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| Army Surgeon Judson C. Nelson. |
The Cortland Democrat, Friday, July 19,
1895.
DEATH OF DR. NELSON.
Dr. Judson C. Nelson died at his home in
Truxton at 6 o'clock last Thursday afternoon, aged 71 years. For some days he
had been making preparations for a trip to Oneida lake with the Truxton
Coaching Club and the party was to start that afternoon. Soon after 9 o'clock
he called at the barber shop to have his hair cut. He took a seat in the chair,
but feeling oppressed, he went out and sat down on the porch. In a very few
moments a neighbor noticed that he was lying down and that he was apparently in
distress. Several citizens went to his assistance and he was taken home and Dr.
Higgins of this place [Cortland] was summoned. In the afternoon he was so much
better that Dr. Higgins returned home on the train. At 6 o'clock he received a
message that his patient was worse and he went to the station to take the 7
o'clock train. While waiting for the train he was notified by a messenger from
the telephone office that Dr. Nelson was dead.
Dr. Nelson was born in Danby, Tompkins Co.,
N. Y., June 3, 1824, where his father, Rev. Caleb Nelson held a pastorate.
Later the family moved to Spencer and Candor, Tioga Co., and in the schools of
these towns the subject of this notice received his education. He attended the
Geneva Medical college and was a private pupil of Dr. Thomas Spencer. He
graduated from the college in January 1848. In March of the same year he
located in Truxton and in November he married Miss Henrietta S. Walter of
Newark, who died in 187[?], leaving two children, Arthur B. Nelson of this
place and Isabel Nelson Tillinghast, a member of the faculty of Vassar college.
December 11, 1861, he was commissioned surgeon
of the 76th Regiment, N. Y. S. Vol. and went to the front with the regiment.
August 11, 1863, he resigned, owing to ill health and came home as it was
believed a confirmed invalid. Partially regaining his health he became a
medical officer in the U. S. General Hospital Department of Washington, where
his skill as a surgeon was in great demand. His term of service here ended in
Nov., 1864, and he returned home and resumed the active practice of his
profession. June 20, 1883, he married Miss Florence Irwin Snyder of Middleburgh,
Schoharie Co., who survives him.
Dr. Nelson was a most excellent physician
and enjoyed an extensive practice. He was frequently called in counsel in
difficult cases far from his home and his opinion on medical questions always
carried great weight with his brother physicians. He was elected a permanent
member of the State Medical Association in 1875 and he was also a member of the
Central N. Y. association and of the Cortland County Medical society.
As a citizen he was a prince among men.
Genial and affable under all circumstances he made friends with all whom be
came in contact. While he had an opinion of his own upon all subjects that
could not easily be shaken, he never intruded it upon others and always
respected the opinions of those who differed with him. His kindly disposition,
his charitableness, and his readiness to help others, no matter what their
station in life, made him very popular. He represented his town in the board of
supervisors for fourteen or fifteen years and in 1875 was elected to the
assembly and in 1882 he was re-elected. Notwithstanding the republican majority was
1,500 in the county, his popularity carried him to victory over strong opponents.
Dr. Nelson was a Democrat of the old school and took great pride in the
victories gained by his party, but his political opinions were of the
conservative sort and were never intruded upon others. He will be sadly missed,
not only in his immediate neighborhood but wherever his kindly influence was
felt and known. When an honest, upright, kindly gentleman like Dr. Nelson is
taken from a community, the loss is irreparable.
The funeral was held from his late residence
on Sunday afternoon, Rev. J. L. Robertson
of Cortland officiating. The services at the grave were in charge of the
Masonic fraternity, Hon. S. S. Knox officiating. W. H. Crane of Homer lodge
acted as marshal with E. D. Mallory of Cortland as assistant. An immense crowd
of people were present.
TRUXTON.
The town of Truxton, it may be said, is
mourning, caused by the death of Dr. J. C. Nelson,
which occurred last week Thursday and the gloom is not confined to this
community alone, for his name was like a house-hold word far and wide. It would
seem as if he might have been spared some years yet, but it was not to be, and
the saying that "The King of terrors loves a shining mark," has
another exemplification. We conversed with him about an hour before the attack
and he seemed in the best of spirits in view of his departure with the Coaching
Club which was to have taken place that afternoon. About 10 A. M. he started
for the barber shop and when about to go up the steps dropped to the side-walk.
His old and deadly enemy, neuralgia of the heart, which came near taking him
off twenty years ago, and was upon him this time to conquer. He was taken
quickly to his home, medical aid was summoned, and all that kind and sympathizing
friends could do was done with no avail, for about 6 o'clock in the evening he
passed quietly to the other shore.
His funeral, which was attended by some
2,000 people, was conducted by the Masonic Order of which he was a member.
Besides the 250 masons there were about fifty members of the G. A. R. to which
order he also belonged. Ex-Judge Knox of Cortland read the Masonic funeral
services at the grave.
Dr. J. C. Nelson, who it appears was cousin
to Robert Ingersol and William F. Cody, was born in the town of Danby, Tompkins
county in this state, June 3d, 1824. He was the son of a Baptist clergyman in moderate
circumstances and when quite young, was thrown upon his own resources, but by
his natural personal energy he succeeded in attaining a medical education and
graduated at the Geneva Medical College.
In January 1848 he came to Truxton and began
the practice of medicine. When the rebellion broke out he stood manfully by the
union, procured enlistment papers and
speakers, which resulted in sending off about a dozen of the first recruits for
the war from this town. He gave efficient aid to the 76 New York which was
nearly all recruited in Cortland county, and being passed as full surgeon by
the State Military Examining Board at Albany in October, 1861, was appointed
surgeon in that regiment and served with it in the field until July 1862, when
his health failing he was forced to resign his position and return home.
However he partially recovered his health, returned to Washington in January,
1863, and by special contract with the Surgeon General of the United States entered
upon the duties of a medical officer In the United States General Hospital
Department at Washington. He served in that capacity until his term of service
expired in November 1864. When the Confederate General Early made his attack on
the defences of Washington for which act Jeff Davis was charged with treason,
Nelson was called out to the front and dressed the wounded of the 6th corps men
close up to the line of battle. He was justly proud of his military record and
expressed a desire to be buried in the army blue. He leaves his widow, one son
Arthur Nelson of the firm of Nelson & Call, and one daughter Mrs. Isabell
Tillinghast to mourn his death.
PAGE
FOUR—EDITORIALS.
Howard G. White of Syracuse, who has been
considered a candidate for the republican nomination for State Senator in that district,
announces that he is not a candidate.
The Hon. Epenetus Howe of Tioga county is
anxious to represent this district in the State Senate. The district is now
made up of Broome, Tioga and Cortland counties. Howe used to be prominent in
the ranks of the Greenback party and ran for office several times on that
ticket. He has not yet placed himself on record on the financial question, but
as most of the old greenbackers are now for free silver, it is quite probable
that he may lean in that direction. The best way to find out what his opinion
is on this important question would be to ask Tom Platt. It is quite probable
that Platt knows better what Mr. Howe's opinion is than that gentleman does
himself.
The
Rochester Post Express says: "The leaders of the Platt wing of the
republican party in this state have decided to urge the nomination of Judge C.
E. Martin of Binghamton as Associate Judge of the Court of Appeals and that in
the event of his nomination they would ask Gov. Morton to appoint Senator
Edmund O'Connor of the same city to succeed Martin as a justice of the Supreme
Court." The nomination of Judge Martin for the Court of Appeals would be
creditable to the party but the appointment of O'Connor to fill Martin's place
on the Supreme bench would be a bitter pill to the people of this judicial
district. O'Connor admits that he wears Platt's collar and "finds it very
comfortable." He should be permitted to continue wearing the collar but he
ought not to be allowed to put on the judicial ermine.
 |
| Grover Cleveland. |
Mr.
Cleveland's Triumph.
When the last Democratic Congress adjourned
on the 4th of March, after flouting and insulting President Cleveland in every
possible way, if any prophet had said that within four months a convention of
his party in Kentucky, chosen on the very issue of ratifying or rejecting his
financial policy, would give him the most enthusiastic endorsement by more than
a two- thirds majority, such a seer would have been called mad. That is the
wonderful thing that has happened. It is not the only event of the kind in Mr.
Cleveland's career. On the contrary, it is the recurrence of such events that
makes his present triumph more impressive, showing as it does that the people
are faithful to leaders who have once gained their confidence by an
uncompromising adherence to the truth through evil an well as through good
report.
This victory in Kentucky smashed the
silverites in both parties, and they knew it. Mr. Cleveland, more than any
other man, has done this. By his courage and fortitude he has not merely
snuffed out a lot of pestilent demagogues in his own party, such as Blackburn,
Bland, Vorhees, Morgan and Atgeld, but he has dwarfed into relative
insignificance a lot of week-kneed trimmers and traders in the Republican party
whose names will readily suggest themselves to the general reader. Furthermore,
he has done what to most people, three months ago, was incredible—he has made a
Democratic victory next year [1896] possible. He has done this by turning the
party "about face," preventing it from walking over a precipice for
which it was plainly headed. Nothing seemed more likely, prior to the holding
of the Memphis convention, than that the whole South would go with a mad rush
for silver at 16 to 1, in which case the party would have lost every Northern
State east of the Missouri river, together with Delaware, Maryland and West
Virginia, and very likely Kentucky also. Indeed, there is no saying what States
they could be sure of, since 16-to-1 madness will not bear discussion through a
campaign where it is the chief issue, at the event in Kentucky proves.
In ascribing to Mr. Cleveland the foremost
place, we do not overlook the services of Mr. Carlisle, Mr. Patterson and other
able and zealous workers. They have fought a glorious battle, and are entitled to
second place, but the battle would not have been fought at all but for Mr.
Cleveland. We should have gone to silver monometallism two years ago but for
him, and we should have wallowed in that mire until we had learned, by dear
bought experience, that a depreciated and fluctuating currency is never
anything but a curse, and most of all a curse to the poor. It was Mr.
Cleveland's initiative in calling Congress together in 1893 that made it
possible to repeal the Sherman act. It was his determination that brought the Democratic
Senators "up to the scratch." It was his rejection of compromises
that compelled the taking of a vote on the naked question of repeal, without
which we should be in a condition very different from the one we are now in,
and far less satisfactory.
The immediate consequence of Mr. Cleveland's
triumph in Kentucky will be a subsidence of the silver craze in Texas, in Missouri,
in North Carolina, and probably in all the states. Convalescence will proceed
rapidly, and it will not be restricted to the Democratic party. The Republicans
will get some of the benefit. We shall soon discover an improved tone among
their leaders. Harrison, Reed, and McKinley will find it much easier to talk
than it was a while ago, and such newspapers as the Tribune will be much bolder
than they were. These things go to swell the trophies in Mr. Cleveland's wigwam—scalps
in his belt, so to speak. That he may be long to wear them is the earnest wish
of the sober-minded American people.—N.
Y. Post.
HERE AND THERE.
Annual school meetings,
Tuesday evening, August 6th.
The Presbyterian Sunday School
will picnic in Gillett's grove on Wednesday, July 24th.
F. Daehler, the merchant
tailor and gents' furnisher, has a new advertisement in another column.
The complaint in the case of
the People agst. R. Burns Linderman, charged with selling liquor without a
license, has been withdrawn.
The E. C. & N. Railroad
Co. have resumed the sale of mileage books. Only the person who purchases the
books can ride on them.
The E. C. & N. R. R. will
sell round trip excursion tickets from Cortland to
Sylvan Beach on Sunday, July 21st, at $1.00. Train leaves Cortland at
7:20 A. M.
L. A. Stoner of Troy has
occupied a cell in the Cortland jail for some weeks past charged with skipping
a board bill. He plead guilty to the charge and was sentenced to the Onondaga
penitentiary for sixty days. Officer Monroe took him there on Tuesday.
The Cortland & Homer
Traction Co. expect to have the cars running to the park as early as the first
of next month and by the middle of next month they hope to be running to
McGrawville. The new park will be named "Cortland Park." Several new
cars have been ordered and are ready to be put on the road as soon as the same is
completed.
The safe in the Cortland
Savings Bank has been reinforced by a Burton-Harris automatic time lock. The
new device is said to be absolutely burglar and dynamite proof. The same sort of device is to be placed on
the vaults of the First National bank. The lock unlocks itself when the hour at
which it has been set arrives and until then it is useless to try to open it.
Last week considerable
excitement prevailed in and about McLean because it was surmised that a man by
the name of Bailey living about a mile southwest of that place, had small pox.
It turned out to be only a case of rash, but a Syracuse morning paper announced
that "Farmer Bailey of Cortland had small pox and the people of that place
were preparing to leave." Such ignorance as was displayed by this paper is
entirely inexcusable.
Two or three weeks ago we
published an account of an accident that happened to Mrs. Dr. Santee while she was riding on the highway to Marathon on a
tandem [bicycle] with her husband. The accident was caused by a dog running out
at them and after it was over the doctor borrowed a gun and shot the canine.
The owner of the dog, Mr. M. Driscoll, sued the doctor and the case was tried
before Justice Wilson and a jury at Marathon last Saturday. The jury found for
the defendant.
Charles Barshusea, who has
been conducting a meat market at 111 Elm-st., made an assignment last Thursday
to Sabina Felkel. Slow collections is the cause assigned.
The ice cream social given on
Wednesday evening by the Epworth League of the Homer-ave. church was a success,
both socially and financially. The gross receipts were over $29.
Mrs. M. Eva Williams, of this
city, has been appointed District Deputy Grand Matron of the Order of the
Eastern Star, for the fifth district, which includes the counties of Broome,
Cortland, Orange, Otsego, Delaware, Chenango and Sullivan.—Binghamton Republican.
Ice cream again! Ice cream and
cake will be served at the W. C. T. U. rooms, No. 12 Court St., on Saturday evening, July 20th, from 7 until 9. We
are surely raising the desired amount for the East Side Reading rooms. Come
friends! "The liberal soul shall be made fat."
FROM EVERYWHERE.
Mrs. Margaret Fallon of King's
Ferry is in her 109th year and enjoys good health.
Wm. J. Moses, publisher of the
Auburn Bulletin, died of apoplexy July 4th, aged seventy-three years.
A recent police census of
Niagara Falls shows 16,850 inhabitants, an increase since 1893 of about 7,000.
The reports received to-day by
the Marine Hospital service from Cuba show an alarming increase in the number
of deaths from yellow fever.
The Masonic Grand Lodge of the
state of New York now holds property that is estimated to be worth $10,000,000,
making it the richest Masonic body in the world.
Prof. C. H. Thurber has
resigned the principalship of Colgate Academy at Hamilton to assume charge of
the department of pedagogy in the University of Chicago.
While walking on the Buffalo
and Southwestern track near Kennedy Monday morning, Adam Conliss of Ithaca,
aged 22, was struck by train No. 106 and instantly killed.
A Wayne county man was married
Thursday, and his wife eloped with another fellow the same day. The husband
overtook the runaways, whipped his rival, recaptured his bride and is happy
again.
Burglars blew open the safe in
the store of James McAuliffe at Alleghany early Tuesday morning. The report
awakened Mrs. Frank Lemon, who fired at the burglars and frightened them away
before they secured booty.
Though there is a law against
the sale of oleomargarine in this State, more than 10,000 pounds are said to be
sold weekly in this city. There is a penalty of not less than $1,000 nor more
than $5,000 for each offense and the United States officers, with the Collector
of Internal Revenue, have the matter in hand and arrests are expected to follow
in a few days.—Syracuse Evening Herald.
A Locke youth named John
Walker celebrated the Fourth by firing off a cannon of his own invention—made
out of a three foot log. A correspondent says "his eyes are swollen tight
shut, his face filled with powder, and he looks like a negro who had gone
through a fight and come out with his face badly pounded. Dr. Ramus was called
to attend him and says his injuries are permanent and he will be disfigured for
life."
The Niagara Falls Power Co.
started its first 5,000 horse dynamo June 25, which worked successfully, and
many more will soon be ready for operation. When the plans of the company are
completed, which comprise the utilization of 400,000 horse power on the
American and Canadian sides, it is estimated that there will be sufficient
power to turn every wheel, light every light and run every trolley car within a
radius of two hundred miles of the falls in the United States.
Warden Stout of Auburn has
written to Governor Morton the particulars of the assault made upon Keeper
Jenkins by Lung Poi, the Chinese convict, and has recited the fact that
convicts Charles Warner, sentenced from Queens county in 1890 for 17 years,
James Kinsella, sentenced in 1894 for 10 years, and Fenimore Clayton sentenced
from Otsego county in January, 1885, for life, for murder second degree, by
their assistance saved the keeper's life at great peril to their own lives. The
warden believes that the Governor should recognize the men's bravery by
extending executive clemency.
A Wonderful Mirage.
A fine mirage was witnessed at
Mount Hope, Orange county. It showed in the clouds a strip of the New York bank
of the Hudson river nearly twenty miles long. The city of Yonkers was so
plainly depicted that some of the residences were recognizable. There was the
image of tugs and ferry boats plying the river, and of big chimneys pouring out
smoke. The most wonderful part of the spectacle was the arrival of a New York
train at Yonkers. The train appeared to break from the south, to plow its way
through as if running on a solid foundation, and then completely disappearing
at the northern end of the sky. The mirage lasted about thirty minutes and was
seen by a great many people.
PREBLE.
The rain is coming our way
soon.
Quite a large acreage of
cabbage is set in Preble.
Everybody is haying now and
the crop cut is the lightest in years.
Miss Nellie Kelley of Troy is
visiting her cousin, Miss Anna Steele.
E. C. Ercanbark and party are
home from Otisco lake, where they were camping.
Miss Mack's school at
Baltimore closed last week with a picnic of her school children held at Tully
lake.
Miss Anna Steele's school
closed in the Fox district last Friday and the school children held a picnic in
E. Cornue's grove on Saturday. There was quite a large attendance and everybody
present enjoyed themselves. Among those present were Miss Nellie Kelley of
Troy, Misses Mack of Cortland, also Miss Riley and Miss Anna Cain of Cortland.
An incident happened a short
time ago in our town that illustrates character. The day was Sunday, and as a
general rule our people have a friendly regard for the Sabbath. There is a
great calm that is seldom broken, with a dignified air, and we have as well
dressed and well behaved a population as any country town could desire. But as
there are freaks in nature there are sometimes freaks in conduct in some who are
usually well beloved, that may be accounted for through badly ventilated
sleeping apartments or may be indigestion or an innate desire for notoriety,
but those are only speculative theories. Certain it is that on the day
mentioned a youngerly man started from his home with his singing book to attend
church. He had not gone far when he came to the house of a lady (now married)
who used to sing in the choir and with whom, about two years before, he had
some trifling dispute over something of no importance. As he came to the gate
he stopped so suddenly that his hat fell forward on the sidewalk. He was laboring
with a big idea that he would then and there go in and have the long forgotten
question of dispute settled, and he immediately proceeded to do so. He rapped
and was invited in, the lady and her husband were at home, and little did she
dream of the motive of the caller. The caller lost no time in introducing the old
question, and the lady had said but a few words when the caller told the lady that
she lied. The lady's husband then lost no time in telling the caller that he would
not allow him to talk to his wife in that way and that he must get out of the house.
The caller snapped out at a single breath "Tain't your house," but he
did not have time to say any more for he had other business on hand; he was
picking himself up at the front gate and then he picked up his hat and singing
book and went on his way. It is said that experience is the best kind of
knowledge if you do not have to pay too dearly for it.
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