The Late Julian Thomas (The Vagabond.)

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 78, 29 September 1896, Page 2

The Late Julian Thomas (The Vagabond.)

(By onr Birmingham correspondent.) A short time aeo I saw in the telegraph column the death of Mir Julian Thsmas. As one who had a sincere admiration for Mr Thomas and his work, will you kindly allow me to pay a tribute of respect to his memory. By the death of Mr Julian Thomasbetter known as "The Vagabond"— journalism has lost a remarkable figure, | whose writings have been familiar to all Australian newspaper readers during the past twenty»five years. Daring that time he used bis pen -with great power and originality of method, but for some time prior to bis death bis in* dtience had been on the waae, and his work ceased to attract the attention given to it in the days when he described " A Night in a Model Lodginghouse" (a Melbourne institution) and through the columns of the Argus diralged the weaknesses of the management of the Tarra Bend Lunatic Asy» ium and the inner working of Pentridge Prison. The manner in which "The Vagabond " became an inmate of the institutions named to get the inforination desired was a journalistic feat rarely equalled, and greatly intensified tne interest aroused by his graphic descriptions. His articles upon the first great strike at Newcastle, and brilliant series of sketches entitled " Picturesque Victoria" are well known, bat bis finest literary effort was, in the opinion of numbers, a description of Australia's only annual pageant, the Melbourne Cap. Bis last great work was writing & history of Western Australia for the Leader. If he did no other work than this it would be long ere his memory faded. As a journalist, his chief power lay in a capacity to master details, and to his credit, be it said, the suffering and the weak had always in him % powerful and earnest champion. Not having "' the gift of faith," he was not a believer in Christian doctrine, but was, nevertheless, a great admirer of Christian work, as proved by his constaj^ eulogies and advocacy of the self-deny-ing labour of Sisters of Mercy and others of the Catholic Church. In bis treatment of social questions be was not always credited with consistency, hot whether these circumstances were right or no& the fact remains that he was ever a fearless journalist who always tried to elevate the public taste, eva~. showed an inclination to succour $Sj&. distressed, and when h« erred dii se^ tMwVfng be was right. A gr^afc mar^ has gone. Peace be to h^t ashes^