversation Colonel
 uliaterson was equally as delightful as .Isin his writings. In talking with him last summer he presented some facts more strongly than perhaps he has done in any of his articles.
 "The practical point of interest in ths mystic West Indies, the Caribbee brace let" he said, lis the solution of the negro question, or rather the history of the negro problem-a terrestial Eden wrested from the Charibs, the Charib race ] exterminated-their conquerors, a Chris tian race. carrying the sword in one | hand, the cross in another drags from 1 far away Africa thousands of wretches to work for them as slaves in the white race destroying tropics Compare; the dissemination of the gospel, the acquire ment of wealth-about seventy years ago these blacks were freed-since then has gone on the decadence of these islands; the gradual overwhelmingly prominence of the black race; the withdrawal of the white race. It is q question of time. Haiti tells the story of the black race. A race menace, worthless, save in servi- tude to the white race"
 Colonel Patterson died at his country residence, 'Cavanake Place." at Rus sellville in East Tennessee, where his family spend a few months every year. Mr. Robert Patterson, son, and Miss Louise Patterson, a daughter, are both well known in southern society, and Mrs. Lindsay Patterson, another daughter who resides in Winston-Salem N. C., is also well known in the south. She and a younger sister. Miss Percy Patterson. passed the summer abroad Another son, MT. Frank Patterson, visited In the south for several years. Mrs. Patterson is a sister of Mrs. James Williams of Nashville, who was minister to Turkey, under President Buchanans adminlstra- tion A. K w.