Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-21
UNCLE BILLY. M'KEE.
Death of the Senior Proprietor Of the St.
Louis "Globe- Democrat'-A Sketch of
His Newspaper Career.

Louis "Globe- Democrat''-A Sketch of
| His Newspaper Career.
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 20.-Wm. Mckee, senior
proprietor of the Globe Democrat, died very
| suddenly of heart disease about 10 O'Clock
this morning, aged 81.
The death of VIM. Mckee, chief of the
| Globe Democrat, though quite sudden was
not unexpected to those who have been
familiar with his physical condition for the
| past few years. He experienced q slight
paralytic stroke in the summer in 1877,
since which he has never regained his health,
although using all effort to care for himself
He left the city early last summer and re-
NAMED at the sea shore and NV York until
October, when he returned. He seemed to
have improved, but it soon became evident
that his improvement waa only tenn
porary. BE visited the GIo6e-Denoc7ot
Office nearly every day, generally remaining
from 9sto l or 2,o'clock. On Friday he came
as usual and talked pleasantly with callers,
being apparently rs we'll as he has been for
some time past. At o'clock he left the
office for his residence in his family car
rage. The last man to speak to him at the
Office was MIR. Mccullough, editor of the pa
per, who converselh with him briefly as he
entered the carriage. Mr.. Mckee was driv-
en- to his residence, accompanied by his wife
and daughter. He spent the afternoon and
evening at home, and frequently referred to
his physical health. 1t was better than for
some time past. At night he became inter-
ested in volume of Washington Irving's
works, and read it beyond his usual time
before going to bed. Shortly after
IL he retired, but rose again, saying he felt
restless, and said he could not sleep. He
went from his bed room to an adjoining sit
ting room, and seated himself on chair.
Here he began to feel what he called an op-
preston of the chest, which proved to be the
fatal attack. A physician was summoned
and remedies applied, but he sank steadily,
and showed no signs of rallying. At 1916
he passed as if into sleep, and, to the sur
prise of those attending him, it YVES the sleep
of death. Mr.. Mckee was in the 65th year
of his age. He was native of New York, of
Irish parentage. He learned the printing
business on Maj. Noah's Weekly Messenger,
in New York City, and was subsequently on
the Courier and Enquirer, under I.
Watson Webb. He came to st. Louis
in 1S41, and soon afterwards obtained an in
terest in the EvenS7ag Gazette, remaining on
it two years. Subsequently, and when the
political doctrine of the Hunker and Barn
burner factions of New York had spread to
the West, he started a campaign sheet called
the Barnburner, the first free soil paper
published in Missouri, and perhaps in the
slave holding States. He was also engaged
in several other newspaper enterprises, until
1852 he became one of the proprietors of
the Missouri Democrat, then under the con-
troll of Thomas H. Benton and Frank
p. Blair. He remained in the
Democrat until 1872, when he
sold that paper to Geo. w. Fishback, and in
connection with D: M. Houser, one of his
former partners, started the Globe in 1875.
The proprietors of the Globe purchased the
democrat, and the papers were consolidated.
Mr.. Mckee owned the controlling interest
in the Gtobe-Democrat, had large real est ate
and other investments. His death will not
cause any change in the policy or manage
ment of the paper, as his interests will pass
to relations in the establishment. Mr.. D. M.
Houser, for many years business manager of
the paper, will assume Mr.. McKee's place as
the head of the company publishing the
Globe Democrat.