Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1905-10-24
JERRY SIMPSON DIES.
Former Kansas Congressman Passes
Away at Wichita.
CAREER WAS VARIED
Native Of New brunswick, Cook on q
Vessel, sailor, Hember Of Con.
gress six Years and a
Leading Populist.

Wichita. Kan. oct. 23.-After a lin.
Sering illness Hon. Jerry Simpson
breathed his last at s:05 O'Clock
this morning.
Jerry Simpsons father was a saw
mill owner and sailor OF Prince Ed
wards Island.
When Jerry was small boy the
family moved 10 Upper Canada. ~
fourteen Jerry left home and became
cook on a lake steamer. Afterwards
no was mate OF one Of the large lake
sailing vessels. Al the outbreak OF
the war he enlisted with the Twelfth
Illinois infantry. After three months
service he was discharged on account
or disability and resumed the life OF a
sailor. In 1864 he was captain OF a
bi sailing vessel. and continued this oc-
cupation for fifteen years. In 1878 his
ship. the ]. II. Rutler, encountered n
terrific gale and was wrecked near
Ludington. Mich. on this occasion
Captain Jerry simpton showed great
every man on board was saved In the
same year Simpson made a trip to
Kansas and was 80 impressed with the
country that he decided 20 abandon the
sailors life and settle on a ranch IN
jackson county. He brought consider
able money with him 10 Kansas but
had bad crops and hard luck. In 1853
he moved 10 Medicine Lodge m Barber
county, and was on the verge OF bank
ruptcy.
Simpson, first political move was IN
1865 when he secured the nomination
for representative from Barber county
on the Union Labor ticket. and was de-
feated. In isss he arranged a fusion
OF the Union Labor and Democratic
parties and again ran for representa-
tive. lie was again beaten. In 1900
he was a delegate 10 the Farmers' AM
ance congressional convention IN the
Seventh district That district was a
1900 Republican district, and the al
liance leaders did not expect victory
They nominated Simpson for congress.
and he proved TO be a good campaign
er. He soon realized that he had a
spite of his lack of money Simpson
In one OF hts speeches made the re- |
mark that n times got much harder /
The farmers would be unable 20 buy 1
socks. Opposition papers took this up /
and dubbed Simpson "Sockless Jerry" /
Simpson turned the phrase 20 his own /
advantage. and by election time. no /
man was so much talked and written
about ln the state as "SoCklcss Jerry"
When the votes were counted it was
.ound tina, Simpson had won by 5000
majority.
In the house OF representatives.
Simpson made splendid record. He
iressed modestly but well. and was
me Of the men who was listened 20
yhen be talked. In "a little while be
vas the recouized leader OF the third
'arty In the house
Simpson was thre- tin. elected 10
onress from the Seventh district and
vice defeated
The health % the former con-ess-
nan has been poor for some years. In
500 he left Kansas and Tor time
ras at Kansas City. Later he moved
Roswell. y. NJ, and had conducted
irgo real estate and immi~ration bus
ness In that town. OF late years he
as been a Democrat.
Deceased was born IN New Brunswick
iarch 81. isi2. Originally he was a
.epublican lie was a member OF con-
ress frofm 1891 to 1895 and from 1897
D 1899, bong nominated last time by
9th Populists and Democrats.