The Washington herald., 1911-10-30

banking institutions, and, besides, had
his magnificent home in East Seventy
third street, his home at Bar Harbor,
and a large estate on Jekyl Island, New
Brunswick, Ga.
VIII Drawn by HOrnbIOwer.
Mr.. Pulitzer left will which was
drawn by his personal counsel, William
B. Iornblower, and what this may con-
tain is not known to any of the men who
were most closely connected with him in
his newspaper or general business.
The general belief is that his eldest
son, Ralph Pulitzer, will become the Off
ciaI head of the New York World, as he
has been to a great extent for the past
four years. The second son, Joseph, will,
it is supposed, assume a similar posi-
ton, with the st. Louis Post-DispatcA,
but all this is conjecture. No one could
say with positiveness tonight.
The last words of Mr.. Pulitzer were
"Leise; ganz leise" (Scftly; very softly.
This was to his German secretary, who
was at his bedside when he awakened
from his sleep to read to him something
of the reign of Louis II of France. The
secretary had begun a chapter when the
sufferer, with a look of pain, turned to-
ward him with the whispered request.
Only a few minutes -ater he became un-
conscious.
sketch of Pulitzer.
When Joseph Pulitzer. a tall, lean
youth of seventeen years, almost penni-
less and unable to speak a word OF
English, arrived in Boston, in the war
time summer of 1864, none who saw him
would have dreamed of predicting the
remarkable career which was to follow
in his rise to wealth and power.
He had been born of German parents
near Budapest, Hungary, April 10. 1871.
He received an excellent preT" ratory
education, but his native country was
torn by political factions, and the boy
conceived the idea of going to new
land TO make his fortune.
He had intended, it seems, to go to
Mexico, but when he landed at Boston
he had little more than enough money
to reach New York. When he arrived
there he had just 20 cents.
Alone, ungainIy, friendless, though con-
sumed with the passion for work which
characterized his whole life, he could
find no employment, and he slept on the
benches in the City Hall Park There
was a recruiting station in the park. and
the boy enlisted in the Lincoln Cavalry
as a private. He served until the end
of the war, but he saw little fighting.
In the Shenandoah Valley he acted
orderly. He was mustered out in the
grand review in Washington in 1865.
Again he came to New York, where
work was even harder to get than before,
because of the many returning soldiers.
In the intervals of wandering the streets
seeking employment, he sometimes lin
gered around old FrenCh's Hotel. at
Frankfort street and Park Row. 1t is
said a porter once ordered him out of
the place. And yet. twenty-three years
later, that tattered youth, grown into a
man. was to purchase old FrenCh's hotel
for $4,000. and eventually built the Pult-
ger Building on its site.
Goes to st. Louis.
Mr.. Pulitzer finally got enough money
to go to St Louis, where he knew there
were many Germans, and where he hoped
to find success.
He found it, but it was only after the
severest ordeals of his life. He was
forced to accept the hardest and most un-
pleasant work. In after life he said that
the toughest task he ever had was the
taking care of sixteen mules out in st.
Louis 1t is said that he, during the
cholera epidemic there, braved the dam
gers of the plague and became grave
digger.
man was in a restaurant watching
game of chess. A shrewd comment in
his terSe quick manner drew the atten-
tion of one of the chess players-Dr.
Emil Pretsrius, the famous German pa
triot who was then associated with Carl
Schurz in conducting the Westliche Post,
an influential daily newspaper.
DR.. Prel orius took an interest in the
young man. and in 1855 Mr.. Pulitzer was
engaged as a reporter on the Post.
he had been an indefatigable student
both of books and men, spending all his
spare moments in the public libraries.
Now he had an opportunity to display
his wonderful energy in a field that
suited him. He was a success as a re-
porter and rose to the city editorship.
Successfully he became legislative cor
respondent, editorial writer, and part
owner of the Post. An inheritance from
a member of his family in Hungary
gave him the means Of purchasing a
share in the paper.
Elected to Legislature.
In 1863. Mr.. Pulitzer was elected to the
Missouri legislature. He had found time
He became a member of the Missouri |
convention. He was a !
delegate to the national convention which |
nominated Horace Greeley, in 1872.
In 1874. he sold his newspaper stock |
and went to Europe, returning at the |
time when the Tilden-Hayes campaign |
was beginning He joined in the cam |
paign and made seventy speeches in |
sixteen States for Tilden.
He went to Washington as correspond |
ent for the New York Sun, and thus |
made his trenchant pen first felt in the |
In Washington, he met Miss Kate |
Davis, a niece OF Jefferson Davis. She |
was one of the most beautiful women |
of Washington society. but the young |
triumphed over many |
suitors and won her hand in marriage.
After another trip to Europe, he re-
turned to st. Louis, in 1873, and pur-
chased the Evening Dispatch, for $500 |
In a few days he consolidated it with |
the Evening Post, thus founding the |
Post-DispatGh, which became one of his |
largest properties.
Buys New York World.
1t was in 1888 that Jay Gould offered
to sell him the New York World. The
offer was finally accepted. and Mr.. Pulit-
zer got the paper for S34S, ,OOO The paper
was in a bad way, but its new owner
took hold with a vigorous hand and an
inventive brain. Three years ago Mr..
Pulitzer celebrated its twenty-fifth ami
In 1903 he sought to realize one of the
dreams of his life, and gave H,0O,-
BOO to Columbia University, to establish
4 school of journalism. He offered an
other million when the school should
l.