New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-24
OBITUARY.
COURTLANDT PALMER.

Courtlandt Palmer president of tho Nineteenth
Century Club. died at Lake Dunmore Vt, yesterday
afternoon. The announcement OF his death VIII be
a surprise not only to the general puphc,
but to Mr. Palmers friends outside Of the closely re-
lated circle who with him at the last. He was
III only few days His wife ard family appre-
hended that his case was Serious and sent for DR..
Able, their physician. No more word reached New
York until yesterday forenoon, when Charles p Palmer
received a hasty summons to Lake Dunmorc. This
was followed little later by the Of Courtlandt
Pemer's death.
Mr.. Palmer of wealth and in his dispo-
siion of the money he spent careful and In some
respects peculiar He was chiefly instrumental in
founding the Nineteenth Century Club, and in spite Of
his recent jars with some prominent members the roll
even now bears the names Of many well-known men
who were Mr. Palmcrs friends well as his follow
ers Mr.. Palmer was a FrcoThinler, and the club
was his ideal of of promotion Of free thought
In the most liberal sense OF the word 1t was his
ambition to see this his favorite enterprise, at home
In great dwelling Of it's own, which
should be something unique among New
York club-houses 1t was organized with Mr.
Palmer president; Parke Goodwin, Mrs. John
Sherwood, Mrs. Vinccnzo Botta. the Rev. Dr. J. H.
Rylance Mrs. Golden Murray, Mrs. Burton n IIar-
rson, Dwight II. Olmstead and Mrs. Palmer as Vice
presidents; Francis B. Thurber treasurer, and G. ".
Wickersham secretary. Mr. Palmer opened the first
formal meeting January o. 1859, and affirmed that
the club based the American idea Of fair play
In the field of thought
Mr.. Palmer was positivist, being follower Of
Augusta Comte HIS radical political convictions
are well known. Ho had some acquain tances among
the Socialists here, and he Endorsed the Progressive
Labor party in its last campaign. He appeared at
several Of Its meetings. and 1t was said many times,
though conradicted by him, that 1t was bis intention
to found daily Socialist paper here His position
Of sympathy toward the Chicago Anarchists is also well
T1,a Doll CfatD N VI
manager includes the Morton House. the Union square
Theatre, the Star Theatre and other highly valuable
city to-day and tho funeral Will be at his home No.
III East Twenty lrstst 800
His father native Of stoningon, Conn, and was
the descendant of family that settled in this country
AT Mt Washington Institute, and afterward entered
Columbia College. but he was Obliged TO give up his
health. Later on he entered Williams College, but
returned TO Columbia and finished his law course there
LETT COL. WILLIAM MCFARLAND.
Iieutenant-Colone Walter Mcfarland of the Engineer
CORPS. u s. Army age 1fty-two, died at his home
in NewIIavcn, Conn, from rheumatism Of the heart
He had been alng for two years, but had not taken
sick leave He suffered extremely from rheumatism
and also had lung trouble At the beginning OF last
winter he took cold, and was, at bis own 70
quest assigned 10 duty the Gulf coast so that his
health could have benefit Of the Southern climate
insisted that important matters in the Office here should
be communicated to him. and he attended TO the bus
ness of his department until within few days of his
death.
Colonel Mcfarland born in NewJcrsey, and re-
ceived his appointment 10 West Point from New YORK.
being graduated at the head of his class in 1860.
For gallant service at the bombardment of Fort
pIckens I'm November. he brevctcd captain and at
tanned the full rank of captain in the Engineer Corps
after good service at Key West, Fort Jefferson and
Charleston on March g. 1868. From that time until
June. 1865 no was Chief Engineer OF the sixteenth
Army Corps and in command of the defences at
Mobile He became major in 1867, and leu
tcnant- colonel I'm 1884. For somo years
Colonel Mcfarland has made his homo
New Haven and has been IN charge OF all Government
works in Long Island Sound. Since the great blast
at Flood Rock In 1855 he had been In charge OF inc
works at Hell Gate, and all other Government work
in and about New-York Harbor He was considered
one OF the ablcst engineers in tho Army, ana was
fayorife among his brother-of1cers- Tic was mem
her OF the Century Club and OF the Loyal Legion ne
leaves wife and five children, his eldest son DelnB
student in the College OF physicians ana eurBcois'