Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1911 — DRINK DROVE TALENTED YOUNG MAN TO POVERTY. [ARTICLE]

DRINK DROVE TALENTED YOUNG MAN TO POVERTY.

Once Prominent Family at Attica Wiped Out by Dentil In Peer Sense Of Once Bright Ban. Attica Ledger. I The body of Will Latta, son of John R. Latta, Sr., one. of the prominent pioneer citizens of Attica, was brought from the county farm today and buried in Riverside. His death is the last in a family who once occupied a prominent place in business and social affairs in Attica. Their home was located where the free Methodist parsonage now stands, and was provided with every comfort obtainable in those early days. But for some reason things went wrong. The mother, who seemed a very lovable woman, lost her reason from some unknown cause, and was confined in the asylum at Indianapolis for more than 50 years before death released her, The father died while yet comparatively young. Three children, John R, Jr., Will and a daughter had been born to them and grew up in this city. The sister died while yet a young woman, John R. .Jr., became one of the leading merchants of Attica and built up a large trade in the boot and shoe business. His troubles are yet fresh in the minds of the people here and his death at Burlington, Kansas, following closely upon a short visit here after a long absence, was one of those strange life experiences that are happily infrequent occurrences. Will Latta was a very brilliant young man, but with little or no stability of character, and a tendency to dissipation. He was a rover, but possessed unusual mechanical ability and finally entered the employ' of a safe company at Cleveland as an expert. He remained with them for several yeA's and became' known as one of their best men, but drink caused him to lose his place and he became a wanderer. In all his wanderings, however, he never returned to Attica but once, and then remained only for a short time. When he entered the county asylum 6 years ago, it was from Covington, and it was not known here that he was an inmate for some time after he was placed there. Will had become partly blind and for several years prior to his seeking a home in his old county had led a miserable existence. Whether it was simply fate, or the result of radical defects in the temperaments afid character of the family that these misfortunes came, can not be said, but their experiences are certainly among the saddest that have come to any of our people. In the opinion of the lecture going public, your “Simon Says Wig-Wag” was the hit of the course so far. You were greeted with the largest audience of the season. —Dr. C. H. Brough, University of Arkansas, in personal letter. At M. E. church tonight. Senator Moore, of Fayette cjunty, has taken up the question of requiring that teachers be graduates of high schools or equivalent. He thinks the requirement is unfair and it has always impressed us the same way. There are many aspiring young men and women who are well qualified to teach who have not yet completed a high school course and we believe that the examinations should be sufficient test of their ability. There can be no doubt that some who have com pleted the second year of high school are better qualified to teach than some graduates and to make an iron clad rule making graduation requisite for teaching does not seem fair.

Your lecture has been pronounced by the people of Ocala as the best heard in years; an opinion which 1 fully endorse.—Dr. Wm. C. Lindsay, Chairman Lyceum Committee, Ocala, Florida, in personal letter. At M. E. church tonight.