The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1861-01-23
The Wife OF n United States Sem
at0F Barred as q Pauper.


The Syracuse journal says Mrs. Mary
Ann German died Ia state Of great dssti-
tution In that city Monday. morning, and 10
to be buried at the public expense. Mrs. g,
endssvored to get living by making and =
selling "Greclan paintings" and other isacy
work, but was unable to do so, aud ct last
became. city charge. Mrs. German rels.
ted q strange story of her life. She repre-
sented that che was the widow OF a former
United States Senator from, New York. snd
at his death an estate valued OF over $4,000
was taken frem her on q fraudulent claims
preferred by his brother. This story, and
other statements made by her were not
credited, because unsupported by other evi.
dence than her word, and the manner 10
which they were told and embellished. Shs
was evidently woman Of education, and
possessed traces Of personal beauty in her
younger days. She was the recipient Of
mhny favors from those who became ac-
quanted with her. Her age was about 10
years. The Journal adds. "We learn to day
that it is a fact that the deceased was tho
widow of Obidiah German, who resided in
Norwich, Chenango county, and represented
New York in tho United States Senate from
1900 to 1916"
Thirty seven years ago and more, the
writer of this addendum t. the above singu.
lar history, was q resident OF Chenango Co.,
and had some acquaintance with Gen. Ger.
man, such as a young man o'ten has with
men much older 10 years aud conspicuous In
position. believe I am not mistaken in
saying that, however the fact may have
been, the tradition was that Gsn. G. was
l. | ant lu aI, NoI hn~ hn - II s..
estate, and that his first wife taught him the
alphsbet. II this be SO, his case has q par.
nllel one in the United States Senate, al.
most half a century alter Gen. G. lett that
then august body. He was man OF much
more than common natural ability, and OF
excellent common sense, and VIII 90 opin.
ions always commanded respect if not, sp.
pr0val. For many years he was one Of the
most prominent leadsra of the CIntSNisn
party, and welded an influence through the
whole State on all political qlsstions that
!. lew ii any oihsr man could match. He wss
an homes! and honstable man, whose good
name was never impugned, and hs acCumu-
/ lated fina estate in the C1enaago Valley,
; on which he long lived and perhaps died.
His second wife was the unioftuaste subject
referred 10 in tho lbavh notice.
Gen. G. died some twenty years siacs, but
: ruined pecuuiarly by the arts and bad faith,
: as was oaid, and as repeatedly heard his
widow say, OF her brother, whs lived for
3 some years on the west sido of the river in
this county, aud whose nAms for a long time
, figured extensively 90 our Court records, a.
litigant in civil cases. Mrs. G. was here
, ,wice to endeavoy to get her brother to dG
something to rslievs the embarrassments oil
z her husband, il then alive, or if then dead
TO save something from the wreck for hel
owo use, but without avail, since which time
some f teen to eighteen years ago, the wri'
: ter o. this had not heard of her, and in truth
had iorgotten h5r.
= That she should have lived and died finally
0 pauper, can only be accounted for, and
. even SO not satisfactorily or creditably tc
. human nature, by the circumstances that the
) generation that knew and appreciated hel
husband, and Invoked his power and iu6u-
e ance, has passed away, and another has aris
. en- that knew not of him. WHAT the feel
ipgs of her brother may be, i! he has or eve
g had aoy, whsn he thinks OF his sister
/. wrongs and sufferngs and death, honest ans
e hum,ne men may coDjecsurs.- CIsuelznC
l. Herald,