The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-04-09


Walter Thomas Marlatt was presi-
dent of the Kenosha Evening News
Publishing company and editor and
publisher of the Kenosha Evening
News and the Telegraph Courier. He
was born at Franklin, Indiana, Febru-
airy 10, 1874. He was a son of the
late Rev. A. N. Marlatt for many years
minister of the Methodist Episcopal
church in the southeastern Indiana
conference.
He was educated in the common
schools at Richmond, Indiana, and
graduated from the high school at
Columbus, Indiana, and from DePauw
university in .Greencastle, Indiana,
with the class of 1896.
Up from the Ranks.
The deceased began his newspaper
work in 1899 as "cub' reporter on
the Columbus (Indiana) Times. 1t
was in 1891 that he first became asso-
ciated with the Associated Press as a
correspondent at Greencastle. He
worked on the Indianapolis News in
1892 and in 1893 was associated with
George B. Lockwood, who became the
secretary of the national Republican
committee in writing the history of
the New Harmony Socialism. He join
ed the staff of the old Chicago Crap
hic in the same year and later was as
sociated with the City Press Assoc
citation, Tribune, Inter Ocean, and
Chronicle in Chicago, and the New
York World and Philadelphia North
American.
Mr.. Marlatt came to Kenosha in
October 1895, as assistant to the head
master of the University school He
taught through the school year and
then became city editor Of the Keno
sha Daily Union OF which he was
afterward editor. In the fall of 1896
he wrote dramatic criticism for the
st. Paul Pioneer Press. He returned
to Kenosha later in the year to be-
come city editor of the Kenosha Even
ing News which position he held until
1915 when he became editor. He be-
came publisher of The News with the
organization of The Kenosha News
Publishing company in 1917, of which
company he was president at the time
o. his death.
To those who knew, him best in his
capacity as editor and newspaper man,
he was the most delightful of COM
panions. He had worked his way up
from the, bottom of the ladder, begin
ming as a newsboy and continuing
through a journalistic career in sew
eral cities through which he rose
from cub reporter to editor and pub
Usher. He was hard worker, and
never shirked the tasks which con-
fronted him. He loved to do the hard
part and leave the picturesque and
happier phases os the work to his
employees.
Leader In Civic Work.
In addition to his work as jour
nalist, which had made him recognized
as one of the leaders in newspaper
work in Wisconsin, he had always
taken an active part in the advance
ment of the community. For six
years he served as member of the
city council of Kenosha, during which
time he was leader in the delibera-
tions of that body, serving for a while
as president Of the council. He was
the father of the present health and
park ordinances under which much
--aFss done in the development of the
park systems of Kenosha. He served
on many of the important council
committees during his term of office,
among them the finance committee.
In war days he gave unstintedly of
his time and energies in meeting all
of the calls placed upon him to aid
in the martialing of the forces OF
Kenosha county. He was a member
of the Kenosha county council of de-
tense and had led in movements which
gave Kenosha splendid war record.
One of his editorials of war days
entitled 1.-THE Duty We Owe to Him.
was recognized as OF. sse lead
ing editorials of the nation in a com
petitive contest carried on under the
direction of the government.
Active In Fraternal Circles.
Mr.. Marlatt had been a leader in
various fraternal organizations of Ke-