El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-10-14
HENRY CAPELL
CONE To HISRES
Pioneer Ell Pasoan, Connect
ed With Herald Since
1889, Loved By Boys.

Henry L. Capen died at o'clock
Thursday morning. His passing was
peaceful, after more than two months
Of suffering following a stroke Of para
lysis early in August. He was the old
est person in point of service con-
nected with the FL Paso Herald.
Pioneer of FL PasO, Mr.. Capeu was
one Of the oldest business men IN the
city and he continued his business &C
tivities until his fatal illness As
lodge man ne held practically every
position of honor in the Odd Fellows
and wore the golden star which slgni-
fled % years of continuous service TO
the order. Well known as he was be
cause of his long connection with The
Herald. with the Odd Fellows and the
Pioneers association. it was among the
boys and young men OF FL PasO that
Henry Capell was best known.
Started With Herald in 1889.
Since his first association with me
Herald as business manager IN 1883
Mr.. Capeu took an active interest IN
the welfare of the carrier boys en-
ployed on the paper. He always
treated them as his equals and dls--
cussed the problems Of life with them
as seriously as he did the business al
fairs Of his company with his asso-
ciates. Because Of this side Of the
character of Cap" as he was lovingly
called by every boy who worked Tor
The Herald. hundreds Of FL PasO boys
who are now young men in the bust-
ness world Of the city are better Tor
having known Henry Capell. and many
an FL Paso mother has expressed her
qualification at having had her boy
come under the influence of Mr.. CapelL
Boys Saved His Life.
It was two of his boys who saved
Mr.. Capen's life when he fell and was
injured on the mountainside several
years ago. Accompanying him on the
climb were Ebert Murphy and Leslie
Reed. When boulder gave way with
him, Mr.. Capell was injured so badly
= al Han b. q
Leslie Reed went TO the Nations ranch
for assistance, young murphy carried
him down the mountain until ne De
came exhausted and then remained
with him through the cold Of that sun
day night until the rescue party |
reached them and brought them to the !
city. When Ebert Murphy later died,
Mr.. Capell, as an appreciation Of MS 7
young friend, installed a memorial win /
dow in the Sunday school room Of the |
First Presbyterian church and dedl- |
Gated il to Ebert Murphy with an ao-
Dropriate Sunday morning service,
which was attended by all Of Mr. Caf
peWs friends on The Herald
Always Looked After Boys
Whenever a circus came TO town IN \
the old days when Mr. Capel was IN Il
direct charge Of the carrier boys ana 1
news sellers. he arranged for tickets 4
for them, and, surrounded by the cheer
ing crowd, Mr. Capeu would accom-
pany the boys to the circus and enjoy
The boys. At Thanksgiving and Christ
mas time Mr. Capeu frequently ar
ranged dinners for the newsDOys. and.
headed by the biggest boy carrying
Tag, they would march to the reStau-
rant At 'MOrninGside" in Altura
Park, which was Mr.. CapelFs home, ne
established a camp" for the boys. who
went out Sundays to spend the day
with him He erected a telescope and
taught the boys astronomy and il was
4 characteristic part Of his life that
The first thing he did after erecting ]
his tent in Alta Vista which served as
his home until his house was built. was
10 erect flagpole and unfurl an Amer
can flag. which he always displayed
N holidays. Mr.. CapeQ was intensely !
patriotic and he always saw that me
Tags on all public occasions and holl-
lays he was an active member OF the
sons Of the American Revolution ana
vas instrumental in arranging a din
Ter at Hotel Zeiger last year at which
he local members attended
Against "Sane Fourths.'
He was opposed to sane celebra-
ions" OF the Fourth OF July and on
his date he always gave what ne
ermed an insane celebration" and had !
fireworks of all kinds for his young |
riends- One Of the keenest hurts ne
yer received was when two boys broke
ntO his house one day during his ab-
ence and robbed the place True, !
hey were none Of his boys but the
mere fact that a boy would rob MIN
eemed TO affect him keenly.
When Mr.. Capen first came to III
'asO he herded sheep for the late H. NJ
iundy and often talked Of his exper-
ances in the hills surrounding FL Paso-
ie said that where he had his home
D Altura Park at the time Of his death
-as once the herding ground for his
heep when he first arrived here he
)ved the mountains and the mesas
nd was fond Of climbing the peaks IN
81
8rrier boys. In fact his love OF the
utdOOrs is attributed as the real cause
{ his death, for some years ago. while
imbing Mount Franklin he met Win
n accident from which he never COM
letely recovered. When he fell into !
ne Of the canyons and was compelled
) lie on the mOuntainside in the cold
-om Sunday afternoon early until
.onday afternoon. when rescutng par
es were able to bring him down. the
Cposure and suffering were cOnstd-
ed to have been large factors in IN
srmining his previous robust health
nd strength.
Born In DansvfIIe. n. Y.
Henry Capell was born in Dansville
Y, about 1853. being past 81 years
age He often told Of having seen
e union soldiers enlist at DansvilIe
hen the civil war broke out Mr.
lpeu was a small boy and watched the
.ldiers leave for the front He came
Texas in the early eighties, first To-
ting in the eastern part Of the state
a cattleman and later coming to FL
$50 and obtaining employment early
1888 with Mundy Bros herding sheep
the hills above FL PasO. After two
.ars in this employment he became
cretary fer Mundy Bros. who then
a general ranch and cattle
isiness and had large interests on the
nerican and Mexican side Of the
rer.
Saw The Herald Grow
His first connection with The Herald
as in 1888 when he became business