Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-08-02
GENERAL HARRISON
GREY OTIS DEAD
Veteran of Two Wars-Famous
as Editor of the Los An.
geles Times.


rison Grey Otis died at his home here
to-day in his 81st years.
General Harrison Grey Otis, himself
veteran of two wars, came of a long
line of military and statesmanship an
cestry. His grandfather was a soldier
of note in the Revolutionary War and
the Otis stock produced James Otis,
Revolutionary patriot and orator, and
the first Harrison Grey Otis. once noted
as senator from Massachusetts,. Gen.
Otis was 80 years of age, his birth hav-
Ing occurred on a Washington county,
Ohio. farm, February 10. 1897.
Over hve years Of General Otis life
was spent as a volunteer soldier of the
United States. In 1861, at the age Of
"a. he enlisted in the 18th Ohio Vols
unteers; was promoted through all
grades to a captain in 1854. In that
year consolidation of regiments
placed him in the gard Ohio Veteran
Volunteers. his colonel and captain be-
Ing. respectively. Rutherford B. Hayes
and William Mckinley. Altogether
Otis saw forty-nine months of actual
service in the Civil War, was twice
wounded and received several promo-
tions, including two brevets. retiring
with the title Of major and lieutenant-
colonel. by brevet.
With the outbreak of the Spanish-
American War, in 1898. Major Otis, at
the age Of 81, volunteered his services
to President Mckinley and was mada
a brigadier- general of volunteers He
was assigned to duty, first at Camp
Merritt, (CaL), and then to the Philips
pines, where, at different times, he
| commanded various divisions of the
Sth army corps in the campaign for
pacihcation Of the native revolt. He
| led a brigade in person in the assault
on Caloocan and participated in the
capture of the Filipino capital. He re-
signed his command In April. 1899, re-
turning to the United States. Upon
| discharge, he was brevetted major gen.
eral for "meritorious conduct in ac-
ton"
Following the Civil War, Otis returned
to the trade of printer, for which he had
abandoned school at an early age ac-
curing. finally in 1882. a fourth interest
In the Los Angeles Times Previously he
had served for four years as foreman
Of the government printing office at
Washington.
Quite early in his career as editor and
publisher Of the Times. for he speedily
secured full control. Otis came into cons
flict with organized labor and thereafter
until the day of his death he waged an
TcieHtiHB warfare LOT what ne termed
industrial freedom. On October TO- 1910
his building and printing plant was
dynamited and twenty Of his workmen
killed. The arrests and trials which fol-
lowed were matters Of nationwide inter-
est
General Otis acquired a large fortune.
his interests aside from publishing being
extensive. In politics, his paper ever res
Elected the attitude Of it's editor-aggres-
sive. incorporating republican. OTIS
connection with that party dating bach
to 1850. when he was sent from Kentucky
as a delegate to the convention at Chicago
which nominated Lincoln for the Prest
dency.
Aside from those mentioned. Genera
Otis held numerous governmental posi-
tons at different periods of his life. H
was prominent in the Grand Army Of tn
Republic and numerous other patriotic OF
ders and a member of the America
Academy OF Sciences.
!. The bride Of General Otis young man
/ hood. Miss Eliza Wetherby was his cor
A slant associate in journalism and litera
ture until her death in 1904. OF the fiv
= children born to them, two daughters SUI
v vive.