Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-07-30
CEN. HARRISON
GRAY Otis DIED
THIS AFTERNOON
Prominent Newspaper Man
Ends Eentful Career; Was
Eighty Years of Age

Eighty Years of Age
LOS ANGELES. July 3O.-General
Harrison Gray Otis, president of the
Los Angeles Times. died at the home
of his son-in.law. Harry Chandler this
afternoon.
General Harrison Gray Otis, him
self veteran of two wars, came of a
long line of military and statesman
ship ancestry. His grandfather was
a soldier of note in the Revolutionary
war and the Otis stock produced Jas.
Otis, Revolutionary patriot and ora
tor, and the first Harrison Gray Otis,
once noted as senator .troui Massa-
chusetts. Gen. Otis was eighty years
of age. his birth having occurred on
Washington County, o., farm, Feb.
10. 1897.
Over five 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 Volunteers; was promoted
through all grades to a captain in
1864. In that year a consolidation OF
regiments placed him in the 23rd
Ohio Veteran Volunteers, his colonel
and captain being respectively, Ruth
erford B. Hayes and William McKin-
ley. Altogether Ootis saw forty-nine
months of actual service in the Civil
war, was twice wounded and received
seven promotions. including two brew
cts, retiring with the title of major
and lie'.t e'.tenant-colonel, by brevet.
With the outbreak of the Spanish
American war, in 1898, Major Otis, at
! the age OF 61, volunteered his services
TO President Mckinley and was made
la brigadier general of volunteers. He
was assigned to duty, first at Camp
Merritt (Cal.) and then to the Philip
pines, where. at different times. he
commanded various divisions of the
Eight Army Corps in the campaign for
pacification of the native revolt. He
led out a brigade in person in the as
sault on Caloocan and participated in
the capture of the Filipino capital. He
resigned his command in April. 1899
returning to the United States. Upon
discharge, he was brevetted major
general for "meritorious conduct in
Iaction."
Following the Civil War, Otis re
turned to the trade of printer, fol
which he had abandoned school at al
early age, acquiring finally in 1882
fourth interest in the Los Angelo
Times. Previously he had served 70
four years as foreman OF the govern
ment printing office at Washington.
Quite early in his career as edito
and publisher of the Times. for h
speedily secured full control, Oti
. came into conflict with organized Ii
Dor and thereafter until the day
. his death he waged an unrel. otin
warfare for what he termed industri
freedom. On October 10, 1910, b
building and printing plant was dyn
=" mited and twenty of his workm'
killed. The arrests and trials whi'
y followed were matter of nation.wi
= interest.
General Otis acquired large ft
tune. his interests aside from publis
ing being extensive. In politics, !
~ paper ever reflected the attitude
its editor-aggressi uncomprom
81 ing Republican. Otis connection wi
that party dating back to 1860. WI
20 he was sent from Kentucky as
. delegate to the convention at Chica
which nominated Lincoln for I
presidency.
"S Aside from those mentioned, G'
cral Otis held numerous government
j" positions at different periods OF
life. lie was prominent in the Ora
!" Army of the Republic and numero
20 other patriotic orders and memt
~ of the American Academy OF Scicnc
The bride of General Otis you
S' manhood. Miss Eliza Wetherby "
. his constant associate in journah
and literature until her death in ~
-. or the Ave children born to the
- two daughters survive.