USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Los Angeles from the mountains to the sea : with selected biography of actors and witnesses to the period of growth and achievement, Volume III > Part 5
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ELIZABETH AGNES WILBUR. Sufficient fame unto the day and doubtless for many years to come, has been awarded this native daughter of California, a poetess of no mean distinction, through the authorship of the stirring lines heard and sung throughout the allied world, "The Americans Come!" The song that has been pronounced the greatest song of the war.
Miss Wilbur was born at Stockton, California. Her grandfather, Sebastian Timeson Visher, came to California in 1849 on the same ship with Collis P. Huntington, and was identified with the early history of the San Joaquin Valley. Her father, the late I. R. Wilbur, was widely known as a business man of prominent connections in Cali- fornia. Miss Wilbur was educated in the public schools of San Fran- cisco, and also at Snell's Seminary in Oakland. She has written poetry since early girlhood, but her first real distinction came when Mr. McGroarty published her poem on the San Gabriel Mission in con- nection with a picture of that mission, about 1908. Other poems have appeared from time to time, among the more recent being her poem to Santa Barbara in honor of the old time Spanish fiesta, and which appeared in the Santa Barbara Press of June 29, 1919, and brought her many letters from admiring readers. Her poem on the Panama Pacific Exposition, which appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle of October 31, 1915, was pronounced the most beautiful description of the never-to-be-forgotten exposition.
In 1914 Miss Wilbur was in Montreal and daily watched the drill- ing of Canadian soldiers, and longed intensely to write something that would inspire and help in the great war into which her own country was so soon to be drawn, but she was far from home, and homesick and wrote only one little poem while there, "I Know a Valley," which appeared in the September Overland Monthly of that year, and which depicts the beautiful San Gabriel Vally.
Coming home at a time of much illness and sorrow in the family and when she was called upon almost dailv to bid good-bye to soldier
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relatives and friends, the inspiration for "The Americans Come !" came in the form of a mental picture. That afternoon she wrote it, typed it and sent it to Munsey Magazine, which publication promptly accepted it. It was published in the Christmas number of that magazine for 1917. Fay Foster, a New York composer, set the words to music and the song was soon afterwards issued by one of New York's best known publishers.
Among the many comments upon this song, which briefly describes a little scene in France when a blinded French soldier hears the tramp of marching feet, and the cheering of the people and realizes that the American soldiers have come to the aid of devastated France, the fol- lowing is from the Musical Courier of February 20, 1919:
"Among the thousands of poems, good, bad or indifferent, the war has brought forth, there are perhaps not more than a score that by reason of their exquisite beauty, inherent appeal to some chord of the human heart, a simplicity of grandeur, will never be forgotten. Among these stand out pre-eminently Elizabeth A. Wilbur's 'The Americans Come!' published first as a poem in Munsey's it remained for Fay Fos- ter's appropriate and noble setting to bring it conspicuously before the millions who have been thrilled to the depths of their being by its simple and pathetic story. The extreme simplicity with which Miss Wilbur handles this touching theme allows the thought to stand forth almost, it would seem, unclothed, with nothing to detract from the grip- ping idea. Miss Wilbur is a young California woman and has a num- ber of other beautiful poems to her credit. Her father, who died in 1915, was a wealthy man of wide business connections, having interests in railroads, in mines, and many large corporations. She will doubtless give to the world other gems, but should fate decree that she never again touch pen to paper, her place in the front ranks of America's poets is assured by 'The Americans Come.'"
The stirring verses are :
"What is the cheering my little one? O, that my blinded eyes could see ! Hasten, my boy, to the window run And see what the noise in the street may be. I hear the drums and the marching feet, Look and see what it's all about Who can it be that our people greet With cheer and laughter and joyous shout?
There are men, my father, brown and strong, And they carry a banner of wondrous hue ; With a mighty tread they swing along, Now I see white stars on a field of blue.
You say that you see white stars on blue? Look! are there stripes of red and white? It must be! Yes, it must be true ! O, dear God, if I had my sight! Hasten son, fling the window wide, Let me kiss the staff our flag swings from And salute the stars and stripes with pride, For, God be praised, the Americans come !"
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While this song was widely sung by the general public it had the unusual distinction of having the foremost place on the repertoire of over twenty-five grand opera singers, including Schumann-Heink, David Bispham, John McCormack, Marcella Craft, Marie Rappold and others. It has also been translated into French, Italian and Spanish and arranged for orchestra and military band. Miss Foster in writing Miss Wilbur from New York, September 30, 1918, said that the song would be heard by a hundred thousand people on the tour of Margaret Romaine, one of the Metropolitan stars, and deferred to its rendition by John McCor- mack to an audience of ten thousand in the Hippodrome. This audi- ence broke into applause in the middle of the song and after the line "I see white stars on a field of blue" the applause was such that he had to wait some minutes before resuming.
Miss Wilbur is now engaged in compiling a book of California poems "Just for those who love California." It is her aim and hope to reach the hearts of the people through her songs. Recently she has been collaborating with Miss Grace Adele Freebey, one of Los Angeles' fore- most composers, whose beautiful music is fast gaining a worldwide fame. Their song "Just You and My Homeland" has met with instant success, and other songs still in the hands of the publishers are "Love's Resignation, "Calling You," and "Somebody's Coming."
SETH R. BROWN. While especially prominent as a leader in labor circles at Los Angeles, Mr. Brown is also well known for his other well distributed and effective public activities.
He was born at Hastings, Michigan, November 16, 1873, son of Romanzo P. and Catherine (Eggleston) Brown. His father, who was born at Grass Lake, Michigan, February 16, 1845, had a district school education and in 1854 moved with his parents to Hastings, Michigan, where he followed the life of a farmer for a number of years and later was associated with an uncle as a wagon manufacturer. He died in October, 1914.
Seth R. Brown attended the grammar and high schools of Hast- ings to the age of seventeen, and then served his apprenticeship as a printer with a job printing office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was there five years, and following that was a printer with the Grand Rapids Evening Press thirteen years. During that time he served as president of the Grand Rapids Typographical Union until 1909.
On coming to Los Angeles, Mr. Brown was connected with the Evening Express as linotype operator until July 27, 1917. At that date he was appointed secretary to District Board No. 1 of the Selective Service for Southern California. He has served continuously as presi- dent of the Los Angeles Typographical Union since May, 1914, being re-elected annually. In January, 1916, he was also elected president of the Central Labor Council of Los Angeles. He has been a member of the State Council of Defense since April 1917, and in September, 1918, was appointed a member of the State War Donation Board. Mr. Brown is a republican, a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, the Court of Honor and the Elks.
At Benton Harbor Michigan, May 13, 1897, he married Martha F. Forbes.
ALBERT D. PIERCE. A member of the Los Angeles bar since March, 1913, Albert D. Pierce has achieved some prominent connections with his profession in Southern California, and is a leading member of the
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firm Evans, Abbott & Pierce, lawyers, in the Van Nuys Building.
Mr. Pierce is president of the University of Michigan Alumni Asso- ciation of Southern California. He was one of the honormen in that university during his literary and law courses. He was born at Cham- pion, Michigan, October 24, 1883, a son of Edward and Margaret (Mundy) Pierce. He was educated in the grammar schools of Cham- pion and Ishpeming, Michigan, graduated from the Pentwater High School in 1903, and entering the University of Michigan was graduated A. B. in 1908 and LL. B. in 1909. He won many university honors. He was Assistant Instructor of History in the university during his last year and was also Honor Debater, representing the university in the Intercollegiate debate in the University of Chicago, where the Michigan team achieved a unanimous decision. Mr. Pierce after leaving law school became sales manager for King-Richardson Publishing Com- pany of Chicago, and was busied with the responsibility of directing a large force of salesmen for several years. In January, 1913, he came to Los Angeles and in March of the same year was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court. He practiced alone until 1913, when he formed a partnership with Arthur J. Abbott under the name Abbott & Pierce, with offices in the Higgins Building. In January, 1917, upon the dissolution of the firm Jones & Evans, Mr. W. E. Evans at that time joined Mr. Pierce, in the partnership above noted, Evans, Abbott & Pierce. Mr. Pierce is a member of the University Club of Los Angeles and is past exalted ruler of Glendale Lodge No. 1289 of the Elks. He resides at Glendale. At Atwater, Michigan, October 24, 1910, he mar- ried Esther F. Lewis.
D. JOSEPH COYNE began the practice of law at Los Angeles in Octo- ber, 1905, and has brought to his profession a wide range of talents and experience that have served him well and brought him a most creditable position in the Los Angeles bar.
Mr. Coyne was born at Chicago July 11, 1882, son of Martin J. and Catherine (McMahon) Coyne. His parents were both natives of the Province of Ontario, Canada. Mr. Coyne received a grammar and high school education in Chicago, also attended the Lewis Institute and Athaneum College of that city. He attended the law department of the Lake Forest University at Chicago, from which he received his LL.B. degree in 1905.
Arriving in Los Angeles in October, 1905, Mr. Coyne at once took up the practice of law in which he has continued steadily ever since. In 1914 he was nominated at the primary elections in Los Angeles county for the Superior Court. In 1915 he was elected a member of the Board of Freeholders of Los Angeles, and during 1918-19 has served as a member of the Social Service Commission of Los Angeles. From 1906 to 1908 he served in Company A of the Seventh Regiment, National Guards, of California. Mr. Coyne is a republican, is a member of the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee for 1918-19, is a member of the Municipal League, City Club, Chamber of Commerce, Knights of Columbus and Lodge No. 99 of the Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks.
September 14, 1910, at Los Angeles he married Miss Johanna Slaney, a native of Los Angeles. They have three children : Bernard P., Blanche J. and Edmund Coyne.
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ELMER I. MOODY has been a member of the bar of Pasadena and Los Angeles for a number of years, and his name is prominent both in his profession and civic affairs, and while he has never been drawn into the current of practical politics he has done much work that constitutes real public service.
Mr. Moody was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, February 4, 1879, son of William J. and Elizabeth (Crane) Moody. His father also a native of St. Joseph, Missouri, was educated there, taught school in early life, and finally removed to Oklahoma, where for many years he has been an operator of cotton gins.
Elmer I. Moody attended the public schools of St. Joseph until 1897. when he came to Southern California. He continued his education one year in the Pasadena High School, another year in the Throop College of Technology, and then in the Los Angeles Law College from which he graduated LL. B. in 1901. He began practice at Pasadena with John A. Goodrich under the firm name of Goodrich & Moody. When his partner was elected and served as a member of the State Assembly in 1903, Mr. Moody continued practice alone, and in 1907 entered the part- nership of Simpson, Moody, Noyes & Simpson. A year later the firm title was changed to Simpson, Moody & Simpson. In 1915 Mr. Moody retired from this firm, and with many well earned honors as a lawyer during fifteen years of practice in Pasadena he came to Los Angeles and has since carried on an individual practice. Mr. Moody has repre- sented many important interests, and was the lawyer who settled the estate of Adolphus Busch in California.
In 1910 he served as president of the Pasadena Republican Club. He was one of the organizers and is a director of the Security National Bank. He was also one of the organizers of the Associated Charities at Pasadena, was State Auditor of the Knights of the Maccabees for ten years, and during the war served as Government Appeal Agent for Divi- sion No. 8 on conscription cases. Mr. Moody is vice president of the Beaux Art Features Incorporated. He is a republican, a member of the Baptist church, is past master of Pasadena Lodge No. 272 A. F. and A. M., and a member of the Elks, Union League Club, City Club, Los Angeles and American Bar Association.
At Los Angeles, December 16, 1916, he married Elsie Morgan. Their two children are Carolyn and Elmer H., both pupils in the public schools.
DETECTIVE NICK HARRIS. In writing the biography of Mr. Harris, it might be well in the very beginning to mention the fact that this famous detective needs no local introduction, in fact at the time of putting down these notes, there has hardly been a day past in which the local daily papers have not carried some account of the activities of himself or his agents, in connection with the apprehension of some evil doer who has transgressed the laws of our fair California. Yet as a matter of official record. We are going to insert here a few facts concerning the early and present day history of this able officer who is regarded as the most noted detective genius in Southern California today.
Mr. Harris was born February 2, 1882, at Chicago, Illinois, and was given the name of Nicholas Boilvin Harris. His father being Charles H. Harris, the founder of the Chicago Daily News, who in later years became a famous journalist and lecturer, and at the time of his death was editor and publisher of the National Weekly, in Chicago. His dia- lect writings under the nom-de-plume of "Carl Pretzel," won for him
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the distinction of being second to none in his time. Mr. Harris' mother was Mary Elizabeth Boilvin, a direct descendant of the St. Cyrs, the founders of the St. Cyr Military Academy in France, which still bears the St. Cyrs' name.
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Harris removed to California, in 1897, residing in South Pasadena for a short time, and later locating on property in Charter Oak, California, where this youngster and his brother cleared the fertile soil and planted one of the now famous orange groves that bears some of the Sunkist oranges known the world over.
The taking of this younger Harris from the busy city of Chicago and transplanting him on an orange grove in California, did not set well with Nicholas, so he ran away from home to seek his fortune in the coming metropolis of Los Angeles. He found work as a night police writer on the Los Angeles Daily Journal, reporting for duty at Cen- tral Police Station at 6 P. M. until 1 in the morning. This gave him lots of spare time during the days, and desiring to increase his income, he secured a position as bundle wrapper for A. Hamburger and Sons, on North Spring Street. He held these two jobs for several months until it began to tell on his nerves, and one day while trying to catch up on his sleep he was ordered to report to the superintendent's office and tell why he couldn't keep his eyes open. He then confessed to his employer that he was reporting nights on the Journal at the police station, and with the two jobs he was able to make a fairly good living. The superintendent informed him it was always best to do one thing well and then called Mr. Warren Wilson, owner of the Journal, told him what his reporter was doing and asked which one was going to pay for all his time. Mr. Wilson was surprised and said Harris was his employe first and he (Wilson) was entitled to his services and would double his pay and use all of Harris' time. Hence the latter then became a regular reporter covering courts in the afternoons and police at night.
Yet, according to Mr. Harris, the experience he gained in holding the two positions down, proved to be the greatest asset for him in after years in following the detective profession. For as a reporter he was able to see the real human side of life, so essential to his present day work, and while as a department store employe he received a training that enabled him to better understand the different department store sys- tems, which today he comes in contact with as the head of the detective agency which now supplies the majority of our big mercantile em- poriums.
We asked Mr. Harris how he happened to become a detective and quit the newspaper work. He answered as follows:
"While working as a reporter, and being more or less around court, I soon had a desire to study law. Every spare moment I could get I would beg and borrow a law book and for three years dug into the teach- ings of Blackstone until I soon felt I was able to take the bar examina- tion. One day I happened to drop into the office of Captain of Detectives A. J. Bradish, then commanding the detective bureau at Central Station, to ask him a question of law, regarding the extradition of a prisoner from one foreign country to another. While there the Captain's phone bell rang and a woman frantically called to have some detective come at once to 710 South Main Street, something awful had happened and a very peculiar odor was coming from under a door, in a room she had rented.
"I being on duty at the time Captain Bradish told me there might be a good story there and I accompanied Detectives Steel and Craig to the
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scene of the mystery, which was a room on the second floor at the above address. The door was locked, and as the woman had said most sick- ening odors were emanating from the room. The officers burst the door in and the sight that greeted us was one never to be forgotten. There half lying on a couch, shoulders and head on the floor, was the partial nude body of a man. His head crushed from many blows, and walls splattered with his life's blood. In fact, it resembled more the appearance of a slaughter house than anything else. We found the body had laid there in this enclosed hot room for several days and de- composure had set in. The officers left me to guard the body while one went to notify the coroner and the other to quiz the landlady and other tenants. Meanwhile I, only thinking of the story value, proceeded to investigate and find out who the victim was and if possible who had committed such a dastardly crime. In another corner of the room I found an old fashioned slop jar and wash basin in which the murderer had evidently washed his hands. I looked in the jar and found some partially burned papers, so naturally gathered up what I could. Upon taking them to the station I pieced them together between two pieces of glass and was able to make out these bits of paper had been a note for $2,000 from one C. E. Martin, in favor of J. Madison Sowards. Sowards, I found was a money lender with offices on South Broadway and had loaned this money to Martin on diamonds and had received a phone call from the latter on the day of the murder, to bring the diamonds to Martin's room, where he was registered under the name of Martin Cox, and he would redeem the note. Hence, when Sowards arrived he was killed and the diamonds taken from him.
"As a result of this information the perpetrator of the crime was made known to the police and I was highly complimented by Captain Bradish who told me I would make a good detective. This bit of flat- tery seemed to take its effect on me and from that time on I wanted to be a real Sherlock Holmes. So a few years later I opened a detective office for myself and since that time have tried to make the Captain's statement come true. I might state here that on another occasion I received a bit of advice from the Captain, which was this: That if a detective ever expects to be a success in life, he must always remember one thing, 'Be Honest.'"
Probably as a result of Mr. Harris' early newspaper experience he has been called upon many times by different editors of publications, to contribute articles based on his experience as a detective and which ring true to life in the underworld, as the following poem will show. It was written by Mr. Harris, who states he received an inspiration after talk, ing to one of the most noted present day criminals who had become addicted to the dreaded drug habit.
A MASS OF GOLDEN HAIR.
You asked me now to tell you of my life in happy dreams. You want to know, I guess, just how this old world seems To one who's used the needle and smoked the fragrant weed That sprouts out yellow blossoms which supplies the Hophead's needs. So let me tell my story in my simple little way, That you may understand it and know the price we pay. I'll start from the beginning and lift the hazy veil And tell it as I learned it and utter not a wail.
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I was born away from trouble, in a little country town. I went to church and school, the latter painted brown. I met the sweetest little girl, just like all others do. I little thought, in after years, this tale could e'er come true. Her golden curls had won me, from the time I saw her first, I swore then I would love her and protect her from the worst. I, like other fellows, had played the childish pranks
That sometimes have bad endings and annoy the village cranks.
'Twas one of these that started me along this fatal path. You see, my father caught me and whipped me with a lath. Now that should be a lesson to a lad in tender years, Instead of causing misery and mother's many tears. But I just ran away from home and to a city came. , I found out all there was to learn in this most rotten game. I soon was broke and hungry and not a friend I knew, So started out to get a job, a career I had to hew.
I landed as a messenger in an office in the slums, I soon became acquainted with all the crooks and bums. I little thought what this would mean, to me, yet but a kid, To live in this wide open town that never had a lid. I worked at nights in bright lights gay, among these fallen creatures Who knew the life as no one else, and all its awful features. I saw the life I can't describe and to you I can't tell
Of all the things that happened then and sent most all to Hell.
I soon became a fixture there and thought that I was smart. I knew the Dago on the street, who ran the peanut cart. I knew the girls in flimsy dress who called me "Little Joe," They used to kid me every night and said I was their "beau." They gave me ties at Christmas time and sometimes bought me shoes, When I would run their errands or bring to them their booze. Oh, yes, and I remember the Salvation Army Lass Who used to sell the War Cry, which fought the fatal glass.
She traveled through these sin filled streets and seemed to know no fear,
Yet through these crowds she wandered and tried to bring good cheer. Would that I had listened to the words she had to say.
I now would be a better man instead of broken clay.
The almond eyes of Chinatown would hold me, in their grasp Until one fatal night in June I sure was in their clasp. I rolled a pill, 'twas just in fun, to see what it would do. I burned it o'er the little flame as they had told me to, I puffed upon the dirty pipe until I was asleep, I dreamed of sunken gardens, yes, they seemed a full mile deep. A thousand diamonds glistened here, like dew upon the grass. I saw my village sweetheart, with her golden hair amass.
I called to her in ecstasy to look, that I was here, She turned and smiled and told me that I was just her dear. She said that we'd get married and have a little home In this garden spot of ages and have it all our own. Then an angel from the heavens flew down close by our side, She joined our hands in marriage and with happiness she cried, "Go forth my gentle children, to this land that knows no tears And live the life you've longed for until old age creeps into years."
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