New-York tribune., 1912-01-04
Rear Admiral Evans, Commander
of WorId-CirCIing BattleShip
Fleet, Expires Suddenly
in Washington.
WAS ILL ONLY TWO HOURS
Attack of Acute Indigestion Ends
Picturesque Career-President
Taft and Other Officials
Express Great Sorrow
Funeral Friday.

| Bob" to an admiring nation, died sud
denly late to-day at his home in this
city. Acute Indigestion ended the ca
reer of one of the most popular officers
in the navy. He was Ill a little more
than two Hours.
Admiral Evans, born sixty-hve years
ago in Floyd County, Va. arose to-day
apparently in better health and spirits
than he had enjoyed for some time
Long a sufferer from wounds received in
the Civil War and from recurrent at
tacks of rheumatic gout, he seemed to
have shaken off the burden of his ad-
vancing years. He displayed high spirits
at breakfast and ate hearty luncheon
at noon.
The admiral was stricken while in his
library at = o'clock. His family sent tor
DR.. S. S. Adams. who found the patient
in great pain. After treatment Admiral
Evans fell into a restless sleep, and it
was thought that the danger had passed.
Shortly after 4 o'clock, however, he
woke, and, raising himself with diff
Guilty, said he was choking.
Il cannot get my breath" he said, and
sank back He died at AS o'clock, con-
scious to the last.
| At this bedside were his wife. his
daughter, Mrs. H. L. Sewall, and his
daughter-in -in-law, Mrs. Prank T. Evans,
l..
mander, now on duty on the destroyer
Mona CHAN. The only other member OF
his immediate family who was not pres
ent was mis- daughter, Mrs Marsh. wife
of Captain Charles c. Marsh, command
+: the armored cruiser North Carolina.
Mr.. Taft Expresses Grief.
The news spread rapidly and caused
great sorrow in official circles. Presi-
dent Taft was one Of the first to ex-
press his grief.
Admiral Evans was one Of the mosr
successful squadron commanders we
have had in the navy for a long time"
he said "He was a rigid disciplinarian,
OF quick decision and admirably advised
IN the lHlIlCdCy VI lbC hid'AAiiNig VI
cruisers and battleships and skilled in
drilling them. am very sorry TO hear
of his death"
Admiral Dewey was so overcome that
he could utter only few words.
Il am shocked beyond measure at the
Sudden death OF my lifelong friend, Ad-
miral Evans" was all he could say.
by the sudden death Of Admiral
Evans the country loses one Of its most
brilliant and able officers" Secretary
Never said 1T was on account OF his
ability that p; esident Roosevelt selected
him as commander in chief OF the fleet
that cruised around the world Although
on the retired list, he had kept up his
active interest in the service, and his
unexpected death comes as a shock to
the navy"
Ex-Secretary Metcalf, who happened
to be In Washington to-day, said that he
had given Admiral Evans the command
of the Atlantic fiees in its cruise around
the world, the choicest assignment ever
given to an American naval officer In
time of peace.
He was practically an Ill man when
he was selected for this important dUSy."
Mr.. Metcalf said, "but his splendid rec
ord justified the department In giving
him this recognition of his long and eff
cient service. He was one Of the most
efficient ard capable officers the navy
has known, and his name has been
household word for many years"
The funeral will be held on Friday, al
though the exact hour is not yet set. and
it is expected that Admiral Evans will
be buried in the National Cemetery, at
Arlington, with full naval honors.
Admiral Evans was TO the present gen.
Grafton the most popular and picturesque
officer afioat under the American flag.
Fighting Bob" his sobriquet was the
keynote of his character. To that title. it
is true, he objected Braggadocio was for
eign to his nature. Yet, however he would
wish, Fighting Bob" he was from first
to last, even before he officially won the
nickname in 1891 on board the Yorktown In
Valparaiso harbor
A Fighter from the First.
One incident of his school days in WASH
ington, when he was ten years old betrays
the inherent fighting streak. He was sail
ing toy boat in the school yard one morn
ing when another boy. evidently not friend
ly TO the future admirars naval policy,
smashed the vessel with a stone. Thereat
little Fighting Bob" picked up another
stone and smashed him. The boy vas taken
home on a shutter. and Bob changed
schools under compulsion
Eight years later fornd him an officer in
Admiral Porter's feet. charging. with six
ty-two men, over twelve hundred feet OF
sand I'm front OF Fort Fisher A Confed-
crate sharpshooter rddied his left leg. He
tied his handkerchief over the wound and
ran on The sharpshooter put ball
through his right knee. AS he fell the Con-
federate fired again, and took away part
of his foot Evans borrowed a musket and
shot the sharpshooter through the head.
When they got the Yankee officer to the
Norfolk hospital, after the battle. prepara-
tions were made to amputate both legs.
Though weak from long torture. the fght-
ing gieam came into his eyes at this An
nounoement When the surgeon appeared
ready for work Evans braced himself In
he'd ON his elbow and drew revolver from
Under his pillow. He announced that the
pistol contained. six cartridges, one apiece
for the first six surgeons who tried to de-
stroy his power OF locomotion. He kept his
legs. though he suffered from severe lams-
ness the rest of his life.
He began using gun down in his native
virginia mountains at the age of six. His
father, Samuel Andrew Jackson Evans.