The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-23

He had been lowering between life
and death for ten days, the end having
been looked for almost hourly during
that time. At the bedside were Mrs.
Simpson and the only child of the couple,
Lester Simpson, of Roswell, n. NJ, with
his wife and son jerry, Jr.
The ex-congressman's last illness be-
gan at the time of his final campaign
for CONGRESS.
In spite of falling health he continued
his business, actively working as an
company of Chicago and operating an
extensive ranch near Roswell. Six
months ago his condition became such
that he went to Chicago to consult a
specialist who pronounced his n1alady
hopeless From that time on he con-
tinued to grow weaker until finally he
was compelled to abandon business. He
was brought to the hospital here Sep
tenber 21.
The time for the funeral has not been
fixed. The Scottish Rite consistory OF
Wichita, of which Mr.. Simpson had
been a member, will have charge. Burial
will take place in Wichita. He held
membership also in the Masonic blue
lodge at Medicine Lodge, Kan. He was
not affiliated with any church. His es-
tate is valued at $4,000.
Simpson came from sturdy stock in
the province of New Brunswick, says
a writer in the Washington Post.
Yankees across the line in Maine call
them blue noses,' but the two races
have many traits in common. He be-
gan to wander early in life, drifted to
the states with his parents, who, in
1913, when their son was but six
year old settled in Oneida county,
New York. Still pressing westward,
it was but a step to the Great Lakes,
where at fourteen Jerry Simpson be-
came a sailor. He followed the life
for tWenty-three years, and during his
career had command of many large
ships on the lakes. He was in the
United States navy at one time, and
during the civil war served while in
the Illinois infantry. By 1873 he had
drifted still farther west, to Medicine
Lodge, Kan, where he was having
some success as a farmer and stock
raiser.
As the sock1ess Socrates of Medicine
Lodge he first came into political
! prominence. It is said that he him
self is responsible for the name, dur
ing one of his characteristic harangues
! exclaiming. Look at US poor people
who do not even have socks to wear
/ As a member of the house his forte
was witty speeches. He had been do
1 ing it before he came to the house
/ and so he was in his element with the
! larger audience that the house afford
| ed him He speedily demonstrated his
ability to cope with the best debaters
| 1t mattered not whether a Democrat
or a Republican incurred his disap-
provaI Along in May, 1892, while he
was stiIl a very new member, Mr.
/ Simpson threw himself across the
pathway of Henry G. Snodgrass, o.
Tenn essee.
A Short Attack of Patriotism.
Snodgrass was inveighing agains
lavish appropriations for pensions
Some amendment to curtaiI those ap
propriations was under discussion
Mr.. Snodgrass favored it. After tn
/ Kansan. who had thousands of sol
der constituents, had ELECTED the in
formation that Mr.. SnOdgrass vote'
for an appropriation of $150,O0O 70
the Chickamauga Park, he pro
i pounded the following query:
HAS the gentleman relapsed from
that short attack of patriotism %
This caused the laugh on tn
1 Tennesseean. who turned feroeiOusi
j9ere said Mr.. Snodgrass, q expecte
to md an old, sturdy, sockless fellow
1 ~, c-a Ten \