The Elbert County tribune., 1906-03-15
EDITORS DEATH
THos. E. M'kENNA, MANAGING
EDITOR DENVER NEWS, GONE.
TWELVE YEARS IN SERVICE

CoIorado-Won Distinction by Great
Ability.
Denver.-Thomas E McKenna, for
many years managing editor of the
Rocky Mountain News, died at St
Joseph's hospital in this city Satur-
day night, after an illness of little
over month
Thomas Edward McKenna was born
in Montreal November 2, 1861, but re-
ceived his education in Chicago. He
then returned to his native city and
there became a leader in amateur ath-
letics. For four years he was secre-
tary and manager of the famous Sham
rock lacrosse team, which held the
championship of Canada and England.
During his management the team ac-
cumuiated property valued at $4,000
In training for cross country race
Mr.. McKenna contracted a severe cold
after an attack of typhoid fever. The
ravages of the disease left him in a
weakened condition and on the advice
of physicians he came to Colorado in
1887. One year of "roughing it" on
Bar IL ranch in Routt county restored
him to his former health. He then
came to Denver and Joined the re-
portorial staff of the Rocky Mountain
News. His keen perception. quickness
to grasp details, his nose for news"
his ability to write it in an attractive
style and his executive ability soon
won him promotion to the city editors
desk. He remained in that position,
however, only year, because of the
confinement which had begun to show
its traces. At his own request he re-
turned to reportorial work. Twelve
years ago he was made managing edi-
tor of the News. On February IL,
1906, Mr.. McKenna completed seven
teen years of service on the News.
Three years ago, when the Times was
consolidated with the News, Mr.. Nc
kenna also became managing editor of
the former publication.
The first sign of falling health as
serted itself on November I'd last. 1t
was his forty-fourth birthday anniver-
sary. During an informal celebration
of the anniversary at his home with
few intimate friends he was attacked
by what was thought to be bilious
fever This confined him to his home
for three weeks. He was cautioned
and even urged by his friends to take
a long rest in lower altitude. How
ever, he thought he was strong enough
to resume his duties and refused to
take a vacation.
Two months later, one Saturday
night at the office, his final collapse
came. His condition was so serious
that he decided to rest, SO left Denver
on February 18th for Rediands, Cali
fornia, accompanied by his wife and
their infant daughter, on the advice of
his physician. 1t was necessary for
him to seek a lower altitude because
of an affection of the heart.
Mr.. McKenna reached California
about the commencement of the rainy
season. For ten days after his arrival
the rain poured. This had a depress-
ing influence upon the patient and his
condition failed to improve.
Mr.. McKenna married Miss Rita
Reilly eleven years ago in Denver.
Two children were born of the union.
The first died week after birth. The
other is now ten months old. For
years the family lived at 1865 Jose
phine street.
John C. Martin, first cousin of Mr..
McKenna, is the latter's only relative
III DtlNtIr Ouloiuc thC iuii
lily. Besides his mother, there are four
brothers of Mr.. McKenna living in
Montreal The eldest, William Nc
Kenna, is deputy revenue collector
there having been connected with the
custom house for twenty years.
AS a reporter Mr.. McKenna wrote
two big stories for the News which
made him famous, particularly in the
west. One of these was on the open
ing of Creede, Colo. Cy Warman was
publishing the Creede Candle at the
time. The News sent Mr.. McKenna
to write up the new camp. 1t was
mdwinter and bitter cold. Most of
those who went there slept in trains.
Creede was the biggest silver camp in
the west The white metal was then
worth coinage value. Mr.. McKenna
sent to his paper a two-page story with
pictures 1t was the first big and re-
liable story sent out of the camp. For
descriptive beauty. forcible language
and accurate detail it has never been
equalled.
In 1891, when the first discoveries
were made in the Cripple Creek DIS
trict, the News dispatched Mr.. Nc
Kenna to that camp with Prof. Sadtler
of the Colorado School of Mines. The
former wrote a story of the camp from
the newspaper mans viewpoint. group
ing all the facts and detailing the con-
ditions with the same graphic force
as he had done at Creede.
1t was in this sto.y that Mr.. Nc
Kenna coined the phrase shipping the
scenery hitting upon it as an apt de-
scription of the work he saw on the
old Deerborn property, whose surface
was being sacked and shipped to the
smelter. This dirt brought large re-
turns.