Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-08-08
NEYADA'S ONCE GREAT
ORATOR PASSES AWAY

Inc recent death or w II Knick
erbocker in Alabama has caused
many to comment about his silye,
tongue and the wonderful eulog,
given over the body of RELY Gran.
nan, hence the republishing of thi:
article:
Rawhide. April l5. l9Os-Hali
shielded under an oil cloth blanket
lodged in common express wag.
on, the casket of RELY Grammar
was carried recently down dusty
Rawhide Avenue and along
Nevada street from the tented es-
tabiishment Of the camp undertak-
er, to an improvised memorial
chapel. variety theatre, at the
rear Of saloon. There congre.
gated throng in silks, and cordu-
roys, women of metropolitan cos
TUNES, miners, covered with high
grade CRIME, prospectors sun tan
ned, brokers. merchants, promot-
ers. owners of saloons. bar tenders,
gamblers, FOUNDERS. Tears that
were shed dropped from the eyes
Of all. Again. as always in mining
camps, class is forgotten. All men
were equal.
A solemn hush came down upon
the little play house where last
night and tonight jostling crowds
drank and smoked while listening
to doubtful wit from the coarse
testers, men ard women, on the
variety forum. Hovered abou; the
bier Of RELY Grammar. race track
plunRer Of national renown, was
a solemn group of sincere mourn
ers as ever gathered to pay final
tribute.
MUSICAL FEATURES
Solos were offered by Mrs He'd
ricks. once an actress Of wide
fame now the wife of the editor
of a Rawhide daily paper, and by
Jack Hines. miner Of Alaska
and leaser Of Rawhide. Punctua-
tons came with resounding blasts
from a seUrc of mines on the
mountains just above. Saloons
we're closed and the streets we're
silent throughout the service. At
Its end a solemn cortege trudged,
with the remains destined, by
automobile to travel thirty miles to
Schurz there to go aboard the cars
to Riley's brother in Kentucky.
Unique bey ond experience and
dramatic beyond compare was the
eulogy pronounced by w II Knick-
erbocker. once clergyman, then a
mine operator Of Goldfeld, later
a Rawhide pioneer. Ha. IDLY ortho-
dox. but wholly in keeping with
the scene and the mute desires Of
the dead. was the orators appear
hnc,s. The once pulpit exponent
stood beside the lily laden bier, his
eyes beJimmed with tears, his
voice checked with fraternal emo.
tion, he shod in the high boots and
clotchd in the rough of miner. A
stcnographic report of the eulogy
follows:
IL feel that it is incumbent upon
me, to state that ! now occupy no
ministered or prelatic position. |
am only prospector. make no
claims to moral merit whatever
or to religious authority except it
be the religion of the brotherhood
Of man. ! wish to be taken only as
man among men, feeling that !
can shake hands and style as my
brother the most humble of you
all. II there may come from me
a word Of moral admonition, it
springs not from a sense Of moral
superiority, only from the depths
Of my experience.
STARTED AS BELL HOP
Riley Grammar was corn a,
Paris, Kentucky. about forty years
ago. He cherished oil the dreams
Of hoyhood. Those dreams found
their fruition in phenomenal sue.
cess financial. ! am told that from
the position of a bellboy in hoteI
he rose to be- a celebrity of world
wide fame. RELY Grammar was one
of the greatest plungers the con
tinent has produced. lie died daJ
before yesterday at Rawhide
THAT is brief statement. We
have his birth and the day Of hi