Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-06-06
TWO I MEN GONE.

TWO NOIED MEN GUNEe
Death in Chicago of Cyrus II. Mccormick,
the Well-Knowu Inventor of the Reaper
Charles O'Conor, the Eminent Jurist,
Passes Away Peacefully at His Home
In Nantucket, Mass.
CYRUS II. MCCORMICK. s
CHICAGO, May 14.-Early yesterday
morning Mr.. c. II. Mccormick, the million
aire reaper manufacturer, died at his resi-
dence on Rush street. The deceased was
seventy-fve years old and has been in bad
health for q year. He has been a resident
OF Chicago ever since 1s47, and came to this
city from Virginia, where he was born in
1909. When but twenty-one years old, he
invented the machine which has given his
name a worldwide repute and has con
ferred upon mankind inestimable benefits.
Very little was done in the way of manu-
featuring the machine till 1910, and in the
meantime the young inventor engaged in
the iron-snlelting business, which offered a
large field for his ambition and need of
larger profit. His first patent was granted
in 1884, and additional patents were
granted for still more valuable improve
ments in 1S47 and 1858. In 1859 Hon.
Reverdy johnson, in an argument before
the Commissioner of Patents, said thai the
Mccormick reaper had already contributed
an annual income to the whole country of
$55, 600, 900 at least, which must increase
through all time.
But MI. McCormick's name is not known
as that of an inventor alone. He was an
active politician, and was for many years
high in the councils of the Democratic
party to which he adhered. For years lie
has been a member Of the State and
National Committees, being Chair
man Of the State Central Committee
in 1876, when his friend,
Samuel j. Tilden, was a candidate
for the Presidency. Many years ago Mr..
Mccormick was a proprietor of the Chica-
go Times, and he has occasionally had a
hand in the furtherance of more than one
newspaper enterprise. In 1872 he became
proprietor of the interior, the organ of the
Presbyterian Church in the Northwest, which
was then in a semi-collapsed condition, and
he retained his proprietorship to the time of
his death.
1t is generally supposed that Mr.. McCor.
mick was one of the w%ealthiest men in Chi
cago, his fortune being estimated at from
SIS, 1000, 600 to $1s, 600, 600.
CHARLES o'CoNoR.
NANTUCKET, Mass, May 14.-Charles
O'Conor, the veteran jurist, is dead. He
breathed his last late . Monday afternoon,
and was perfectly conscious to the last,
when he suddenly exclaimed: ''My Godv'
and expired. The remains left here to,
day, in charge of friends of the deceased.
for New York.
Charles O'Conor was born at New York
in 1894. He did not receive the benefit of
university training, being educated at q
common school. At twenty he was admit
ted to the bar, and was looked upon as a
! Vicinp 1ano( 1irhf infCro to ,r,oo %L;.&,,
Among the important cases undertaken by
him during his lifetime were the Mason
will case and the great Forest divorce
suit. He married one of his clients, a
widow, but had no children, and sub.
sequently lie and his wife separated,
owing to religious differences. Mr.. O'Conol
was a Democrat in politics. He died worth
about 81, 200, 900, which he accumulated
principally by his practice, but augmented
by well-advised transactions in real estate
1t will be recollected that MI. O'Conor was
thought to be in adying condition somen nine
years ago, and his recovery was regarded as
almost miraculous. In November, 1875, he
was taken seriously ill, his malady being
atrophy or paralysis Of the stomach, which
prevented him from taking nourislling food.
He grew weaker rapidly, and on the 9th
of the month his friends believed that death
was approaching, and at the patients re
quest Cardinal McCloskey administered tx
him the last rites of the Catholic Church
On the Monday following, when a report Of
this reached New York, it was exaggerated
into an announcement Of his death;
sketches of his life were pub
lished, and the courts adjourned
as a mark OF respect. The false
statement was, however, speedily contra
dicted, and for a month following bulletins
showing his condition were published daily,
nearly all indicating that his dissolution was
approaching. Even his physicians anc
friends had abandoned all hope. For near
ly w weeks he was unable to retain any
food on his stomach, and at one time thu
pulp of a couple OF pears was his only
food for several days. He refused to taxi
stimulants and appeared to be sustained
alone by his wonderful natural vitality. Hi.
mental faculties were unclouded and liz
suffered comparatively little. In January
of the following year a change for the bet
ter took place in his condition and he con
tinued steadily to improve until he was pro
nounced out of danger on the 9th of tina
month.