Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-02-28
VETERAN NEWSPAPER
correspondent
IS DEAD
Il W. Thompson Succumbs to an
Operation nj Washington.

AEcr thirty.Scvcn years. ,ct5vo
service A> newspaper correspondent
llchard w. Thompson. founder of
ih"mpSon $ News Rurcau' Woshinr
ioil' -. G.. $uccumbcd To an onrraiiou
"hich had hccn performed to remove
an Intestinal obstruction and died =,
freedman Hospital. Thursday. rrh.
raarE IL, 1920. ut 10 l.. NJ. t'uncr,r
services w"r" held Sunday afternoon
f"hruarN 10th. at st. Lukc'S t,pjscn.
pai 'hur'h al which he was n mruLn,
rector I. j. Brown officiating. 'rhn
i7f&c mixed audience which witrr.,s
{" me impressive funeral ceremony
as wen as the roses and carnations: o.
lri'ho&hip and esteem that completely
'"''red the lilaC.cloth caNkrt. were.
hlut" cNid"nrc Of the fact that 4 rrr,t
'h'racicr mad passed awav.--a great
character indeed if useful service i
measure OF tru" greatness. Tho hon
orarE and active pallhcarrrS were.
JdiEc kohcr; III. Terrell. John G.. Dan
'F. l'r. Emmett j. Scott of Howard
| lhIV"r$ity. Walter J. Singleton of the
MuSo-lit Club. James II Howe. ]. 4,
l.ankford. Thomas Nj. Dent. Henry
l.aSSiter, +. d. Lee. President Nation
al Memorial Association, Editor ].
hlnley Wilson, Of the "Washtnpton
eagle and National Negro Press An.
sociation.
| Ihc Amphion Glcc Club, under tho
direction Of Prof. j. Henry Lewis, foe,
| lnEly rendered "Onc Swcetly Solemn
| Thought" and Mrs. Anna Johnson
May". OF st. Luke's Choir. imprcssiy.
y sang solo entitled when All j..
Done '"ords by Paul Laurence
. dunbar. the peerless Negro poet, and
music by q. Washington Adams. n No
! gro composer Of Washington, ID C)
1t seemed especially fitting that n
song so written and set TO music
should be sung at the funeral OF one
"ho' with tongue and pen, had de-
,oted all the energy of his soul In pub
lshing and exploiting the better side or
Negro life.
me splendid eulogy pronounced
o} Hector. t. J. Brown was most an
Ploprlatc and eloquent. He spoke of
MS visit to the bedside OF Mr.. Thomn
son Just one day before the operation
WAS performed and how agrccablv
surprised he was to note in the sick
ih"h words such an optimistic spir
u ana such firm religious faith. Re
leIrllE TO the impending operation
the patient said: YES. Rector Brown
realize there is but one chance out
OF hundred. but YOU know one
chancc is better than no chance al
all. and, i'll case anything happcns To
! HE tomorrow, You need have no uucs,
J tlon about il for | know in whom I
trust. Continuing, Rector Brown
! Said: was peculiarly struck by
| these words, because | have alwavs
| hPen Skcptlcal OF newspaper men,
| politicians and other public men
even when they come to church |
have often wondered whether they
were actuatcd by a genuine religious
motive or impellcd by some worldly
! or less worthy purpose. but, in Mr.
| Ihompson'S case | found him to be u
man who believed In God and believ.
cd in his Race: he was an intelligent
active. energetic man, one who devot
cd his talents In the direction of m.
! cial nplift,--One who was always
busy looking out for the best inter.
eSts OF colorcd Americans and publish
Ing facts that would properly plead
/ our cause and give us a just hearing
! al the bar OF public opinion. His long
and useful labors as a newspaper cor
respondent have laid upon the whole
race debt OF gratitude for the valu
able services he has rendered."
| lie leaves wife. Il married dauEht
er. md legion of freindS, both co
| ored and white. throughout America
to mourn their loss
| A brief resume OF ar. w" Thomp
sons useful career is deemed well
! worthy Of space In these columns
| and should inspire other young men
and women Of our race to equip them
selves for efficient service in the I'M
pCrtant field of Journalism. He was
born December % 1866. in Brandcn
| burg, Kentucky; his early life was
spent in the Statc Of Indiana and he
! was educated in the common and II 'gh
schools OF Indianapolis. At an early
ac" he cvinc"d remarkable aptitude
| for public affairs: while in school he
! showed proficiency in such studies as
political economy. civil government
| history and literature. and was especial
" tclontrd in The art Of English com
position.
! Losing his father when very young
h" was largely dependent upon his
own efforts for livelihood and work
! ed at variety OF pursuits to enable
him to continue his studies in school
III 1891 he became associated with