The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-10-23
Ex Convict Succumbed From
Heart Trouble Early Mon
day at Home in Chicago
Family all at Bedside.
AWAS PAROLED SHORT
TIME AGO BY u. S.
Rugged Constitution and
d Iron Will Broken by Con-
finement-Few Knew Se-
robustness of Condition.
fNational News Association

fNational News Association
CHICAGO, Oct. 23.-John r. Walsh,
who recently returned to his home in
Chicago, following his parole from
Fort Leavenworrh penitentiary, after
serving several years sentence on con-
viction of pisapplication of bank funds
under his Jurisdiction, died at 5:25
O'Clock this morning. Heart failure
was announced by the attending physi-
clans to have been the cause.
Walsh recently was released from
Leavenworth penitentiary, to which he
was sentenced for wrecking three Chi
cago banks. Although the former
banker had been in feeble health since
his parole from the penitentiary, not
even the members of his family be-
lieved his death was so near. Months
before his release his health began to
fail. The fear that he might die in
prison spurred his family and his law
yers to even more stringent efforts to
obtain a parole.
Mr. Walsh was a man of iron will;
his constitution once had been very
rugged, but his will seemed to have
been broken by his term in the fed
eral prison. He did not fight his last
Aght as hard as he had fought many
another. Throughout the night his
breathing was labor Members of the
family were all at the bedside. At
6:25 this morning, just at the hour at
which vitality is at the lowest, Mr..
Walsh closed his eyes and breathed
his last.
Victim Of Circumstances.
When John r. Walsh entered pris-
on he was IN old man 75 years Of age
and left behind him to face the odium
Of the world q wife and three chill
dren. His sentence of five years had
been imposed on him for unwarranted
use Of bank money to save himself
from the crush threatened because Of
the activity of interests more power
full than himself The great financial
institutions which he had founded af-
tre his phenomenal rise from the sta
ton of newsboy, were 'tottering under
the strain Of the one-sided fight. The
desperate measures resorted to by
Walsh brought about his downfall.
and he was the first of the big bank
ers to be put to prison.
Beginning at the bottom, John r.
Walsh worked, fought his way up
ward until he owned a bank. a news
paper and q railroad. He came to this
!country in 1849 when twelve years old
land started as q newsboy in Chicago.
|By sheer aggressivenes he outdid his
Iolder competitors and made himself a
iplace as q newspaper dealer in the
downtown district in Chicago. He
isoon opened branch news stands and
D periodical store.
His Business Aeumen.
!, Walsh was quick to see an opportun.
'aty and grasp it. He recognized in
the civil war a chance to increase the
,scope of his business. The country
districts wanted all the news they
.could get Of the fight. and Walsh set
iabout to supply the demand. He
bounded the Western News company
and covered the entire west.
His ambition led him from the dis
Nribution Of newspapers to the build
hng OF them. He saved enough to buy
the Chicago Herald. He turned II
From . comparatively unknown sheet
1nto one Of the biggest newspapers in
kAs city. Finally he sold it out, pre-
tvious to its consolidation with the
Chicago Times. After launching the
Post and selling it, he started his
third newspaper. the Chronicle.
Walsh's first political position he
obtained In 1879 after having made
friendships in both parties. At first
he was . Democrat, later a Republi
lcan and eventually became known al
ID tickle man likely to change his af
iiiliations any omment. His initial po
klitical position avs as q member o.
the board of commissioners of Soutf
Park. Many thousands Of dollar,
iwere in control OF the board ant
fwalsh saw possibilities. His influenc.
,caused Q friend Of his to become {
kmember of the board Of three ant
he thereby obtained domination of it.
Banking Career.
Il was then he founded the Chicag,
National bank. to which the funds o
1.-THE board were promptly transferred
fContinued on Page Eight)