Radio Broadcasts: Dr. Douglas Southall Freeman Announces Deaths of Royal E. Cabell and Arthur Scribner

Radio Broadcast

By Dr. Douglas Southall Freeman

Home > Radio Broadcasts > Dr. Douglas Southall Freeman Announces Deaths of Royal E. Cabell and Arthur Scribner

Bookwise: Prepare to be amazed!

WRNL Radio Station September 8, 1950

Death of Two Distinguished Richmonders,

Mr. Royal E. Cabell and Mr. Arthur Scribner

Good afternoon ladies and gentleman. I know you will share my grief, and if you have not already seen the news will be profoundly distressed at the death today of two very distinguished Richmonders. One of these was Mr. Royal E. Cabell a great attorney, former United States Chief of the Internal Revenue and for many years one of the most eminent tax attorneys of the entire United States. Mr. Cabell, its hard to believe, was 72, and he had had a brilliant career. He was one of the few men who saw early the trend of these times. I well remember years ago we brought him to the News Leader Current Events Club one night to speak and he was describing what he thought would be the consequences of the wasteful era on which we were then embarking in the first phase of the New Deal. As you know, he was a Republican and for that reason, of course, often though most unjustly, was accused of partisan feeling. Many a time since then I have reflected on what Mr. Cabell said and I pledge you my word everything of which he spoke in the way of prediction since that time has been fulfilled.

He was a man who received many shining honors. I never will forget the satisfaction that I had one day out at Northwestern University. They were that day honoring Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy with an honorary degree, and for some reason or other there had been a slip up in their arrangements and somebody who didn't know any better was giving your speaker an honorary degree at the same time. There, when I looked on the platform, was the fine face of Mr. Cabell. He was receiving that day the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws because he had been the tax attorney and the financial advisor of the University and of one of its largest benefactors. I never was as proud of Richmond at any commencement as I was to see that magnificent man of that shining honor there at great Northwestern University. He was a lovely personality. One of the most genial men that ever lived.

Mr. Arthur Scribner was an engineer born in England. He came to the United States as a young man and settled in Richmond. Had it not been for the persistence of a slight English touch to his pronunciation, I doubt if many would realize that he was not a native because he gave himself wholeheartedly to all our local enterprises. He was an exceedingly able engineer who preferred to work chiefly on his own. All his clients were exceedingly obliged to him and grateful to him and were loud in his praise. But I dare say outside of his beautiful family and social life, that for which he was best known was the fact that for half a century he directed the lovely music at Grace and Holy Trinity Church.

What a loss it is that we see these two men on the same day answer the final call, but what a blessing it is that our city has had such men.

Home > Radio Broadcasts > Dr. Douglas Southall Freeman Announces Deaths of Royal E. Cabell and Arthur Scribner