Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-13
DEATH SUMMONS
VIM. R. NELSON,
FAMOUS EDITOR
Head of Kansas City Star Dies
After Many Weeks OF
Illness
CIVIC BETTERMENT WAS
HIS STRONG PASSION
In Politics He Was "Independ-
ent But Never NeutraI'-
Declined Office

[Assoeiated Press by Federal Wirelessl
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, April 13!-
William RoekhilI Nelson, editor Of the
Kansas City Star, and for many years
a power in the public affairs Of the
West, died at his home here today
after weeks Of illness.
William ROckhill Nelson was found
er. owner and editor Of the Kansas
City Star. Although he did not en-
ter the newspaper business until he
was nearly 40 years old. lie brought
to Il such originality, ability and ell
ergy that he built up one Of the great
est newspapers Of the country.
Mr.. Nelson was born in Fort
Wayne, Indiana, March :, 1871. He
came OF two centuries OF American
ancestors. His maternal grandfather,
William Rockhill. settled in Indiana
when that state was wilderness In
1919, and was the first farmer in
America TO plant thousand acres Of
corn. Ills father, Isaac DeGroff Mel
sen, was identified with the upbuild.
ing Of the state and took an active
hand in its political life.
William, Rockhill Nelson was edu.
Gated at Notre Dame University.
After q short experience as young
sterl In cotton ; growing In Georgia
just after the war, he returned to In
diana and became a general contract
or. He engaged In the building of
roads, payements and bridges and
was associated in contract for the
construction OF the Southern Illinois
State Penltentiary.
= Intense admiration for the reform
work OF Samuel j. Tilden brought him
into contact With that great Democrat
and when. only "a Yeas old, he be
came Tildenis Indiana campaign mali!
ager. His interest In political leader
ship made him turn to newspaper
work as the best way to influence
men In the mass. He bought an in
terest I'M the Fort Wayne Sentinel and
business reverse determined him
to devote all his time to journalism.
He soon hscame convinced that the
opportunities In Fort Wayne were too
small. and after looking the field over
he decided on Kansas City as the
most promising city of the country
He persuaded his Fort Wayne part
ner. Samuel e. Morss to make the
venture with him. They sold their
Fort Wayne interests. went to Kansas
City and started the Evening Star as
a little, four-page afternoon news.
paper, on September IS, 1885, Mr.
Morss withdrew from the enterprise
after a few months on account of i'll
health and AIR. Nelson continued as
sole owner and editor-in-ehief.
Essentially builder, he took an In.
tense interest in the development of
the city. Almost from the first issue
the Star urged the necessity of paw.
ing the streets. of getting a park
system, of building attractive houses,
of planting shrubbery and trees. Mr..
Nelson himself had the trees set
along the first Kansas City boulevard.
He was constantly instigating move.
ments for city betterment
One Of his achievements was the
residence district which he laid out
near his home as an example of what
could be done toward city beautiflca-
ton. He built nearly q hundred mod
est houses along roads which he lined
with stone walls covered with honey
suckles and crimson ramblers. He
was intensely interested in fine pic
lures and he made collection of re-
productions of European masterpieces
done by the best artists who could
be found, which he gave to Kansas
City.
In politics he was. as he often said,
independent but never neutral" But
he would never consider any elective
or appointive position. Early in
President Taft's administration the
suggestion was made in newspaper
reports that he might he appointed
ambassador to France. He comment
ed editorially as follows: The edi-