Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-01-17
KITCHEN AND FURAY DEAD
Two Prominent Omaha Men Pass Away
Twenty Minutes Apart.
MAJOR FURArs DEATH is GREAT SURPRISE
succumbs to Paralysis, Dying within
Few HOurs-Mr. Kitchen Goes
After Long Struggle with
Disease.

! away yesterday. Mr.. Kitchen went nfst'
dying at $3.50 p. m. at his residence, 10
South Thirty-second avenue, while Major
Furay died at $50 at his residence, 2SS1
Seward street Mr.. Kitchens death was
the end of a long, patient struggle with
sickness; Major Furays the result OF
paralysis which struck him at LOO yester-
day morning and again at $40. The death
Of Mr.. Kitchen had been feared for weeks,
though within the last few days he had, by
his remarkable fight for life, stimulated the
hopes of relatives and friends that he
might recover. Major Furays death came
as a severe shock to his friends and
family.
With Mr.. Kitchen at the last we're Mrs.
| Kitchen and her niece, Miss Rubel; the only
child. Ralph Kitchen. his wife and son,
Dick. and DR.. McClannahan. the family
physician. With the major when he died
were Mrs. Furay, a son, DR.. Charles p.
F'uray, and Mrs. Celia McShane, friend
of the family who was at the home at the
time. The other members of the family
who reside in the city were soon at the
bedside of death.
No plans have been made for the funeral
of either. 1t is determined to lay the body
Of Major Furay in Holy Sepulcher ceme-
terry under Catholic auspices and to bury
that OF Mr.. Kitchen at Leavenworth, an
old home, but the time is not set in either
case.
The news of Mr. Kitchens death cast a
pail over the stan in charge and guests
of the Paxton hotel, OF which Mr.. Kitchen
was principal owner. He was president
of the Kitchen Bros. Hotel company, the
owners, of which G. Z. Pritchett is vice
president; ]. J. Points. secretary, and
Ralph Kitchen treasurer and manager.
Sketch of Active Life.
James Butler Kitchen was born May %.
1888. in st. Louis county, Missouri His
father, Henry Kitchen, moved from vir-
ginia to Missouri in 1929 and died at Leav-
enworth in 1862. James Butler was the
fifth Of ten children. During 1854 he left
his parents in Platte county, Missouri, and
went to New Mexico with little or no
funds. much ambition and a restless en-
ergy. At Santa Fe he engaged as clerk in
a mercantile house His first business
strike on his own hook was a government
hay contract which he filled at Fort Union.
N. NJ. He worked all summer In water
over his shoe tops to fill the contract,
which netted him $500. In the meantime
he formed the friendship of DR.. Connolly
of Albuquerque. DR.. Connolly started Mr..
Kitchen in business at Tecolate, N. M,
with a $4,000 stock of merchandise. After
seven years In that business Mr.. Kitchen
closed out with several thousand dollars
to his credit -~-------sr- l-slr..4-
He returned to Platte Valley Kan, in
1850, and with his brother Richard. en-
gagged in freighting business for the gov
ernment during the civil war. He was in
; business with his brother, Richard, until
, the latter's death in 1890 Before coming
to Omaha in 1Ss- ]. b. Kitchen managed
the Pacific hotel in st. Joseph For years
the firm of Kitchen Bros, consisting of
]. B.. Charles w. and Richard, was one
of the leading hotel firms in the west.
} Richard at one time managed the Withnell
house in Omaha.
Starts Big Hotel.
In 1881 the three brothers bought the
present site of the Paxton hotel. which
was opened in the fall of 1882. From that
time ]. b. Kitchen concentrated his ener-
gies in his Omaha interests In 1886 Charles
: w. sold out his interest in the Paxton, and
in 1880 Richard died. leaving James b. in
control as president of the Kitchen Bros
Hotel company.
, Charles w. Kitchen, the sole surviving
brother, resides at Seattle. Two sisters
Catherine Sprague of Omaha and Susan b
Gabbert of Columbia, Mo-, are among the
bereaved relatives. Mrs. Kitchen and theil
only child Ralph Kitchen, associated II
the management of the Paxton hotel, sur
= vive. The mother died In 1896 at the ag,
: OF 49,
Mr.. Kitchen was OF a studious turn OF
mind, philosophy being his favorite study
He was an active member Of the Omaha
: Philosophical society, whose meetings wert
, held at his hotel for years on Sunday after
Moons.
He began to fail about a year ago. picke(
up in health and had TO remain hom'
after November l. from which time h,
Z gradually declined. General debility wa
, his trouble.
Major Furay is Called.
/ Major Furay was standing at Twenty
! fourth and Seward streets when the frs
5 paralytic stroke came. 1t benumbed hi
= left arm and limb. He was taken hom,
Immediately and physicians were promptly
summoned. Major Furay showed hopefu
signs even under circumstances so alarm
: ing He did not lose consciousness anC
that offered encouragement. His vigorous
physique and his good health considerinI
his advanced age, we're regarded as point
I'm his favor. Hope went out with the fata
stroke at $40. He retained consciousness
= until death.
' as a sreat shock to his hosts OF friend
In Omaha, where he had lived for owe
forty years, He had been in good healtl
! and none was prepared TO hear that ''Majo
Furay is dead" Paralysis had not beel
' a family failing.
Tuesday night Major Furay had attende,
the installation of officers OF the Omah
branch OF the Catholic Mutual Benefit as
: ISOLATION, of which he was president. Tn
! meeting was held in Arlington hall. II
g made a speech which was particularly ami
. mated and drew from his hearers vigor
Gus applause at frequent intervals. II
e seemed in especially good spirits an
l. health. 1t was his first visit 10 the asso
Il ciatlon's meetings In a long time but non
y there would have guessed II was TO b
e his last There. in the secret chambers o
! fraternal association. the major was a grea
q favorite; regarded with deep respect b
y the younger members to whom he wa
more than merely president OF the body
friend and counselor a leader.
. Native OF Ohio
n Major John b. Furay was born June 3
> is4e. at Hilsboro o. He married Mis-
V Catherine Mcshane April g. 1863. John I