The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-23
MR. WILLIAM 0RT0N'S DEATH
rur IRE or THE HEAD or THE VEST
rgN TyIOy TELEGRAPH 60.
uo,,rnbie Career ofnn Allegheny County
uov-Isi. struggles Untii he WON Recouni-
Alan a. a Man Among Men-A Great Cor
.,,,,,'. Ioss-A Lose that All will Feel.

william Orton. President OF the Western |
raiop Telegraph Company. died in his home |
.,us West Twenty-third street at o'clock |
.ssterlay morning OF apopexy. While the |
I,rse edhcc ut Broadway and Dey street was
-, unfinished he said to an intimate friend and
rrmer business partner that as soon M all was
.,kine smoothly in that edfce, and he had |
.,nouered tho opposition OF rival companies he |
r,ull withdraw altogether from telegraph |
Management and give himself some rest. After
bo completion Of the building. in the first part
",is77 he made arrangements to pool the gross
,,,airts Of the Western Union and the Atlantic |
and pacinc Telegraph Companies. Last Christ
roaa he returned from a trip from San Fran
clsco where he mad negotiated a lease OF the
Central Pacific Telegraph. He now had practi-
cal control Of every important telegraph line in
tho United States. Subsequent TO the pooling
with the Atlantic and Pacific Company. the
Western Union Company under his direction.
had bought enough shares OF the former to Sc
cure control of IT, II is not doubted by Western
Union men that at the next Atlantic and Pacific
election on Wednesday next. they will be able to
eect majority Of the directors.
During all this time President Orton worked
with astonishing energy. The routine tusi-
ness Of the company had grown enormously,
but he continued personally to superintend all
its details just as he did in 1866. when he first
bscame connected with II. He did not fancy
teaching men 10 aid him. because. he said. II was
moro trouble to teach n man than to do the work
himself. At last rest was to come. He had ac-
compishcd all the tasks he had set for himself
The directors would not accept his resignation
but they voted him vacation Of three months
He decided 10 30 to England and spend most Of
tho time in quiet home near London. He was
10 start on the lst OF June next. Twice within
few years he had had warnings Of serious
brain troubles. Recently ho worked harder
than ever in order to leave tie affairs Of the
company in good shape during his absence.
On Thursday last Mr. orton argued before
the State senate Committee on Cities against
Assembyman Astors Iron Telegraph Pole bill.
Tue argument is described as sineuarly clear
and convincing. Tho committee decided to ro-
port adversely. Mr. Orton arrived home from
Albany in the evening. His wife met him at the
gate Of his home and he complained Of feeling
unusually weary. He even leaned upon his
wife for support as she walked with him along
the path 10 the house On Friday and Satur-
day he attended to business as usual in his
ofito, but rouiinued 70 complain Of weariness;
On sunday he felt better. or seemed to feel
better, under the stimulus % a visit Of Mr..
Mllligan. an old friend from Philadelphia. He
rbvrch rbvrcS" E Ss,s IN ' nv
street and Ninth avenue, whose ediilcc he had
contributed largely 70 enla,rGs and beautiiy
but in the throng he became separated from
them. He said aiterward that he greatly re
GREETED this circumstance. At IA O'Clock he ate
dinner but not with his usual appetite. After din
ner no drove to Central Park with Mr.. Milgan.
iii is believed by his friends that notwithstand-
ing the large sums OF money he controlled.
he was not worth Hd 2yer tiO99Og on his return
bSas ss s tred hs retirod al about oeioeE. A
II o'clock he awoke. and complained OF head
ache and nausea In a few minutes he arose to
sitting posture and began TO vomit. While he
was doing So he exclaimed that his right arm
was parayzed. He raised his left hand TO the
back part ot his head, at the base of the brain.
and then fell back on his pillow unconsfioufi @ sic ia
children and the servants were soop in the
room DR.. Banning. homeopathic physician.
breathed more freely at intervals, but he did not
recover conscio -sness. He died at G o'clock in
President Noryin Green OF the Western
sent ior mined lately after the stroke Of ,paraly;
sls They arrived at about midnight and
ws!ehed with Mr.. Q,rtopp until he died. A.
company. Mr.. j. c. Derby. a former partner in
business, and other personal friends, called
soon after Mr.. Orton's death. They told the
family that they would make all necessary ar
rangements for the funeral. 1t il probable
that The funeral services VIII be performed in
county. on Thursday or Friday next Time is
allowed f9r the arrival OF Thomas Orton, a
agent in Chicago and also for the arrival Of
General Superintendent Van Horne Of the New
Mr. orion leaves eight children. four boys
and four girls. Two OF the latter are grown
young ladies' The oldest son IS William Orion.
sisters are living Cuba. A fourth sister lives
in Hornellsvle. His hrothor james. who was
on engineer on the Western division Of the
Erie Railway. and his brother Robert who was
bookseller in Chicago. are dead.
IL ~ ft41
His widow owns the summer seat in Irvngton,
on the Hudson. and the house in London ter
friends says that his life insured for 900,
and another states the sum AZ $4,000 He had
tual Lii Insurance. Oflice Of Milwaukee, He
was recently elected to a directorshp In that
When William Orton was l6 ycars Of age he
e't ont from hI- fathers house in Cuba. where
h. was /. rn on the 18th OF June, 1926, to seek
his fortune. lie rode out Of the village ia a
stopp"d NJ its destination, he continued his way
On loot; VI had far common school educa,
lion. The fist position he got was that OF
Iriuter N'N'l ia printing Office IN Angelica.
L. learn p! 90 7et iype and soon aiterw1rd be-
county. H. taught" for "'G several m ',t years re-
hhi mus "il1n"d money enough To pay ms
board 1911 lr Dee received course of instruction
let ql hls illst sshy w3ls The Magnetic Tele-
graph, which he Illustrated with n model Of
served, mi after he became President Of the
WESTERN Union Telegraph Company. was ex-
hlhlled ~ ihr Department Of Education in AL
IHny. Nu.lH he WIS teaching school near
Nnneyh De- WIS accustomed To- visit the book
tlore in ihlN city Of Mr., George Dsrby, and sub
s'lurulN hr b.dme u partner IN the business.
IN GruNa, Mr. Orton married Miss Agnes
uue-ric. daughter OF the bOokkeeper Of the
In lsjl tne head of Mr. Orton's firm. Mr.. ].
!. ]. .lfy. moved 20 New York, and established
"" nrm nt Derby X Jackson. In 1858. Mr..
DrtiN r'urrd. and the firm Of Miller, Orton 4
Mulisau succeeded 10 the buslurss as pub
il.h"f- having nm Ofilee in Park row. After
tw9 year tho new firm went into liquidation
hh4 hr, priNn hecHine manager for j. G.. Greg
oIy, pub i-h ~ COoper's novels
As hH lur-s man. Mr.. Orton's partners SAY
hN WIS hh'. cpna'lrutious, and popular. They
,9oh'idlr uiiu when speak INK OF their failure
many , l-ur uis Wor" obtained against Mr. Or
l'n. nil .-.lNu account and that ot his part
mrs, lW Alr Lpwroy. his lawyer, says that ht
NN7 l'I .u. ltIlng up all claims against the
name oi Mr.. Ortun. lie succeeded SO far that
rhB i' could find no more creditors
was H''" lis bus ness association with Mr.
Tl'fp 'lu J." began 10 figure IN politics
iH 1851 Hni 1860 he was a li'puh lican mem
per oi lo tommon Council. lie made the mi,
Il} r.ul by lns political foresight an}I
49, aI'. ..l' l- "A clear and concise drhntcr. lie
s.n h n" iuyornhy known, and when Sec
i"i}, 'r' wanted n man To- enforce ths un
WIl lli .tuu Revenue Ht, Mr.. orion WAS Hp
p,'il' iH.r tor of Internal Revenue Tor the