Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1905-10-24
JERRY SIMPSON
DIED YESTERDAY
Former Kansas Congressman Pass
Away at Wichita.
CAREER WAS VARIED
Native Of New brunswick, Cook on 4
Vessel, Sailor, Member Of Con-
g.'ess Six Years and
Leading P0pulist.

Wichita. Kan. oct. 2i.-After I'm
gerlng Illness Hon. Jerry Simpson
breathed his last at 6:O5 O'clock
Monday morning.
Jerry Simpsons father was a saw
mill owner and sailor of Prince Ed
wards Island.
When Jerry was a sm=Il boy the
family moved to Upper Canada AT
fourteen Jerry left home and became
cook on a lake steamer. Afterwards
he was mate of one of the large lake
sailing vessels. At the outbreak OF
the war he enlisted with the Twelfth
Illinois infantry. After three months'
service he was discharged on sccount
Of disability and resumed the life OF q
sailor. In 1864 he was captain or a
bi sailing vessel. and continued this &C.
cupation for fifteen years. In 1878 his
ship. the J. II. Ruler. encountered
terrific gale and was wrecked near
Ludington. Mich. on this Occasion
Captain jerry Slmpton showed great
personal bravery. Through his efforts
every man on board was saved. In the
same year Simpson made a trim to
Kansas and was so impressed with the
country that he decided to abandon the.
sailors life and settle on a ranch In
Jackson county. He brought consider
able money with him to Kansas. but
had bad crops and hard luck. In 1853
he moved 10 Medicine Lodge in Barber
county. and was on the verge of bank
ruptcy.
Simpsons first political move was In
1866 when he secured the nomination
for representative from Barber county
on the Union Labor ticket. and was de-
feated. In 1883 he arranged a fusion
of the Union Labor and Democrafic
parties and again ran or representa-
tive. He was again beaten. In 1900
he was delegate to the Farmers AM
ance congressional convention IN the
Seventh district. That district was
$4,000 Republican district. and the al
lance leaders did not expect Victory
They nominated Simpson for CONGRESS-.
and he proved 10 be a good campafgn-
er. He soon realized that he had q
tremendously powerful backing. In
spite of his lack OF money. Simpson
in one of his speeches made the re-
mark that II times got much harder
the farmers would be unable to buy
socks. Opposition papers took thiHup
and dubbed Simpson "Sockless j.
Simpson turned the phrase to hi
advantage. and by election tim
masi=s--ss--s>s [ll
about in the state as "Sockless Jex.-l
When the votes were counted II waS
found that Simpson had won by 5000 |
majority.
In the house OF representatives |
Simpson made a splendid record. He |
dressed modestly. but well. and was |
one Of the men who was listened to |
when he talked. In a little while he.l
was the reconized leader OF the third |
party In the house.
Simpson was three times elected to |
CONFESS from the Seventh district and |
twice defeated.
The health OF the former conress-
man has been poor for some years. In
1900 he left Kansas and for a time |
was at Kansas City. Later he moved |
TO Roswell. y. NJ. and had conducted a
large real estate and immigration bus
mess in that town. OF late years he
has been a Democrat.
Deceased was born I'm New Brunswick
March 81. 1872 Originally he was a
Republican. He was member OF con-
gress frOfm 1891 to 1895 and from 1897
10 1899. being nominated last time by
both Populists and Democrats.