Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-08-06
 FORMER PINE BLUFfIAN DIES AT THE CAPITAL NAL f. RATHER, ONE TIME CASH- FER OF CITIZENS BANK. PASSES AWAY AFTER MONTHS OF
 ILLNESS. Was Prominent Banker of Little Rock and We'll Known as South
 ern League Official.

Rather, vice president and cashier of the Exchange National bank, died at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon at his residence, 915 East Eighth street, af- ter an illness of more than a yeaer. III health had prevented his being active in the banking business since March, 1911, but he had retained his posi- ion as cashier and was elected vice president to succeed J. s. Pol lock, who resigned in January, 1912. Funeral arrangements had not been made last night.
 Mir. Rather was D years old, hay ing been born on plantation near Decatur, Ala, January 12, 1857. Af- ter the close of the war his family moved to Tuscumbia, Ala. MT. Ratn- CT attended the University of the South at SeWanee, Tenn, because of illness, was compelled to leave col lege during his senior year. Although his life was despaired of at that time, he had so far regained his health by the next year that he en- tered commercial school at Evans vile, Ind, completing the course.
 Game to Little Rock in 1876.
 In August, 1876, Mr. Rather began work in the local freight office of the Memphis and Charleston railroad at Memphis. He worked for this road. now part of the Southern, until January 1881, serving the last three years as chief clerk under D. $. AL len, agent. He then came to Little Rock as claim clerk in the office of D. C. Roberts, general freight agent of the Memphis and Little Rock rail- road. now part of the Rock Island. After being in Little Rock only a few months he was transferred to tie Memphis office.
 MT. Rather entered the service of i the Little Rock, Mississippi River and Texas railroad now a part of t0e Iron Mountain, in October, 1881, as chief clerk to the general freight l agent. He was with that road until it's consolidation wi h the Little Rock and Fort Smith railroad under the name of the Arkansas Valley Route Then he returned to Mem- phls as passenger clerk in the audi tors office of the Memphis and Char lcston railroad.
 Enters Banking Business.
 He entered the banking business in October, 1884, as bookkeeper of the -Nchange bank, w. P. Homan tAen being presiden, and J. s. Pol lock, cashier. He was elected cash fer of the Citizens bank in Pine Bluff in August, 1887, remaining there until 1890, when he resigned because of ill health and returned to Little Rock, where he worked for the Southern Cotton Oil Company a few months before rc-entering the banking business as clerk in fhe German National bank. He remain cd with the German bank until 1S97 when he again was elected cashier o1 the Citizens bank in Pine Bluff remaining there thta time until Nov enocr, 1899, when he was made cash fer of the Citizens bank of Little Rock, succeeding ]. E. England. He remained with tha; institution until US consolidation with the~ EXchange National bank January 20, 1904, when he became cashier of the con solldated banks. He held that posi- ton until his death.
 Mr. Rather was president of the Lit le Rock Baseball Association dur Ing the last three years that this city had a club in the Southern easue--19o7, 1908 and 1909. After l~ttle Rock lost it's franchise to Chat tanooga, MT. Ra her was one of the first to suggest that the local base bal club be :, continued inS existence ln order that Little Rock might be Ill a position to get back in the league, and despite his protest he was continued as president.