The Nome daily nugget., 1935-12-03

R& diers, their rifles slanting across the tN1X1t shoulders of their drty-white uni lt1GlkIl forms, their bare feet kicking up
 - little spurts of sand as they shuffled
 along.
 In their midst was another little man, but un- like his captors he was light-halred Ca "cotton. head" they called him back In his native Ten. nessee), frecklefaced, almost boyishly slender for all of his thlrty-six years His old flannel shirt was open at the throat, his ragged trousers were tucked into worn boots and in his hand he carried battered, faded old black hat
 Beside him walked tall black-rob Spanish priest who held crucifix in front of the little blonde mans face But 1t is doubtful if his cold gray eyes saw it. They were looking away across the fringe of the tropical jungle to the black and purple-shadowed mountains which the rays of the morning sun were beginning to paint with gold.
 Haiti" The line of marching men stopped, but only the little man in the center obeyed the command with true military precision Another sharp command and the slouching rife e-bearers formed ragged line along the beach. An off. cer came forward with a handkerchief In his hand, but the little man waved him aside. AS he looked into the black mouths of the rifles pointed at his heart, he spoke slowly, gently:
 "The war which made upon you was wrong,
 
 tunty to beg your forgiveness. That done, die resigned. I would like to think that my life and my death will have been for the good of society,""
 "Firew As the little man sagged down to the ground, another voley of bullets rained upon his crumpled form. Then a single soldier walked forward, placed the muzZle of his gun close to the little mans head and fired.
 Thus died William Walker. "the gray eyed man of destiny" "the nneteenthcentury Cortez," "the Napoleon of Central America" He was all of these and much more, for this tow headed soldier of fortune was one of the most remarkable char acters in American history. There was a time when his deings were a matter of international concern, when he was figure in the slavery dis pute which led to the Civil war and when he occupied more columns of and editorials in American and British Journals than Presidents Pierce and Buchanan or Queen Victoria. No man ever so daZzled the American mind and heart as this quiet little man. He was the beginning of that peculiar madness which affects New York city whenever a hero visits there"
 There was nothing In Walkers early career, unless 1t was the versatility of the man. to indi- cate the important role he was destined to play on the stage of world affairs. The son of Scotch Presbyterian banker in Nashville, Tenn, Walker was a precocious child who was gradu. ated from the University of Nashville at the age ol sSheutttH. HIS Wduleu ulLH lO De Il minister but his inclination was to medicine. Studying for two years in the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, he then went abroad to complete his education at Edinburgh and Paris At the age of twenty-one he back in Nashville "the most accomplished sur geon that ever visited the city"
 But he soon tired of medicine and next took up the study of law. AS soon as he was ready tO practice, he moved to New Orleans but be- cause of his retiring disposition, which resulted in lack of clients he gave up the law for jour nalism. In 1S4S he became one of the editors and proprietors of the Crescent which soon be- came an important newspaper in that city. At that time New Orleans was the outfitting place for many filibustering expeditions in Latin-Amer- ican waters and countries. Considering Walkers later career 1t seems strange that his editorial policy concerning such expeditions was an ex- tremely conservative one But 1t and that had something to do with the failure of his paper.
 However, an unfortunate love affair was the principal reason for his leaving New Orleans and seeking his fortune in the California geld fields He soon drifted into journalism again, this time as editor of the San Francisco Daily Herald
 At this time down in Central America Near agua was undergoing one of its periodical revolu- tons war in which the Democrats and Legiti- HllSlS were struggling 1Or cOnlroi Walher wrote to General Castellon, head of the Democrats, of fering the service of 300 American coonists ''liabe to military service if they would agree to provide land for them" Castellon was de lighted to have such allies and readily signed the agreement, so In May, 1855, Walker at the head of 56 adventurers sailed from San Francisco aboard the s. S. Yesta which had been secretly loaded with arms and ammunition. Arriving In Realejo, the American leader hastened to Leon, the Democrats base, where he was warmly wei comed by Casteon, who made him a colonel and placed him In command of the American Pha. lanx."
 Supported by a force of several hundred Dem ocrat soldiers, Walker, acting under orders from Castellon marched to the attack of Rivas, one of the leading cities of Nicaragua, which defended by some GOO Legitmist troops. But during the march Walkers Nicaraguan allies be- gan desertng and by the time he reached the city they had dwindled to 100, all of whom fled at the first fire of the Legitimlsts. Despite this defectlon, Walker led his 56 Americans on to the capture of the city, losing dead and F wounded
 Unable to hold the city with his tiny force, Walker retreated to Leon, where he threatened to laaya caryica and anliSt undar tho