The daily gazette., 1879-10-09
FIFTH EDITION.
Death of Ex-senator Tickers.
HIS POLITICAL CAREER-ExTRAoHD
NARY EPISODE IN MS LIFE.


CuEsrERrowN, Oct. s.-IIon Geo.
Vickers, ex United States senator, died
here at q a. IN. to-day from heart disease,
in his 18th year. lie had been in falling
health for the past two weeks but yes
terday he had sufficiently improved to
90 out riding and bis death to-day was
consequently sudden aud unexpected.
Mr.. Nickers was born November I'D,
1901, in Kent county, and graduated at
Washington College, Cbestertown, Md
when only 10 years of age. lie first
entered business as a clerk in the Office
of the county clerk of Kent county and
in 1882 was admitted 10 the bar and
quickly rose TO prominence. -Four years
later he was elected TO the Senator al
College of the State and took an &C
tive part in the pre- ceedings OF that
body.
Upon the outbreak of the war he was
commissioner major gene al Of voliiD-
teers by Gov. Hicks and during the few
succeeding years was active In his opp
sition TO the rebellion and used his in
fiuence to preve It Mary and from seced-
ing. lie was one of the deli gates on
the Mcclellan electoral ticket aud
stumpcd the State during the camp lien,
speaking in the Interests of peace and
reconst uction. lie was elected to the
State Senate in 1865, where he served
with distinction.
lie was twice offered seat on the ju-
dicial bench of the State but declined
the honor on both occasions. lie was
president of the Kent County railroad
and was prominently know n throughout
the 81 ate. On Friday, March q, 1868, lie
was elected to the United States Senate
by the State Legislature To ill the vacail-
cy caused by the Government refusing to
admit Senator =. j. Thomas on account
of his being unable to take the iron-clad
cath. Mr.. Nickers was elected over
Hons. j. L. Ea-le and Samuel Hamble-
| ton, after three days votiag. AT the time
there was the greatest Excitement
throughout the State, owing TO the i'm
peachment trial Of President johnson
then progressing, and as soon as he was
elected extraordinary means were taken
TO notify the senator and secure his pres
ence in Washington in time to vote on
| the momentous question. The senator's
name had b, en- mentioned without hls
know ledge and owing to want of te e.
graphic and railroad communication with
Lhestertown, where he resided, 1t was
at first fea'ed he could not reach Wash
| ing on in time. II was known that ow-
ing to his service in the Union army he
would be admitted without delay. A
committee was appointed, consisting OF
Senators Maddox and Welsh AID Repre-
sentatiyes Smith, Hubbard and Vandi-
YER, to proceed to Chestertown aud in
form Mr.. Vick' rs of his election.
| The commitlee telegraph t. Mayor
X. 4. Banks, Of Baltimore. TO have the
iceboat Ches .peake in readiness to take
them to Chestertuwn. They arrived in
Baltimore at dusk the same day, Friday.
| The iceboat was thoroughly equipped for
the trip, which promi I'd to be long and
hazardous one, owing to the blockad
| with ice. The committee, accompanied
by Mayor Banks, Mr.. /. NJ. Parr, presi
dent of the Corn and Flour Exchange,
and Sheriff John w. Davis, left Balti-
more at s y. III. and afi er plowing their
way through 80 IN les Of ice, in some
places two feet thick, arrived at Cheste,.
town coming up the river through tie
ice aroused the entire village, and wheI
the committee landed in the dark the
were surrounded by several hnndrcc
men, who at once conducted them to tn,
house of Senator Vickers. The lattel
was greatly astonished on learning theil
mission tut almost before greetings wer,
exclaimed he was asked TO get ready Il
20 to Bal imore. Within an hour sfte
her arrival the Chesapeake turned hel
bow toward Baltimore and as she slowl,
made her way out of the river in til,
darkness the Gro sd on the shore cheere,
the senator vociferously. After havin!
passed the entire night on the bay, will
the Thermometer below zero, the com.
mittee reached Baltimo G at IL o'clocl
saturday morning with the senator
Here new difficulty presented itself, i
being found that all the trains for Wash
ington had departed.
Nothing dauntcd. however, Mayo
Banks waited on Mr.. John King, Jr., G
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and o
representing the importance o. Senate
Nickers' presence in Washington, a spe,
. al train was at once placed at his di,
+. posal. Mr.. King at the same time telt
= graphed to have the entire road betwee
Baltimore and Washington cleared an
:, at II p. IN. the committee, accompan'e e
!. by the senator, left Camden depot for I'll
n national capital, drawn by one OF I'll
L. swiitest engines in the company's Sc
vice. The party made the run TO Wasl
ington in 55 minutes and at LILO Senate
- Nickers was in the United States Sena
II Chamber. Owing to delay in the arr
3. val of his commission, however, lie W;
y not sworn in until the following Monda
Mr.. Charles Sumner, of Massachuset,
= at first objected TO his being sworn, {
4 the ground that the Senator had a son
" the Confederate army but afterwa
II withdrew the objection. The Senat
l. took part in the subsequent proceedin
" in the impeachment Case and v,'ted
the acquttal Of Preside johnson.
Senator Vickers leaves a wife, form6
- ly Miss Mary Mansfield, of Kent count
er Nd, and four children who survive lii