Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 77, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1906 — SAD COMMENCEMENT AT ST. JOSEPH’S. [ARTICLE]

SAD COMMENCEMENT AT ST. JOSEPH’S.

The Most Popular Senior Dies After Short Sickness. The commencement exercises and silver jubilee celebration at St Joseph’s College had a most sad ending in the death, after a very short sickness, of the most popular and promising and generally best known member of the gradnating class, thirteen in number. It was that of Edward J. Pryor, the class valedictorian, captain of Company U, of the college cadets, the finest company the college Jever h»d, chief editor of the college magazine, the Collegian, a leading member of and officer in every society in the college. Monday afternoon he drilled his company and then marched them from the coliege to the corporation line of Rensselaer, to meet Bishop Allerding. The train was late and they returned to the college grove and again marched out when the bishop arrived and escorted him to the college. Soon after that Mr. Pryor fainted and was taken to his room and a. little later to the college sick room. That he was very seriously sick was not recognized until next forenoon, when a town physician was called. He saw at once that the young man was very sick, with strong evidences of peri? tonitis. Jle gave him what relief he could, and called again in the afternoon and decided that an operation to open and relieve the congested condition of the bowels was the only hope of saving his life, and arranged for the operation at 6:30 o’clock. At 6:15 however the young man expired.

A post mortem was made in the evening, and numerous ulcers were found on the bowels, and both abdomenal and chest cavities fonnd to be filled with fluid, and a very bad condition generally revealed. The young man had been looking badly for four or five weeks, and it is now the opinion of the physician that he has been seriously sick all that time bat ► ept himself up by his ow i will power, in his ambition to graduate and take his part in the commencement and jubilee exercises. The physician thinks from perforations of the bowels and other indications, that he was suffering from some form of typhoid fever, and that if his sickness had been recognized and medical help called a week earlier, his life could probably have been saved. His home was in Philadelphia, and his father's name was also Edward rryor. His father was a veteran of the civil war and Edward himself, who wasof a very patriotic disposition, was an officer in a Sons of Veterans camp at home. He had taken the regular six years couise at the college and had the third place in the honors of the class. Of all the graduates he was far the beet knowu to our townspeople, from' his very sociable dis position. Among his many accomplishments he was a thorough musician, and many of oar people have heard and enjoyed his playing at various times. He was studying for the priesthood, and expected to go from here to a theological seminary to oomplete his education. The valedictory he had prepared was read by one of his class-mates within an hoar or two after his death, and was declared to be one of the finest and most touching valedictories ever heard in the college. It was bis military company and nnder his command, which took snch a welcome part in Ihe Decoration Day exercises here, last month. At that time he looked worn and overworked, and no doubt was sick even then.

He also left two sisters, with one of whom, jhe secretary of the Seneca Theater, in Philadelphia, be maintained a regular correspondence.