El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-07-10
COL. lew GILBERT
CLAIMED BY DEATH
Was Soldier Of Civil War,
Newspaperman and
Good Friend.

Col. Lew Gilbert died at a local hOspi-
tai Wednesday night at the age OF IS
years. A fractured skull, sustained Mon
day night when he was knocked down
by a horse and buggy at the corner Of
San Antonio and Oregon streets, caused
his death.
Lew Gilbsrt was a native New Yorker.
About 10 years ago he came TO FL PasO.
Col. Gilbert was a civil war veteran,
both as lighting man and as a neEs
paper correspondent, and drew a sinai
pension Tor disability. He had an in
eXhaustlble fund OF Renaissance, and
had personally come in contact with
many Of the leading figures OF war times
and the period Immediately following.
Bls memOsy was accurate and Of Won
deTIul capacity to absorb and retain de-
tailed information. Only his physical
disability IN later years kept him from
being a successful newspaper worker
long after the years OF ordinary activity
IN that calling.
Col Gilbert as a young man was ca
gagged IN newspaper work IN New FORK
and other cities IN the east. lie was
Eery fond OF horses and covered run
nng and LrOJUHS Eases Tor The eastern
papers when the racing game was IN
It's prime, and he knew many OF the great
race horse men OF q quarter century
ago. lie was also fond OF dramatlcs and
music, and was connected in ms early
days with a number OF amusement IN
dertakings and enterprises, serving as
manager OF press agent OF the different
concerns He was a personal acquaInt-
alIce OF BlOndIu, the great ballOOnIsL
the man who once walked over Niagara
Falls on a tight rope. Col. Gilbert heard
Jenny Lind sing IN the old auditorium
IN Battery park, n. Y, Just after tie
civil war, and reported the concert for
one OF the New York papers. The place
where she sang mas since been turned
into the municipal aquarium, being too
small Tor a Aew York audience, and
also badly located for the present mod
ern city.
Interested in Mining.
Col. Gilbert was interested with for
mer postmaster i. b. OlshausCn anu
other ii PasOans IN some gold mining
properties IN Sonora. For a time the
properties were worked and produced
good ore, but Iaqui indian troubles first
and the revolutionary disturbance later,
forced temporary abandonment Of the
properties. Several times Col. Gilbert
} was offered a good sum Tor the mine
but he held on IA the hope that cJnGi-
tiOns would soon change and quiet be
restored in Mexico, when the property
could be worked with more profit 10
himself and associates Johnny OlshaU-
sen was at the mine directing the work
Tor number OF months prior to the
closing OF the mine.
Col Gilbert was known to practically
all OF the business men OF FL PasO, and
was a familiar figure in downtown Il
PaSO when his rheumatism-frOm which
he suffered eXcruciatingly at times-did
not cOn1Iue him to his room. Often for
weeks at a time he lay in bed. suffer
ing great agony, but he was patient
and always came out OF the sick room
I with q smile. Col. Gilbert was a man
OF sunny dispOsitiOn-nO other sort
would have endured with fortitude such
/ pain as be was forced to sufTer-and it
was a rule OF his that if he could not
praise he would not condemn. He had
a KIND word Tor everybody. he was on
close terms with mayor {. L. Kelly and
most OF the city and county officials,
and at the time Of his death was chair
man Tor his precinct of the Democratic
party, with which he had been affiliated
all his life.
Mexican Held to Answer.
Following the death Of Col Gilbert
Jesus aleucla was charged with muir
der by complaint filed Thursday in the
court Of justice Of the peace E. B. Nc
CllntOc6- The defendant was trans
Z ---- ~--l ItAAA ~ A-AN A4aAAlN
jail, where he VIII be held pending his
examining trial Valencia was over
taken and arrested by sergeant O. E.
Fletcher and patrOlman Whitley Sunday
I night shortly after he ran down Col
Gilbert. He was lodged in the city Jail
and held there on a complaint OF I'd, K
less driving, awaiting the outcome Of
Col. Gllberts condition.
After the man was arrested. patrol
man Whitley got into the buggy and
drove back to the spot where Col. Gil
bert was knocked down. The colonel
was lifted into the buggy and the drive
/ made to the police station. When Col
! Gilbert was placed on the operating table
IN the emergency hospital at the police
station. he was unconscious, and recOg-
| nized no one. Jim Conkln. who had
known the colonel for several years,
leaned over him and asked him repeated
" if be knew him. The colonel looked
at CoHldin. but made no sign of rec
ognition. Beyond repeatedly crying to
be lifted up, and remarks about horses,