The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1886-01-15
THE GREAT DESTROYER.
How THE VICE PRESIDENTS OF THE
UNITED STATES DIED.
The Deaths and Funerals of George Clin-
ton and Elbridge Gerry Many Years
Ago-Wiiliam r.. Rings Death
Henry Wilson.
["carp'' in Cleveland Leader.l

II
The first vice presidential death was that
Of George Clinton. 1t took place here at
Washington, and his death was the first oc-
casion of tie great destroyei's entering the
high offices of the government He had
been the vice president for nearly eight
| years, serving one term under Madison and
one under Thomas Jefferson. M
Beginning life as sailor in privateer,
he had been brigadier general Of
the revolution, q member of the prov
incial congress, and for eighteen years
governor of New York He died at
Washington on the Goth and was buried here
in the Congressional cemetery on the 21st Of
November. In 1912 such thing as keep
ing corpse for weeks was unknown in this
country, and both Gerry and Clinton were
buried the next day after their death
The time Clinton died Washington city con-
tanned under 10000 people, and the funeral
could not have been very grand one. The
body was taken on its way to the grave
from the city to the capitol, and here rest
of half an hour was taken. Thence it
marched onward in a martial parade A
company of militia preceded the hearse and
the eight pall-bearers who carried the coffin
from the hearse to the grave were all
Revolutionary soldiers. The senate at
tended in body, and on their return to the
capitol they resolved that the vice presi-
dents chair in the senate chamber be
shrouded in black during the session of con-
gress then assembled, and that each senator
should wear mourning in the shape of
band of Grape on the arm for thirty days
DEATH OF ELBRIDGe GERRY.
The second vice presidential death oc-
Cured two years later, and Madison's ad-
ministration showed the curious coinci-
dence of two vice presidents dying during
its continuance. Mr.. Gerry had presided
over the senate on the day preceding his
death, and he ate breakfast at Mrs. Wilson's
boarding house that morning as usual, say
ing he felt we'll, but had a slight oppression
of the chest After breakfast he walked out
to do some business at one Of the govern
ment departments. He had gone but short
distance when he became indisposed, and
took a carriage to return. When the car
riage reached his boarding house he was
found to be insensible, and on being taken
from it he expired without
groan or sigh This was be-
tween 10 and II O'Clock in the morning. The
senate at once adjourned, but the house con-
tinued its session, though it adjourned for
the funeral next day. The funeral took
place at clock, and from The Intelligencer
of that date / see that the Rev. Obediah
Brown pronounced the funeral service
Gerry was buried like Clinton, i'll the con-
gressionals cemetery, and though in his day
he was one of the greatest men, not dozen
statesmen in this Capital city have seen his
monument, or know that he lives here He
was graduate of Harvard college, dele
gate to the continental congress signer of
the Declaration and one of the makers of
our constitution, though he refused to sign
it. He had been several times in congress,
once governor of Massa chusetts, and also
minister to France before he was elected
vice president, and his whole career had
been most stirring one.
During his early days in congress he mar
rowly escaped from the British by hiding in
a cornfield, when body of troops captured
the house where he was staying and were
searching for him. He was the first to in
augurate as governor of MASSACHUSETTS the
present political system of redistricting a
states congressional district for political
purposes, and it is from Elbridge Gerry that
the term 'gerrymandering" comes.
VICE PRESIDENT W. R. KING.
Vice President King did not die in Cuba,
as some papers state. He was in Cuba for
his health at the time of his election and
had resigned from the senate some time be-
fore on account of ill-health He had con-
SUMPTION, and at the time he was sworn in
before a consul in Cuba he did not expect to
live, and had to be prevailed upon to take
the oath He was too feeble to stand alone
at the time, and had to be supported while
it was administered He sailed for America
and grew worse during the voyage. When
he landed in Alabama it was evident that
he would never get to Washington. He
died the day after he landed. The depart
death, and he did not have public funeral
He was the first bachelor ever elected to
one of the two highest offices of the nation,
and he had long been senator, having
served for more than ten years as president
pro tenn of the senate before he was elected
vice president Like Hendricks, he had
been member of a constitutional conven-
ion of his state, and hew elected to his
first term in the senate during the year in
which Vice president Hendricks was born. |
He was for thirty years United States |
senator, and had twenty four years of COM
tfnuous service there In addition to this
he served five. years in the lower house, and |
two years as minister to France. He was |
six feet TALL and very erect He was |
good talker, and was probably the great
"reminiscences man of his latter days
HENRY WILSON'S LAST HOURS.
The last vice presidential death before |
that of Hendricks was that of Vice Presi-
dent Wilson, who died here in Washington
just about ten years ago. He had been rick
for some time, and at New York had had an
operation performed in which his spine was
scared. Returning to Washington after the
operation he indiscreetly took warm bath /
in the senate bathroom. This weakened
him, and his system did not recover from it
He was taken down sick at his boarding
house, and shortly afterward died. His
death occurred at s.U5 o'clock Monday
morning, Nov. %, 1875. The cause was set
down as apoplexy.
The death of Ferry had occurred the
day or night before, and his friends
had deferred telling him of it until the
last moment As morning went on and
the time for the newspapers to come
approached it was seen that it would be inn
possible to keep the news from him longer.
He was told of it and was greatly shocked
to hear it. Fifteen minutes later he was
7ors,l