The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-04-15
JUDGE MACKEY GOESHENCE
PICTURESQUE RECONSTRUCTION
FIGURE DIES IN WASHINGTON.
Served in Mexican, Seminole and
Civil Wars-Supporter of Hamp-
ton in Campaign of '76.

Washington, April S.-Judge
Thomas J. Mackey died last night at
Georgetown University hospital,
Washington. He will be buried to-
morrow at the national cemetery at
Arlington as survivor of the Mexi-
can war. One Of the picturesque fig
ures of the reconstruction days, al
ways stately, erect and of proud
bearing, eloquent in speech, Chester
fieldian in address, he was the same
to the very last. With his hoary
head lying back upon pillow, un-
able to raise itself, a ghost-like pal
lor in his hollow cheeks, the un-
mistakable far-away death gaze in
his blue eyes, he spoke in his accus-
toned deep chested tones. when
last your eyes behold me-" he de-
claimed, when a few days ago l went
out to see him, 81 was enrobed in the
insignia and the emblazonry Of a
South Carolina soldier, marching
with that gallant command, the Pal
metto regiment, towards the battle
ments of Chapultepec, and now l
want you to tell the people Of the
grand old State of South Carolina
that if they would do anything for
the honor of man who tried to
serve them faithfully in the Mexican
war, as we'll as in lending assist
ance towards ejecting from the bord-
ers of that grand old commonwealth
the alien vultures which preyed upon
her vitals during reconstruction, !
would like for them to engrave upon
the old iron palmetto tree on the
State house grounds, which COM
memorates the deeds of the Palmet-
to regiment, the name of Thomas j.
Mackey."
The Judge died, from all appear
ances, in abject poverty. He got a
pension of $40 month, which seem
ed to be about all he had.
When about three weeks ago Rep
resentative Aiken, upon the request
of Mr.. A. S. Salley, went to look for
him, he found him in third rate
boarding house over on Capitol hill.
He was i'll then, very i'll. His wife
was with him, but she left few days
ago for New York, it Is said, to see
one of the judges sons, who was re-
ported i'll.
Crandall Mackey, another son,
lives across the river in Virginia, but
practices law in Washington. There
has been long estrangement be-
tween father and son, so that not un-
til it was reported to him that his
father was dying did the son know
of his illness.
r-o 1,oo1,. ooo Tudoo 6ookov uoe q
taken to the hospital, where an op-
Grafton for gallstones was performed.
The following Sunday Mr.. Aiken and
l saw him at the hospital and while
exceedingly weak they told US he
was getting along nicely, and had
good chances of recovery. A few
days ago they told me he was much
improved and I had hopes Of his re-
covery, but it seems he became feeb-
ler and last night he died. Judge
Mackey's mind dwelt upon the re-
construction days. He expressed the
wish about his name on the Palmetto
monument, but he entertained the
fondest hopes of recovery. His mind
would get dates mixed, as for in
stance when he coupled me with the
battle of Chapultepec, but he knew
what my calling was. "I shall be out
in a few days. Before die there
are three books I must write. You
remember how in 1874 I sounded the
death knell of Radical rule in my
pronunciamento against Moses. We
will write it. Come to see me. We
will collaborate." And he enunci-
ated the word "collaborate" with his
accustomed oratorical roll as If he
had been before an audience of
thousands.
So died, as he had lived, Judge
Thomas Mackey, majestic, eloquent
up to the very death rattle.-Zach
McGhee, in Columbia State.