St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1912-01-06
bob EVANS
IS DEAD
Dies Suddenly at Home in
Washington.
Suffered from Old Wounds Of
Fighting Career.
Was Conscious to the Mo-
ment Of Death.
A Great Commander and a
Great Fighter.

Great Fighter.
| Washington, Jan. 3.-Rear Ad
miral Rodley b. Evans. Fighting
Bob" to an admiring nation. diet
suddenly late to-day at his home II
this city. Acute indigestion ended
the career of one of the most popu.
lar officers of the navy. He was III
less than two hours.
Admiral Evans, born sixty-nve
years ago in Floyd county, Va, arose
/ to-day apparently in better health
and spirits than he had enjoyed for
some time. For years q sufferer
from old wounds sustained in the
Civil War and from recurrent attacks
of rheumatic gout, the aged fighter
seemed. to have shaken on the bur-
den OF his advancing days. He dis
played high spirits at breakfast and
ate a hearty luncheon at noon.
While in the library at 2 o'clock
the admiral was stricken. Instantly
his family sent for DR.. s. s. Adams,
who. on his arrival. found the pa-
tient in great pain. After treatment
Admiral Evans fell into restless
sleep, and it was thought that the
danger had passed. Shortly after
O'clock, however, he awakened. and
raising himself with difficulty, an.
nounced that he was choking.
Il cannot get my breath" he said
and sank back. At 4:45 o'clock he
died, conscious to the end.
At his bedside at the time Of his
death were his wife. his daughter-in-
law. Mrs. Frank Il. Evans, wife q
The admiral's only son. : liAptonan1
ftnknd1f IN the 3 navy, 6&i5t e
4NeKnn the torpedo boat deotnoSuR
1Lonahan, Ut B0aton. n = II
other member Of his immediate fam
tly who was not present was his
daughter, Mrs. Marsh. wife OF Capt.
Charles G. Marsh, commanding the
armored cruiser North Carolina.
The news spread with great rapid
ity and caused a profound shock in
Official circles. President Taft was
one Of the first to express his grief
and coincidence. He said: "Ad-
miral Evans was one Of the most sue
cessful squadron commanders we
have had in the navy for . long
time. He was rigid discliplinarian
OF quick decision, and admirably ad-
vised in the intricacy of the machin-
cry OF cruisers and ships, and skilled
in drilling them. l am very sorry
to hear Of his DEATH"
Admiral Dewey was SO overcome
that he could not utter but a/few
words. II am shocked beyond
measure at the sudden death Of my
lifelong friend, Admiral Evans"
was all he could say.
Secretary Mayer paid this tribute
to the officers memory:
''By the sudden death OF Admiral
Evans the country loses one Of its
most brilliant and able officers. IT.
was on account OF his ability that
President Roosevelt selected him as
commander-in7chief 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 q shock
to the navy"
Former Secretary OF the Navy Met
calf, who happened to be In Wash
irgton to-day, pointed out that he
himself had given Admiral Evans
command of the Atlantic fleet in its
cruise around the world, the choic-
est assignment ever extended to an
American naval officer in time Of
peace.
"He was practically an I'll man
when he was selected for this i'm
portant duty said Mr.. Metcalf,
but his splendid record justified the
department in giving him this rec
ognition of his long and efiicient
service. He was one of the most eff
ficient and capable officers the navy
has known and his name has been
q household word for many years"
One of the iron links that bound
the old navy to the new, a command
ing figure in each, was Robley D.
Evans. He did not take kindly to
the sObriquet of Fighting Bob,' for
although Of gruff exterior, he was
a man Of the kindliest Impulses.
Thus it never was used in his pres
ence by his friends. But his daunt-
less courage in times Of great emer-
gency; the grim determination with
which he faced overwhelming odds
and the stoicism with which he bore
his wounds and gazed unflinching in
the face of death made the title &C
appropriate that as Fighting Bob"
he was known wherever the English
language is spoken.
Evans was a mere boy when he
was sent to the Naval Academy at
Annapolis. Before he had got far
with his studies the Civil war broke
out, and, throwing his books to the
winds, he went to sea and was as
signed to blockade duty. It WAS in
one Of the two attacks made by the
Northern Navy upon the powerful
defenses at Fort Fisher, n. c., that
young Evans received the wound
through the thigh that made him q
cripple for life. He suffered three
other wounds, but as soon AZ he was
discharged from the hospital he
again plunged into the h6htins and