Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-08
L. v. BOOTH, NOTED
EDITOR, EXPIRES
Member of Family of News
paper Owners Dies in Grand
Rapids Hospital.


GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, January
S.-Edmund w. Booth, editor and gen
eral manager Of the Grand Rapids
Press, died here this morning after an
illness Of one week. He was 60 years
old.
Mr. Booth entered ButterW0rth Hos
pital here last Sunday for observation.
A recurrence of n serious intestinal
disorder developed shortly afterward
and he failed to rally. His death came
as a shock to Michigan journalists and
newspaper workers generally.
Although he was deeply interested
in social service work and Travelled
widely in it's promotion and in salts
flying an interest in art, Mr.. Booths
greatest interest was Journalism.
Champion of Clean News"
An eloquent orator, he was an ardent
champion of "clean news" in the col
umns of his newspaper, and rarely
missed an opportunity to condemn
what he called yellow journalism"
With the exception of a brief alb
sence from duty on account of the ill
ness which ultimately caused his
DEATH and some time spent in
European travel, he was active until
the day he entered the hospital.
Edmund Wood Booth was born at
Toronto, Ontario, September %, 1865.
He was the son of Henry Wood Booth,
journalist and author, and Clara Gag
nier Booth.
After receiving a public education,
Mr. Booth entered business in Detroit
which he left at the age of "a years
to enter q field OF duty in which he
was particularly interested the
Young Mems Christian Association
work. For Is years he was connected
with the association, first at Detroit
and then at Albany, N. Y.
Removes to New York.
From Albany, Mr.. Booth went to
New York City as general secretary
for the association in New York. For
several years he acted as executive
head of the New York Association
and its 80 branches. AS monuments
to the success of his work, the Twenty
third street, West Side, Colored Mems
and Union branches are still factors
of the Y. NJ. G. A. system in New
York. Mr.. Booth conceived, planned
and raised funds for the erection of
these buildings.
Mr. Booth in 1906 became general
manager Of the Grand Rapids Press.
simultaneously with his appointment
came the removal of the Press to it's
present building. The newspaper
plant was constructed on modern lines
and special attention was given to the
neWsboys quarters, The carriers have
a large auditorium, playroom school
rooms, bathroom and swimming pool
and other accommodations. Mr.
Booth took personal interest in the
welfare and chara rbuilding Of the
boys and, it is said, his efforts yielded
notable results.
In Control of Nine Newspapers.
He was a member of a distinguished
Journalistic family, who control nine
newspapers. AS vice president of the
Booth Publishing Co. of which Ralph
Fl. Booth is president, Edmund Booth
was interested in these Michigan
newspapers: Grand Rapids Press,
Flint Daily Journal. Saginaw Daily
News, Jackson Citizen Press, BAY
City Times, Ann Arbor Times News,
kalamazoo Gazette, and Muskegon
Chronicle. His elder brother. George
q. Booth, is part-owner and president
of the Detroit News.
Mr.. Booth was married In 1898. in
Detroit, to Miss Mollie Burgess Smith.
who survives him. Four children.
Edmund Booth, jr., Esther. Paul and
Dorothy, also survive. Mr.. Booths
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Wood
Booth of Bloomfield Hills, Mich, also
are living.