Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-12-17
|OFFFR MAN-O'-WAR FOR FUNERAL SHIP British Government Would
 Convey WhitelaW Reid's Body Home. MRS. REID IMPROVED King George. of England, Suggests
 Westminster Abbey For Mrm- 0rial Services Friday.
MRS. REID IMPROVED

QrlHl SefflctS FGluHt. London, Zee. 16.-The International News Service learned that the British government has offered 2 battleship to convey the body of Whitelaw Reid to America. The announcement was made by Premier Asquith in the House of Commcns today, and probably will be accepted. The offer will De con- veyed to the United States govern ment through Ambassador Bryce. The 1 Reid family will not be officially in formed of the offer until this govern nent's reply has been received. The family had arranged to have the body shipped on Liner sailing Sat urday, but doubtless this plan will be abandoned in view of the British gov ernnient's handsome offer.
 King George himself suggested Westminster Abbey for Fridays mem- orial service. The royal chapel at the Palace of St. James was at first sug- gested, but the King thought the chap el too small for the purpose. Mrs Reid, who is prostrated with grief, is much improved tonight. The ] family will sail sometime next week. HI for Two Years. l For the past two years Alr Reid had suffered serious attacks of influenza, all oi W hich, it was said had under mined his health. His last attack from this source came on December 2, and l immediately after he was placed in bed in his London home.
 bod rny,r a since. His illness caused postpone ment of a reception he had planned to give at his country house at Wrest Park, /Silsoe, Bedfordshire, one of the most beautiful estates of England for which he paid almost $25,000 a year rent, ln honor of Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck.
 Physicians in charge of the Ambas- sador reported at that time that no serious results were expected, al- though shortly after he began to grow weaker almost hourly. Mrs. Reid and lis daughter, Mrs. John Ward. who vas Miss Jean Reid, have been at his bedside almost constantly.
 Sketch of His Life.
 MT. Reid was born at Xenia, Ohio Oct 27, '1S37 He studied at Miami University, in Ohio, and in later years received honorary degrees from many Of the large universities of this coun- try and England.
 He was married to Miss Elizabeth
 Mills, daughter of D. D. Mills, on
 April 26, 1881.
 Mr. Reid began his journalistic ca
 reer in 1858 when he became associate
 editor of the Xenia (O) News. The
 following year he became the legisla- tive correspondent. From 1860 to 1861 Le acted as war correspondent
 for the Cincinnati Gazette, being pres ent at several of the important bat
 ties Of tne Civil War during those
 years. The following year he went to
 Gazette.
 cred and hemstitched Pillow Cases
 Later, he served on the military staffs of Generals Thomas A. Morris
 and w. s. Rosecrans in the West Vir. ginia campaign and returned to Wash ington in 1863 to accept the position as clerk of the military commission O. , Congress. For a while he served as
 librarian of the House of Representa- tives. Later he took up cotton plant ing in Concordia Parish, La In 1861 he was member of the editorial staf of the New York Tribune and durins the next three years served as manag .rg editor, finally taking over com
 plete control of the paper.
 With the taking over of the Tribun
 Mir. Reid started the movement o { erecting tall buildings in this city b!
 erecting d home for the paper ol
 Nassau street at Spruce street, whicl
 fS cf, Hn oia1 Ne hn In recent years the building has beel ; :, added to, but nevertheless it was on U of the early skyscrapers of New York
 PrOtege of Horace Greeley.
 MT. Rcids initiation into Easterl
 urgings of Horace Greeley. founder o \ the Tribune, who had heard of youni Reid's great ability. After taking IL < his work here was always under tn tu.orship of Greeley. who explained t. him many things in the journalist 4 life If the metropolis that were entire \ ly new to him.
 ! Greeley was Grants opponent fo 4 the presidency in 1872. He was de feated and died a a4short time later. I was then that young Reid stepped int 1 control of the Tribute and he ha ! maintained possession of it eve 4 since.
 1 Mr. Reid furthered the introductio of the linotype machine, whic \ brought about a complete change 2 the printing of newspapers. Iii 1S7 { and again in 1881 he declined the az 1 ,)ointment Of Minister to Germany. Be 2 cause of the social prestige of tn z family of nis wife, MT. Reid moved a1 civ