The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-12
jim STEELE DEAD.
Editor Of Kansas Magazine Dies
Suddenly in Chicago.
One Of Most Brilliant of Sun
flower Writers.
ASSOCIATE OFINGALLS.
Wrote Books and Sketches of
Much Merit.
Has Recently Been Editor of
Santa Fe Publications.
associate OFINGALLS.

Chicago. Oct. 12.-Captain James W.
Steele died suddenly this morning.
Captain James william Steele was
born at Grandview, Edgar county. III.
and the old family Bible, now in the
possession Of his brother, Robert B.
Steele of Topeka, bears the notation:
James W. Steele was born Novem-
Der 9. 1S4O."
While child Captain Steele remov-
ed with his parents to Topeka, kan.
In 1860 he was sent to WaveIand. Ind.
to finish his education at a Presbyter-
ian college. The next spring the entire
class to which he belonged, left the
school and Joined the Union army.
In 1855 he came back to his home in
Topeka with a commission as lieuten-
ant, and two severe wounds which he
had received in battle. A deep sabre
cut on his cheek did not heal for some
time after his return.
Captain Steele began studying law
2 nd graduated in a short time, and
was afterward law partner Of Thomas
Ryan, now assistant secretary of the
interior. He did not stick to the prac-
tice of law, and quit it in two years
to take commission in the regular
army. He was captain of a cavalry
company stationed in New Mexico and
=
in the army that Captain Steele wrote
| Frontier Army Sketches" afterward
printed in the Kansas Magazine, of
which he was editor.
After his retirement from the regu-
lar army, Captain Steele was appoint
| ed U. S. consul to Matanzas, Cuba, by
President q. S. Grant. He served as
consul during the entire Grant admin
istratiou.
He was married to Augusta Butter
worth, of Topeka, April 2, 1858. His
wife and one daughter, Miss Elizabeth
| Steele, and two sisters and a brother,
Mrs. ]. D. Mcfarland, of HOO Harrison
/ street, Iopeka, MIS-. Mary II. Park OF
Birmingham. Ala, and Robert B. Steele
| Of 1884 College avenue survive him.
Captain Steele's literary efforts were
at first confined to the Kansas Maga-
zine, a publication which became fam
Gus during its short life.
Captain Steele edited this magazine
/ for about year, and the sketches he
/ wrote to fill space we're at renee Fecog-
/ nized as works or art and genius
His Frontier Army sketches, Cuban
sketches and articles on natural history
are now carefully preserved as literary
! gems. The Introduction of Kansas in
/ Literature" by w. II. Carruth. gives
| a short sketch Of the rise and fall Of
| the Kansas Magazine. After telling of
/ the first-year boom Of the magazine,
i under the direction of Captain Henry
| King, Prof. Carruth says:
His successor, Captain James w.
/ Steele, had a more difficult task, for il
/ is evident that the supply of good orig
4 ianl matter was much lower. John J.
/ ingalls, had been elected to the United
| States senate, and thus his valuable help
was withdrawn. Mr.. Steele. a writer Of
varied talents. was obliged to fill up
much more space than that allotted to
/ the editor.
"In more than one number he appears
as Dean Monahan.' with a story; as
/ sketch; in addition to liberal eontribu-
tions in the Editors Quarters and else
1 where" .
/ Mr. Steele wrote for several years un-
/ der the name of Dean Monahan" be-
4 fore he permitted his name to be used
in connection with his stories.
The nom de plume was chosen by him,
! as ne afterwards told his brother, be-
cause he thought there could be no
man by that name
"And I had been in the regular army
but a short time" he continued, when
found a real Dean Nonahan, a trooper
in my regiment
Among his numerous friends, Mr..
1 Captain Jim" Steele. They vRre like
brothers. and Mr.. Rowley kndSz< more
! of the life history of Captain Steele
I than any other person, unless, perhaps,
! the near relatives.
The writer of Frontier Army Sketch
/ es'' was not given to writing or talking
about himself He did not talk about
his war record, and his "reminiscences
about the great battle in front Of
I Petersburg, where he was severely
| wounded were all about other men.
When he was in the regular army he
wrote about natural history and turned
the incidents about him into clever little
stories.
"Joe's Pocket one of the little stories
j of which Frontier Army Sketches is
/ composed. is the favOrite short story %
thousands Of readers.