Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-03-18
LAURENT DE GIVE
ATLANTA LANDMARK
DIES At AGE Of 80
Pioneer Atlanta Theatre Owner
and Belgium Consul Passes
Away at Cocoa, Fla, After
Long and Painful Illness
FUNERAL IN ATLANTA
SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Laurent Deceive, one Of At1antas old
est pioneers, owner of the Grand OPP
era house. the Bijou theatre block, and
one of the best loved men in the city,
died at Cocoa, Fla, Thursday morning
after an illness of over a month. News
of his death came to The Journal in
brief telegram from Henry Deceive, his
elder son.
With him at the time of his death
were his daughter. Mrs. Edward no
rine, and his sons, Henry and julius,
VINO were summoned to his bedside
some weeks ago when it was realized
that his condition was desperate Sew
eral times during his illness the aged
Albanian rallied and hope was enter
tanned for his recovery. However, his
extreme age of SO years was against
him. -.--------..---- - ..s-z
Mrs. Deceive. his wife. is at present
i'll at Robertson,s sanitariurn, where
she is being treated for rheumatism
Her condition is not serious, but her
friends are fearful the shock OF ner'
husbands death may be too much Tor
her to bear.
Mr.. DeGive's Jody win arrive In At
lanta Sunday morning anu the funeraii
will take place from the Sacred Heart
church. The services will ne conducl-
cd nv Rev. Father Gunn. The inter
ment will probably be at west view
oor,eterv where the body of Paul De-
Give is buried. The pall-bearers VIII
be announced later.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
The death of Laurent Deceive Hiarhs ens
passing of one of the most remarhslpi7'
men in the city of Atlanta as wen as ohe
of the most picturesque characters IN
+be theatrical life of this country.
For over half a century resident OF
+ba cltv of Atlanta and a prominent rae
tor in the industrial life of the CITY, ne
never was a citizen of the United STATES
end at the time of his death was BEL
oian consul for this city. Why ne never
hAoome a citizen of this country no one
knows Possibly he himself coulo give NO
ra.son Certainly he did not. 1t ives not &
hacause he expected some day to return
90 paIpium and take up his residence
for he was thoroughly in love Win 1iie
new world which had brought MN Wealth.
ond prominence and with the exception
80 one trip to the land of his birth ne
o,,aa rooted to the soil of the United
States.
If is doubtful if there lived in Atlanta
= man NJ like prominence who was SO
,,+t,a known as Laurent Deceive. py
a,,bt no was known - majority OK
A,,anta,s older citizens, but those 10
whom he gave his confidence OUTSIDE VI
his immediate family, could De counleo
-, the fingers of one hand. Stih, ne was
,o+ lacking in the gregarious instinct anu
,hose who did receive his confidence ana
friendship received 1t without reserve
III close friends loved him with SIN
.,,,or devotion that is vouchsafed 10 lew
r,er and TO those friends his death "ii
prove sad blow.
AVOIDED PUBLICITY.
Mr.. Deceive studiously avoided ns"spa
a,,hI,ci+v and while his attitude to-
ward reporters was friendly ne pecanle s
shv and tinid when the subject Oh an
interview was broached- ~,
Some months ago reporter loi
journal chanced to find Mr.. DeGiFe III
,,,tat for MIN was a communicating MOOD.
Ne talked of his early life and explain
ed how he CHANGED by fnerest accluens
20 become the foremost theatrlcai man "a
tHe south and one of the most conspicu-
~ =, che county. The story was told IN
= Quaint old world fashion anc ME-
receive scarcely realized he was the sun
81 ~ an interview. Each time tne re-
,,ortarl would furtiyely produce pencu
- a. down some fact the connection OF
tba narrative would be broken ana AZ
was with the greatest difficulty that tue
Tread of the story was taken up "neie
II had been snapped. However, tne spSi.
80 memories was on the aged man anu
% oaII1 wanted to talk. The result
-. collection of facts which even
,,,arobers of his own family were not
auare of. II was the first and last Tune
that he talked for publication. Fefhaps
the best way to present the 1acts 10 70
,.aY,,od,,ce his own words. Here is what ne
had to say:
Mr.. DEGIVE'S OWN STORY.
seI was born in the small Town o. De
nant. Belgium, in the Meuse ana inc
Lesse districts. OF the carry years ~
NV life there is little to tell; fancy 1t
was very like that of the average healthy
how of my station After schoollng
which extended over the years OF boy
hood was destined for the law ana
was sent to the university at Liege wneres
I studied and received my degree AFTER
graduating practiced law at Namur ana
was married. / made some success ana
accumulated small amount of money.
In 1858 the impending war between the
north and south in the United States was
a topic of vital interest in Europe. me
south. seeing into the future was ex-
erting every effort to establish direct
trade with Europe and was graduaiiy
withdrawing its trade from the north.
At this time. as every one knows the
south was In a peculiarly dependent po-
sition. She did not contain single
manufacturing enterprise worthy the
name Rich in land and cotton and
slaves the south was compelled to send
elsewhere for the simplest manufactures
article. Up to the time / speak of Euro
pean trade had been with the NORTH
which section afterward sold to the south.
Howell Cobb and other distinguished
southerners were sent to Europe in 1883
to stimulate direct trade with the south
Belgium was visited and considerable in
terest was manifested. The merchants
and manufacturers arranged to send
large cargo of goods to Savannah. My
health was not very good at the time
and / decided to come to America with
the cargo and arrange the details of its