The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-04-19

SA\N fifty persons also
rCr, waiting to hear
Roscoe COnkliRq the worst. They
were composed chiefly of representatives
of the press and friends OF the dead Sena-
tor
DR.. Barker called at 1850 o'clock and re-
manned until eleven p. m. He said Mr.
Conking was failing rapidly. His extrem-
tiles were becoming cold. His legs were
quite cold nearly all the way up. He was
pulseless. HIS respira'ions very QUICK
He did not think Mr.. Conkling could live
much longer. In fact he did not think he
would 1--we for two hours. He was suffer
ing from general failure of the nervous
system.
1t was a dreadful struggle that the
statesman had fought against grim death,
but at the last his end was peaceful and
unaccompanied by pain. His sorrowlng
wife and daughter were weeping at his
side, but the once keen eyes were glazed
and set in the struggle.
Mrs. Conkiing and her daughter both
bore up bravely, but the elder lady was
tue most Frustrated. Mrs. Oakman sup
ported her mother The ashen paIlor deep
ened on the emacIated face and Mr.. Conk-
ling gasped three or four times aud passed
away In de ,th the lines about his mouth
and on mis- face were slightly drawn. He
was much emaclated, but still in death his
face seemed natural.
Immediately after the death Judge Coke
and DR.. AnderUon left the house. No ar
rangements we're made last night for the
funeral but will be definitely settled upon
to-day when Mrs. Conkliug becomes more
composed. Judge Coke said that in death
Mr.. Conkling's mouth was slightly open as
though he had died with a gasp. The
nurse gently pressed the mouth shut. Mrs.
Conkllng is alone with her daughter and
completely Frustrated with grief.
The interment Will be at Utica, n. Y.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Roscoe Conkling was born in Albany, n.
", October 81, 1879; received an academic
education, and studied law three years un-
der his fathers tuition. In lSI6 he entered
the law flee of Francis Keenan, afterward
his colleague in the Senate, and in 1850 be-
came district attorney for Oneida County.
He was admitted to the bar in that year,
and soon became prominent both in law
and in politics. He was elected mayor of
Utica IN 1858, and at the expiration of his
iirst term tie vote between The two can
Iidates for the office caused him to hold
,ver for another term. In November,
1858, he was chosen as a Republican
| % Congress, and took his seat in
hat body at the beginning of its first ses
| sion, in December, 1S59-a session noted
| for its long and bitter contest over the
| Speakershp He was reelected in 1860,
but in 1856! Was defeated by Francis Ker-
nan, over whom. however, he was elected
N 1854. II first committee was that on
the District of Columbia, of which he was
4
Der of the Committee of Ways and Means
and of the special recon.tructIon conf nit
tee of fifteen. Mr.. CoukIing's first i'm
portant speech Was in support of the Four
teenth amendment to the Constitution. He
vigorously attacked the generalship of Nc
Clellan, opposed Spauldlng's legal tender
act, and firmly upheld the Government IN
the prosecution of the war. Mr. Conk-
ling was reelected IN the autumn of 1866,
but in January, 1o67, before he took his
seat, was chosen United States Senator to
succeed Ira Harris, and reelected in
1873 and 1879. Ia the Senate he was
from the first member of the
Judiciary Committee, and connected with
nearly all the leading committees, holding
the char of those on commerce and re-
vision of the laws. Senator Conkl ing was
a Jealous supporter OF President Grants
Administration and largely directed its
general policy toward the South, advocat.
ing it in public and by his personal in
fiuence. He was also instrum entail in the
passage of the Civ Il Rights b i'll, and IA
vored the reSumution of specie payments.
He took a prominent part IN framing the
Electoral Com mission bill IN 1877, and sup
ported 1t by an able speech, arguing that
the question of the Commissions jurisdic-
ton should be left to thai body ITSELF Mr..
Conkling received ninety-three votes for
the Republican nomination for President
in the Cincinnati convention of 1876. In
the Chicago convention of 1880 he ad-
vocated the nomination of General
Grant for a third term. In 1851 he
became hostile to President Gar
fields Administration on a question of
patronage. claiming, with his colleague,
Thomas G. Platt, the right to control Fed.
eral appointments In his State. The Presl-
dent having appointed a political opponent
of Mr.. Conkling to the collectorship of the
port of New York, the latter opposed his
confirmation, claiming that he should have
been consulted in the matter, and that the
nomination was violation of the pledges
given to him by the President. Mr.. Gar
field, as soon as Mr.. Conkling had declared
MS OppOSlIlOn, WllHureW all OluSI nOull I'd
tions to New York offices, leaving the OBJ
jectionable one to be acted on by itself.
Finding that he could not prevent the con-
frma ion, Mr.. Conkling, on May 10, re-
signed his Senatorship, as did also his COL
league, and returned home to seek a vlndi-
cation in the form of reelection. In this.
however, after an exciting canvass, they
failed; two other Repu blicans were chosen
to fill the vacant places, and Mr. Conklng
returned to his law practice in New York
city. In 1856 he was counsel of the State
Senate investigating committee, appointed
for the purpose of disclosing the fraud
and bribery in the grant of the Broadway
horse railroad franch Sc by the Board OF
Aldermen in 1854 After the taking Of tes-
tim NJ, lasting about three months, Mr..
Conkling, together with Clarence A. Sew
ard, made an argument which resulted in
the repeal of the Broadway railroad ch-r
ter.