The New York herald., 1879-02-24
DEATH OF COLONEL BRANTz MAYER.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

DY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
BALTIMORE, Feb. 20. 1879
Colonel Brsntz Mayer died tonight at his resi-
dence. No. IL McCulloh street. after an illness of
several days. Of ossiication OF the valves OF the
heart. He was born in Baltimore September 81.
1909. the youngest son Of Christian Mayer
of the house of Mayer a Brantz. well known in the
early part of this century for commercial enterprise
and extensive trade with foreign ports. He was
brother of the distinguished lawyer the late Charles
+. Mayer. Brantz Mayer was educated partly at st.
Mary's College. Baltimore. but mostly by private
tutor. He studied law during voyage to China.
Sumatra and Java in 1S27-2S and on his return fin
shed his studies in the University Of Maryland
under David Hoffman. professor of law. He
admitted to the Bar in 1882. and
subsequently to the Supreme Court of the
United States. He practised his profession until
1855. except during 1882 33. when he was in Europe.
and in 1928. when he was in Mexico Secretary
of the United States Legation to that Republic. He
Tyers administration. In 1851 and 1855 Mr..
Mayer went to New Orleans, first one
Of the executors of John McDonough. who
had named him TO that trust in his will. and
who lett the body of his estate 10 the cities of Bat
more and New Orleans and afterward, one of the
Commissioners nominated by the Mayor and City
Council Of Baltimore for the administration sale
and liquidation Of the ciys interest in that estate
He ended his trust in the spring Of 1859. trans
ferrcd to Baltimore the large assets which
port the McDonough Educational Institution and
drew up the scheme and ordinance which govern it.
land Historical Society. and its second
President until lie went to California in 1870. He
put into effect the plan of gift subscriptions for the
erection Of the Athen@um Building. in which
the Historical Society aud Mercantile Library
modated without cost. Ho delivered the
discourse at its dedication October %, 1s4s,
Commerce, Literature and Art When the civil
war broke out, in 1861. Mr.. Mayer adhered to
the Union, elected President of the
Maryland Union State Central Committee and
brgadier general Of the iaryland volunteer forces.
the United States Army in the pay department.
When the regular army was remodelled in 1867
iu the permanent national forces. and served
therein in Maryland. Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Virginia. Louisiana and California until June. 1875,
when. having passed the ags OF sixtytwo he was re-
tired from the active service and returned to his
residence in Baltimore. At the close OF the civil war
he was brevetted lieutenant colonel tor mertorious
services. When Mr.. Mayer returned from Mexico in
1874, he published his well known "Mexico AS 1t
Was and as II Is" a book OF travels Several years
after he published in two octave volumes illustrated
his '.Mexico-Aztcc. Spanish and Republican, which
may be considered the only complete historical de-
Mexico that has appeared since the publica-
ton of Humbodts work on New Spain"
general literature of this country in pamphlets.
views. lectures and memoirs. These publications
treat chiefly OF historical chronological and anti
| quaran subjects. His Captain Canot or, Twenty
Years of an African SLAYER" the memoir
| Of an actual life, was published short
! time before American slavery eliminated in
our civil war. This book attracted much attention
in this country, England and France Two editions
| OF it published, both in London and Paris.
tho French edition being handsomely illustrated
with numerous plates. OF the American edition
about seventeen thousand copies were sold
| by the publishers. the Messrs. Appleton Of
New York. His "Tah-gah-jute Of Logan and
Captain Michael Cresap" should also be mentioned;
also. his charming memoir Of the historian Jared
Sparks, his Penn and Calvert delivered before the
Smithsonian Historical Society. and his memoirs
and journal Of Charles Carroll. of Carroll
ton. in his journey to Canada in 1776
with Samuel Chase. Benjamin Franklin and
Rev. Mr.. Carroll (afterward archbishop superbly
printed for the Maryland Historical Society. in 1876
as its centennial memorial. His historical sketch Of
| Baltimore, published in 1871 is also well known
| Mr.. Mayer for some time editor OF the Balt-
Am,rean, during the proprietorship OF Dobbin
Murphy " Co. In recognition OF his literary. his
torical and scientific labors he was honored with
moinbership by nearly all of the leading societies Of
this country. The last public position he held was
one Of the judges III the department OF art at tho
Centennial Exhibiuon at Philadelphia.