The Mena weekly star., 1912-01-11
OUR NAVAL HERO BOB EVANS DEAD
Rear Admiral Stricken Suddenly at His Washington Iiome--Severe Attack of Acute Indigestion
 Brings End in Three Hours

Washington, Jan. 4.-Most of of licial Washington did not learn of the sudden demise last evening of Rear-Admiral Robley D. Evans un- Gil today. The funeral will be to- morrow afternoon at All Souls Unitarian church.
 The pail bearers will be chosen from among naval officers who served under Admiral Evans. Admiral Evans was stricken while in his library at o'clock yesterday afternoon. His physi- elan, Dr. S. S. Adams, arrived a few minutes later to find him in great pain. After a treatment the admiral fell into a restless sleep. shortly after i o'clock he awak- ened saying that he was choking and could not get his breath. He was conscious until 4:45, when he | died.
 At his bedside at the time of his death were his wife, his daughter, Mrs. H. I. Sewall, and his daughter in-law, Mrs. Frank. T. Evans, wife of the admiral's only son, lieu tenant commander in the navy, now on duty on the torpedo boat destroyer Monahan at Boston. The only other member of his immedi- ate family who was not present was his daughter, Mrs. Marsh wife of Captain Charles c. Marsh commanding the armored cruiser North Carolina.
 Admiral Evans had seemed in the best of health from early morning. He ate hearty breakfast land luncheon and was in the best lof spirits all morning. Throughout the day he seemed to have shaken off the burden of his advancing age.
 Obituary.
 Among the many brilliant and dashing commanding officers ot the American navy in the last quarter of a century there were lnone more brave, more reliable and Imore idolized than Fighting Bob Evans. as he was affectionately called by his men. He was born al Floyd courthouse, Va, August IS i846.
 Robley D. Evans was educated ir the schools of his native county and later at the Ganzaga classical school at Washington. It was his intention to enter the naval ser vice, and he enlisted the support o1 William H. Hooper, congressional delegate from Utah territory, who obtained for him, on September 20 1860, an appointment as cadet oi the United States naval academy On October 1, 1863, young Evans was promoted to the rank of en- sign and ordered to the steam fri gate Powhatan of the West India squadron. Tn i86l-65 he was en- gagged in both attacks on For l Fisher, where he saw the first ser Iious fighting and received two se- we're rifle shot wounds. These wounds came dangerously neal Iputting an end to his career in tho lnavy. The doctors, after con- sultation, decided that it was nec- essary to amputate both legs ot the young officer. But Fighting Bob" did not agree with them. H. drew his pistol and cooly informed the doctors that he would blow of the head of the first man who ap- Iproached him. The doctors helc another consultation and decided |not to amputate Evans legs. HC was eventually cured, but retained a slight limp as a memento of his Injury.
 After the War
 In 1866 Evans was on duty in the navy yard at Philadelphia, and or July 25, 1866, was commissioned lieutenant. He was on ordnance duty in the Washington navy yard in 1867, and thereafter, until 1869 on board the flagship Piscataqua cruising on the Asiatic station. On March i2, 1868, he was commis- stoned lieutenant commander After several years of service at the Washington navy yards and the naval academy at Annapolis, young Evans cruised on the Shen- andoah and the Congress in Euro pean waters. From 1877 to 1881 he was in command of the training ship Saratoga, having been pro- noted commander in July, 1878. 1 During tine following years he held various commissions. including lighthouse inspector of steel for lnew cruisers, secretary of the lighthouse board, etc.
 In 1891 he was Hwiss sent te CIhiilli iii command of the gunboat York town and during the troubles in Valparaiso he distinguished him. self by his firm and tactful conduct under the most difficult condi- tlons. Later he was sent to the BehIlng sea in command of one of the American ships to suppress sealing. He made several import ant captures. On June 27. 1893. he was promoted captain, and in the Following year, at the opening ceremonies of the North Sea canal. he commanded the cruiser New York. afterward the flagship of the North Atlantic squadron. From this he was transferred to the Indiana. the first batileship commissioned by the United States. In 1896 he