The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-16
REID IS DEAD.


The Hon. John Hubert Ward, who
with his wife, had been at Dorches-
ter House continually since the am
bassador's condition became critical,
notified the staff of the embassy
when the patient began to sink, and
when death came he sent word to the
king and queen at buckingham pal
ace tn eQueen Mother Alexandra at
Sandringham and the officials at the
court.
Almost Immediately the king sent
his equery, Sir Harry Legge, to ex-
press the condolences of himself and
the queen. In the afternoon mes
sa ges conveying the warmest sympa-
thy were received from the Queen
Mother Alexandra and other members
of the royal family, court officials,
members of the government and of the
various embassies and legations, while
many who bad heard the news of the
ambassadors death or Who had seen
the flags at half mast on Dorches-
ter House called at the embassy.
A wireless message also was sent to
ogden Reid, son of the ambassa dor,
who left New York yesterday in the
hope of reaching his fathers bedside
before death.
Body Back to U. s.
The body will be sent home and
probab bly, will be inferred in Sleepy
Hollow, but the details will not be
ton is received from Ogden Reid and
it is learned what action the British
government may desire to take. Mrs.
Reid hopes to sail on Saturday next,
should her son reach England in time
to accompany her, but in all proba-
bility the government will place a
warship at the disposal of the family
for the transport of the body of the
ambassador to the United States.
Rose From Poverty.
Whitelaw Reid, who was in his 18th
year, despite the Impressions younger
generations of Americans have of him
as one of the wealthiest and most Law
ish entertainers that ever represented
the United States at a foreign court,
was a self made and practical man of
affairs, whose career is another evil
dence of the possibilities for advance
ment from humble ranks to the highest
and most distinguished. AT the game
of rubbing elbows with royalty Reid
was hailed as the champion American,
but it always was added that he had
fairly won his honors and position.
Born of Scotch parentage, the best
thing he inherited from his parents
was poverty and an intrepid spirit
which enabled him to fashion condi-
lions of advancement out of obstacles.
He was given a good education, COM
pleued at Miami University (Ohio,) and
accumulated his first small capital by
aIIeT MS graduation.
He became a newspaper writer as a
young man and never broke off his con-
nection with the public press He was
of the New York Tribune
for many years and afterward became
proprietor of that journal.
In the meantime, however, his career
had been a varied one. He served in
the first campaigns of the Civil war in
1851 and then as war correspondent, in
which capacity he was present at many
of the important battles. At one time
he was librarian of the house of repre-
sentatives; at another he was a cotton
planter in Louisiana. He went to
France as United States minister in
1889, remaining until 1892. He came back
to the United States to run as the
candidate for vice president
on the ticket with President Harrison.
Some years later, in 1897, he was sent
as special ambassador to Great Britain
to attend the celebration of the dia-
mond jubilee of Queen Victoria.
His next important work was as spe-
cial commissioner to the Paris confer
ence which negotiated peace between
the United States and Spain.
In 1902 he was again appointed spe-
ciaI ambassador to Great Britain for
the coronation of King Edward VII,
friendly terms.
He was chosen in March, 1905, United
States ambassador to Great Britain in
succession to Joseph H. Choate. Since
that date his popularity in England,
which was always very great, aug
mented from year to year, for he identi-
fled himself with all the social, educa-
tional and other movements of the
United Kingdom
Whitelaw Reid married in 1881 Eliza
beth Mills, daughter of the late Darius
Ogden Mills of New York His son,
Ogden Mills Reid, is president of the
Tribune Association and managing ed