The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-21
ROBERT MCKEE DEAD
FAMOUS ALABAMA JOURNALIST
 DIED IN CALIFORNIA.
Distinguished as . Journalist And Pub lfcfst in Kentucky And Alabama Filled Many Places of
 Trust,


 Colonel Robert Mckee, famous as a publicist and journalist in Kentucky and Alabama in war and reconstruc- ton times. is dead at Tulare, Call, where he has been making his home in his declining years. News of his death was received yesterday in Mont gomery where he had many friends and admirers.
 Colonel Mckee was a brother of [. R. Mckee, who for a quarter of a cen. tury has been connected with The Advertiser. Colonel Mckee at the time of his death was 7s years of age. Most of his journalistic work was done fin Alabama and he was regarded as a writer of great brilliance. It was said of him that his editorials in The Selma Argus in the gloomy days fol- lowing the war not only had a great deal to do with the establishment or white supremacy, but they had rounded new school of Journalism in Alabama and given the writer q na- tional reputation.
 Colonel Mckee was born in Fleming county, Ky, in 1880. In 1856 although his educational opportunities as a boy had been limited, he attracted atten- ton through several articles of his published in The Paris (Ky) Flag In 1859 he had risen to be editor of The Louisville Courier, the famous pro- South paper of Louisville. This jour nal was suppressed in the first year of the war because of its aggressive Southern tone, but 1t was revived after the war and combined with The Jour nal, Colonel Henry Watterson Is now the editor of the paper which is the result of this combination.
 Colonel Mckee was a member of the famous Charleston Convention of 1860 at which the Democratic Party was disrupted by the factional fight be- tween the Douglas and Breckinridge Democrats. After the outbreak of the war he took an active part in the formation of a Confederate government for Kentucky, of which he was Secre- tary of State, but when the Con federate forces evacuated Kentucky this government was forced to leave too. Colonel Mckee served as aid to General John c. Breckinridge at the bloody battle of Shiloh, where he was wounded and where he was mentioned in the dispatches for conspicuous gall lantry.
 When the war closed an indictment had been Ioun0 against him In a Federal Court in Kentucky charging him with treason for his part in form ing a Confederate state government But the indictment was later dismissed
 Tn 1s66 Colonel Mckee moved to Selma and was editor of The Messenger and The Times. In 1869 he founded The Southern Argus. It was perhaps the most brilliantly edited weekly in the history of Alabama. Certain it was that 1t carried a heavy influence with the white people of the state.
 Colonel Mckee served two governors of Alabama as Private Secretary, Rufus W. Cobb and E. A O'Neil. He had also served as Private Secretary to Senator John T. Morgan. Thirty years ago no man in Alabama had a wider acquaint- ance than he.
 His last few years were marred by suffering and ill-health. To enjoy the climate of California he has been mak- ing his home at Tulare In that state.
 He is survived by one brother, L. R. Mckee of Montgomery, one daughter, Mrs. Belle Sherrod of Alameda, Cal, and one sister. Mrs. H. B. Poe, of Tulare. Cal, and by several grand children.