Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-16
DEATH OF WILLIAM B. SMITH.

DEATH OBJ WILLIAM B. SMITH
This gentleman, for seven years past the |
Local editor of the IntelligenesT. died yes
tsrday afternoon at his rooms at the Grant
House, il this city, of typhoid fever, in the
9Th year of bis tge. He had been con-
6ned to his room about ten days. On the
last day of the recen, session of the legis-
lature he complained of pains in his head
and was barely able TO finish up his re.
portoriaI duties ere he was seized and
Frustrated with the disease of which be
died. All that friends and medical aid
could do to stsy the course of the
fever was done, but all Was in vain.
He sauk rapidly after the first three
or four days and never once seemed
"a gain any advantages. Up to this illness
be bad been remarkable for MIS- FoDusI
health, and few weeks ago he would have
been picked ont from those of us who now
mourn his loss in this establishment, as
the least likely to fall an early victim to
disease. During most Of his illness be
was delirious, and only at times could be
converse nationally. at such times, To-
deed from the first, he seemed impressed
with premonition of death, and frequent-
Iy said that be did not expect to recover
Yesterday morning be declined very rapid
Iy, apparently however suffering very lit
tie pain up to the moment of bis death, at
a quarter past 2, P. NJ.
There is not a person connected with
this paper who does not sadly regret the
loss of their common colaborer. With Us
all be was favorite. We cannot recall a
word Of differeuce-uot so much as the
slightest social jnr-ever occurring between
Mr.. Smith and any one in our building
during all the time be was With us. He was
man of siDgulsrly unobtrusiVe habits,
who attended to his duties in genial and
quiet manner, and never by word or deed
gave offence. With all he was friendly and
popular and towards every one in all the
walks of life he was respectful and consid.
crate. AS local editor he was possessed
of peculiar qualifications for his duties
His foe tact and his unusual discerument
AS to character, enabled him in ninety nine
cases out Of every hundred to say the right
thing at the right time. He was the most
careful Of men to avoid giving unnecessary
offence even to the lowest offender in Police
circles. His delight was rather to write
genial paragraphs than harsh ones. He had
q vein Of humor running through nearly
every thing he wrote. Some of his para
graphs, full of wit and quaintuess, have
time and again gone the rounds of the
press, and several of them have been resus.
ci'ated and started aftesh years after their
fret appearance.
Our friend enjoyed but few advantages
of education. He was in all respects a self
made man. He served his time as com.
positor at the case in the little town Of
Cambridge, Ohio, whittier he will 90 this
morning to be buried. He gained his in
formation and his style from what he hat
read at the case and CLEANED from book
and papers. No man of his age was
closer or more accurate observer of mer
and things. He seemed to know everybody
in the city and to know just what they
were. And this without any effort or study
on his part. With his large, intelligen
and intellectual eyes he took in informa
tiou at glance, aud his accurate memory
made it always available to him as wri
ter. We shall remember him forever il
this establishment for the incidents con
neotod With his years of service among us
His little table, his few bits of paper, hi
curious shaped pencils, and his odd hauC
write and his quiet remarks, will be IL
all our minds during the hours Of the da,
and night when he was accustomed to drov
in and prepare his notes. We shall thinl
of him as one against whom there wa
naueht bat good feeling on the part of al
who knew him. Many times We havC
thought thatif he lived he would be par
and parcel of the LHtslIigeneer for many
years. His place seemed to be one thai
suited all his PeOuliarities and tastes. All
were young men together here and all had
come through long struggle to make tn,
paper acceptable. We mourn his loss il
that he has died so prematurely, before his
fiue powers of mind were folly developed
With the soberer reelection and maturity Of
yearS he would have proved, as We conf,
IDENTIFY believe, to have been one of the beat
local Paragraphists of the newspaper press.
Bot under the insCrutable orderings Of
Providence be has gone. We part FROM his
presence with sad hearts. His memory
will remain with us through lifo.'
Wa received yesterday from Gen. Har-
ris another batch Of rebel papers, not later.