Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-09-20
OCll Tuesday evcn-


been conscious all day until about
quarter of an hour before the
end. Dr. Lockwood was in attendance at
the time Nicholas kearney, William
Hirschtield. two nurses, and two servants
We're in the room. All knelt about the
bed. Mr.. Cox's last conversation was
about the four Territories whose statehood
he hoped to father. He mentioned New
Mexico and Arizona, and said something
about making great effort in their behalf
at the coming session.
Two hours before ta died hjs colored
servant, who had just come on from
Washingto went to the bed and Mrs. Cox
asAs1 Aer husband if he recognized him.
He looked at him and patred him on the
shoulder. The colored mans eyes filled
with tears, while all were deeply affected.
In the afternoon, while DR.. Lockwood was
talking to him, Mr.. Cox made some witty
remarks which completely upset the doc
tors dignity. Later in the afternoon tele-
grams were sent to Mr.. Cox's three
sisters. two of whom live in GAINESVILLE
Cox's nephew, who is the superintendent
of the Smithsonian institution, was also
telegraphed for. DR.. Lockwood said that
the immediate cause of death was heart
failure, and the cause peritonitis. Tele-
grams were sent to Sergeant-at-Arms of
the House of Representatives j. p. Leedom
and to Speaker Carlisle.
Mr.. Cox was taken ill four weeks ago
while on a tour of the four newly acquired
States. He returned home and improved
for few days, but took to his bed two
weeks ago and did not leave it. He re-
tanned his mental faculties to the last, and
made determined battle against death.
Mr. Cox was the son of Ezekiel Taylor
Cox and was born in GAINESVILLE, Ohio,
Sept 10, 1924. He attended the common
school and afterward spent some time in
the Ohio university. He then entered
Brown college ut Providence, R. l., and
graduated in the class of 1916. He studied
law and returned to Ohio to pro e.i-.,- as
| profession. He did noJ take kindly to the
WORK and made trip to Europe, the story
of which he told in "a Buckeye Abroad"
Oh his return he became editor Of the
Ohio Statesman, published at Columbus.
In 1858 he was appointed secretary of
legation to Peru, and on his return was
elected to Congress from the Columbus
district. He stood by the Union in the
dark period just before the war, and was
returned to the AXXVIth, XxXVIIth,
and XXXVIIIth Congresses. In 1864 he
and the following spring removed to New
York.
In 1868 MI. Cox first appeared as can
didate for Congress in New York city and
was elected by large majority owe,
Starr, his Republican opponent. The ma
J .ioritJ, u,a xs,-e.s1it -augLneuCe1 two yeexo
after, when Horace Greeley ran against
him. In 1872, when he ran for Congress
man at-large against Lyman Tremaine,
he was defeated. He was few months
after chosen to fill the seat made vacant
| by the death of James Brooks. He was
reelected to the XLIVth Congress, was
appointed speaker pro tempore June q,
1876, and was elected speaker pro tempore
June l9 1876, serving until June "a. He
was elected to the NLVti, XLVIth,
XLVIIth, and XLIXth Congress, end re-
signed to become minister to Turkey. This
position he resigned and took his seat in
the NLIXth Congress, filing the vacancy
caused the resignation Joseph Pulitzer.
| He was reelected to the Lth Congress and
again to the List.
fund of humor was inexhaustible. AS a
story-teller he had few equals. He was
kind and generous to fault and made
many friends.
The production which won for him the
sobriquet of ''Sunset'' was o piece of de-
scriptive writing which appeared in the
Ohio Statesman May 10, 1S5H. He was in
the composing room of the Statesman the
evening before and witnessed an unusually
brilliant sunset After viewing it for q
few minutes he sat down and wrote 9
ford description of it. The article was
widely copied, and was often quoted by
Mr.. Cox's opponents during debates in