Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-02-26
C0L. W.P. WALTON
DIES IN LEXINGTON
e Of States Foremost News.
papermen Succumbs-Once
Here With Climax

1Slngton OF Colonel William Z.
Walton, former editor of the Weekly
Richmond Climax, at his home there
Wednesday night about six o'clock.
An affection of the heart from which
he has been a sufferer for a number
sof years is believed to have been
Irresponsible for his death. He suffer-
ed severe attack few days ago, and
i Eas revived with difficulty, and the
end came late Wednesday, just after
the departure of his brother, Ed G..
Walton, of Stanford, for home, after
being with him nearly all day.
II j, Col. Walton made his more than
state-wide reputation as a newspaper
81 man as editor of the Stanford Interior
Journal, which he conducted for. al
most so years. He was native of
I Virginia, where he was born in Han
u over county in 1852. He came to
II Kentucky, as, a railroad contractor
and built a part of the Cincinnati
4 Southern railroad, having part in the
RECONSTRUCTION of the Kings Mountain
tNhnel.. The Interior Journal had
bscA started few years before and
was wabbling on infant legs. Col.
Walton, ably assisted by his brothers
y Tom Walton, capitalist now in At
a lalta and very ill-and later Ed Wall
ton. quickly placed it on its feet and
$made it as successful financially as
is was famous editorially.
In the early days, Lincoln county
as hotbed of lawlessness. Many
ktray members of the old Bridge
vater gang still carried on with a
&igh hand, especially in the east-end
tfound Crab Orchard. Col. Walton
Jed vigorous campaign for law en-
15Sorcement, and personally had part.
s Ia; cleaning up the community. He
fwas an intense democrat, and south
esner, and his paper became known
las the party oracle for all that part
hH the state. He never held elective
ffsss, land rather, paradoxicaliy, the
irst appointive position he held, was
6ks a. member of the Reform School
5Board, to which he was named by Gov.
Bfadley, a republican but close per-
ksonal friend. their attachment dating
B. from the time that Bradley was a
( practicing attorney at his home in
$haneaster. f.-''"
5nShortly after the assassination of
foebel in 1900, leading democrats of
fsexington were restive without a
q newspaper organ, the Herald having
= bolted Bryan and fought Goebel. A
ksfnd was subscribed. to start simon
pure democratic newspaper, and Col.
Naiton was offered the editorship
1This he accepted, and removed with
This family to Lexington where they
64lhave since resided. He sold the In
Eterior Journal to his brother. Eu
tWalton After short period he OBJ
J. tained ownership of the Lexington
1paper, the Democrat, which he oper-
"a ated individually until it was sold te
the Herald and merged with thai
i paper late in 1914. Then he bought
= the State Journal at Frankfort, which
he rejuvenated and made power il
1 kpolitical circles at the capital during
kthe Beckham administration.
M Col. Walton had early espoused tn,
cause and friendship of the young
D. royernor after the assassination o.
"A 9oebel, and for a number of years re
bnlained his loyal friend and supporter
He later supported Senate
Stanley as governor and as candidat
for. senator, with the same degree o
: enthusiasm and fidelity, there being
si1ht kinship between Stanley an
Mrs. Walton, who was Miss Owsley
!. Col. Walton sold the State Journa
to a. company headed by Beckham, an
Z after, short experience as editor o
the Lexington Gazette, and the China
here, retired from active newspape
work, devoting his last few years
oil and other investments. He serve
at the head of several Democrat
campaigns as publicity manager an
in other ways constantly kept in touc
kh his profession, by all of the-men
be9sS of which he was SO UNIVERSAL
IA revered and beloved.
His first wife, by whom he had 7
children was Miss Kate Huffman, /
Stanford After her death he marie
! Miss Matte Owsley, daughter of Ho
John Sam Owsley, ST., and to the
three children were born, William, j
Owsley and Mary Walton, who survi
with their mother. His two brothe
aid one sister, Mrs. /. N. Vaughn,
kRichmond, Va, also survive. The j
innate relationship between the mel
hers of this family, the brothers a
sister, has been beautiful thing,
those who knew of it. Scarce d
Z passed but what one wrote to
other. Their fraternal love was
Eliminating force in their lives a
lie blow to the brothers and sister