Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-14
COLFAX DROPS DEAD.
Heart Disease Cuts Him OF in a Depot
at MankatO, Wis.

MINNEAPOLIS, WIS, Jan. 13.-Ex-
Vcie President Schuyler COlfax dropped
dead in the Omaha depot at Mankato at
1920 O'Clock this morning. He arrived
by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul
Railroad and walked over to the Omaha
depot. He took off his OvercOat and
almost Immediately fell over and expired.
His death is supposed to have been caused
by heart disease.
Mr.. COlfax walked to the depot, dis
tance of three-quarters of a mile, with
the thermometer 80 degrees below zero.
After arriving at the depot he lived only
five minutes. 1t is supposed that the ex-
treme cold, subsequent heat and over
eXertiOn caused a stoppage of the flow of
blood to the heart. Word has been sent
to the family of the deceased. and Presi-
dent Arthur has also been notified, and
orders are now awaited.
Schuyler COlfaX, who was the 18th Vice
President of the United States, was born
in New York city March %, 1923. In 1852
he was delegate to the Whig National
Convention at Baltimore, which appointed
him its Secretary. Two years later he
was elected a representa- We in Congress
by the newIy-formed Republican party.
and was reelected for the six following
terms. In the Thirty-fifth Congress Mr..
ColfaX was made Chairman Of the Com
mIttee ON Post Offices and Post Roads.
which place he continued to occupy until
his election, Dec. Z, 1868, as Speaker of
the Thirty-eighth Congress. He was re-
elected Speaker in 1865, and again in 1867.
In May, 1868, the Republican National
Convention at Chicago nominated him for
Vice President of the United States, with
Gen. Grant as candidate for President.
he received 522 votes of the $50 that were
polled by the convention, and was elected
in November; and on March 4, 1869, he
was inaugurated Vice President, and
took his seat as President of the Senate.
In 1870 he wrote letter, which was pub
lished, declaring his purpose to withdraw
from public life at the close of his term
as Vice President. He was subsequently,
led to change this determination, and in
the Republican National Convention at
Philadelphia in 1872 be was a candidate
for the nomination as Vice President, and
received 31413 votes, 3S41% being given to
Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts, who
was accordingly nominated ON the first
ballot, and chosen in the subsequent
Presidential election. In 1878 Mr.. COlfax
was implicated in the charges of cOrrup-
tion brought against members of Congress
who had received shares of the credit
mObilier OF America, and was repeatedly
examined before the Congressional COM
mittee appointed to investigate the matter.
A resolution directing the Judiciary Com
mittee of the House of Representatives to
inquire if the evidence taken by the COM
mittee called for the impeachment of any
officer of the government, brought forth
report, on Feb. "A, 1873, declaring that
there was no ground for the impeachment
OF Mr.. COlfaX, inasmuch as the alleged
Ottense of bribe-taking, If committed at
all, had been committed before he became
Vice President. This report was ac-
cepted, and nothing more done with the
matter.
GEN. WILLIAM STEELE DEAD.
SAN ANTONIO. TEX, Jan. 13.-Gen.
William Steele was stricken with apo
pleXy and died yesterday. The deceased
was graduate of West Point, and was
formerly Adjutant General of Texas. He
won distinction in Mexico. He was Cap
tain of the Second Dragons during the
rebellion, and gained the rank of General
in the Confederate army.