Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-07-24

Into the feVer1Sh lie OF the mining
region. He had a good legal educa-
ton and formed partnership with j.
Allen Barber, of Lancaster. Every
lead struck in those days involved
more or less fighting, legal and other
swim and wealth came to them. Bar
Der diec few years ago worth $780,
600, the greater part of which was
gathered in the days when Southeast
ern Wisconsin was in it's glory and lead
was king.
Mr.. Dewey went into politics, was
elected the first governor of the state
when it came into the federation, was
reelected, and then slowly faded from
public view. In 1854 he began the task
OF creating city on the banks of the
Mississippi at Cassville. In the enter
prise he sunk all his fortune. Just out
side the village he erected country
home that eclipsed in splendor the
homes of Eastern millionaires along the
Hudson. The outbuildings were in
miles of hewn-stone fence shut in the
land Immediately about the house,
while hundreds of acres stretched far
away over the bluffs into the wilderness
almost unmarked. From the windows
| and lawn of the residence the MISSISSIPPI
pl River, then the main artery OF West
| ern commerce, could be viewed for
miles. Here Gov. Dewey lived in a
style in keeping with the home he had
prepared. His dreams went up in
smoke. One night the residence caught
fire from an unknown cause and burned
to the ground. The ruins remain.
From this point financial difficulties
began to accumulate, ending in Gov.
Dewey turning the great domain over
| to the Northwestern Mutual Insu rance
Company of Milwaukee, which had a
mortgage on the place. Since that time
| Gov. Dewey has lived quietly at Cass-
| vile trying to secure what he could from
| the wreck. Occasionally he would re-
appear, generally at political gatherings.
The old Governor was always Demo
GRAFT. Being man OF shrewd lntelie ct,
keen insight, and answering purpose.
| his councils were listened to with the
closest attention. With advancing wears
| he went less and less from home, though
| enjoying the best of health. His last
| public appearance was at the Madison
| convention last summer, to which he
was delegate. He desired to be del
| egate to the national convention, but
this could not be arranged, and he was
| placed on the electoral ticket.
| In 1850 Gov. Dewey, then in his prime
and at the height of power, was married
to Miss Catherine Dunn, the brilliant
and beautiful daughter of Chiet-Justice
| Charles Dunn of Wisconsin Territory.
| Two children were born and the we'd
| ded life of the couple apparently ran
smoothly until the destruction of the
| Cassviile home. From that time on
they lived but little together. Mrs.
Dewey and her daughter made Madi-
son their home, where they ranked as
social leaders and entertained luxuri
ously. Afterward Mrs. Dewey made
trip to Europe with her daughter. Up
| to that time Mrs. Dewey was unaware
| of the financial embarra ssment that
had overtaken her husband. After her
| return she went to Cassville, where she
learned from her husbands lips the ex-
| tent Of his reverses. Naturally of an
excitable temperament the news prayed
upon Mrs. Dewey's mind. On her way
back to Madison she communicated the
| startling news to her mother, Mrs.
| Dunn, who resided at Muscoda. Mrs.
Dunn was said to have intrusted coz
siderable money to Gov. Dewey for in
/ vestment, and this, it was said, was
lost in the wreck. The statement
was borne out by Mrs. Dunn's action
after learning that she was left
crippled in resources. One morning
she arose, dressed herself with unusual
care, as if pre- pairing for a party, and
walked down to the Wisconsin River, a
mile away. A few hours later she was
found drowned in slough. where the
water was barely two feet deep. This
| elimination of her troubles rendered
| Mrs. Dewey temporarily insane. On
| the return of her reason Mrs. Dewey
| continued to reside in Madison until q
few years ago, when she went to Mil.
waukee, where she lives with her
| daughter.