The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-05
Makes COF FINS
FOR CLASSMATES
Eccentric Man in Illinois Was
Friend OF "Stonewall'
Jackson.
GRANT AND PICKETT INCIDENT
Says He Pulled These Famous
Men Out of Snow Bank
When Drunk.
From our Regular Correspondents

| G'rom Our Regular Correspondence
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March 4.--Par-
| menas Taylor TURNKEY. born on the banks
of the French Broad River, in Tennessee,
and the room-mato OF "Stoncwal"
jackson a the military academy at West
Point is living at Highland Park, ILL.,, n
suburb of Chicago. He is eighty -four
years old. and believes he is good for
many years to come. Colonel TURNKEY,
who resigned from the army when he
had attained to that rank Is known
among his friends as an eccentric man,
with marvellous memory. The story OF
his later years, as told by Washington
man who knows him well, bears out this
characterization.
Before he went TO West Point from
East Tennessee he was apprentIced to a
carpenter. and now in his old age has
has turned to his trade. and has fash
Toned with his own hands four collins.
IN three of them have been buried
major generals. two Confederates and
one Feneral. who were his classmates
at the military academy from 1912 to
1S46. The other is resting In an upper
room In the old mans stable at High
death.
Fashioned Their Collins.
The story goes that when Colonel
TURNKEY had reached the age of seventy
five years he met three others OF his
class In New York, and the four had
dinner at Delmonico's. While dining
they saw n funeral procession pass the
windows. 1t led to n discussion of the
Vain pomp and glory Of funerals. and
the four soldiers agreed that far too
much money was wasted in costly burial
trappings.
Colonel TURNKEY then told his fellows
that he had been carpenter in his
youth. and would now return 10 his old
work and make four collins for the use
of the four classmates. The others
agreed, and he went back to Illinois,
and with his own hands made four plain
collins. They were OF good oak wood
painted white on the inside and stained
with oak-leaf on the outside. The part
of the lid TO go over the face was fast
ened on with leather hinges. Each of
them cost s4.63. the old mans labor being
given Three collins We're sent to the
homes of Colonel Turnley's classmates.
and since that time all of them have
passed away, and their bodies rest IN
those collins. The old man gives his
own particular coffin n fresh painting
every six months. and twice year
climbs into 1t to see II it its. So much
for eccentricity.
Grant and Pickett.
He has wonderful memory and
none too kindly recollection of details
and incidents which was responsible for
the effort of his old comrades in arms
to induce him TO suppress book which
he wrote several years ago called Turn
ley's Narrative from Diary This re-
markahle history opened with these two
paragraphs
IF had not, on the night OF Decem-
Der "a. 1919. pulled Cadet Ulysses S. Grant
from snow bank. where he was lying
drunk and ncapactated. thereby saw
ing him from dismissal. who would have
received the surrender of General Robert
r. Lee at Appomat,ox2
III l had not. on the night OF Decenl-
Der a., ls45. pulled Cadet George E.
Pickett from snow bank. where he
was lying drunk and Incapaeitated.
thereby saving him from dismissal. who
would have led that gallant charge at
Gettysburg?"
There was much more on that order.
and after his old friends had renon-
strated with him, he at last consented
to call in the edition of the book. OF
which Out a few copies were ever sold.
Jackson Great Man.
He is most proud, however, of his
relations with "stonewall.' Jackson. and
gives that great Virginia soldier full
measure of praise, both as man and
as leader OF men. He declares that
Jackson was killed before he had an
opportunity to display his powers. but
that he did enough TO entitie him to be
known as the greatest military genius
America has ever produced This only
does he say on the other hand:
While Jackson was at West Point he
occupied most of his fine not in studying
his books and the art of war. but in
relega;ing TO hell all OF his classmates
whose reiigionism was not Jackson's
own kind OF relgionism"
General Burnside was Colonel Turn
ley's pct aversion. lie roasts that Fed
eral leader. under whom he served, and
CONCLUDES The whole matter with the
dictum:
burnside never did anything In his
iife which would entitle his name 10 live
I'VE imnufes after him, except to give
that name 10 a particular variety Of
whiskers