2. He was diagnosed with throat cancer late in life. He would have died penniless, but he dictated his memoirs to Mark Twain before he passed. The book was a huge best-seller, and the proceeds from it kept his wife and family out of penury.Fascinating story. It brought a tear to my eye.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histo...rant-1882227/# Originally Posted by lustylad