Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-10-16
The General Receives a Stroke OF
ApopleXy While at His Home
in Washington.
He is Found Dead i'm Bed by His
Faithful Servant, John W.
Cameron.
The Relatives of the ex-Secretary
Immediately Start for His
Death-bed.

| w ASHlNGION, u. u. OcC. i0.-Gen
| W. w. Belknap, eX-secretary Of war dur
ing President Grant first term, was founC
dead in his bed at about 9 clock this
morning. 1t is believed that death oc-
Cured between l o'clock Saturday night
and clock Sunday morning.
! For some time it has been the general
habit to meet few friends at the home Of
| Mr.. Hill, who lives less than a square
away, for a social game of cards Last
Saturday night he was with them as usual,
and remained until nearly midnight, when
he returned to his apartments in the
Evans building at 1920 New York avenue
and presumably Immediately retired. He
was never again seen alive.
About $50 o'clock this morning John
W. Cameron, Gen. Belknap's business
! man, arrived at the building, and taking
the mail for himself and the general from
the box on the first floor, proceeded
to the second floor, where their office
and the generals apartment are located.
He had sorted the generals mail
from his own, which he began reading,
when the servant girl, who keeps
the room in order, raped at the
door and inquired if Gen. BeIknap was
out of the city, saying that she had several
UlLlcS SLICE Cuuudy AuOTnluS If1ou tue
doors but found them locked Mr..
said, Immediately tried the doors HIM
was summoned, and bringing a step-iad-
door leading from the public hall into the
the generals hat on the table and his coal
on q chair StanH1n Tho -lCl i
was then placed against the door leading
seen, and the general lying partly uncov-
cred on it. His left arm was bent rigid
ly toward the head, and his left hand was
tightly clenched, as though death had
come while he was in a conyusiou The
as if there had been slight
summoned, and, after making brief
that death had resulted from stroke of
apopleXY. The coroner soon afterward
arrived and took the body III charge An
autopsy was held later.
Mrs. Belknap, who has been at New
port and other eastern seaside resorts
during the summer months, but in New
i VI CIlN ultI1IS lilc lCtSU lew NcthS, WIS
summoned by telegraph, and also the gen
erals son Hugh, from his home in Chica-
GO where he is employed in the Offices Of
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.
For some years past Gen. Bellnap has
been an almost constant sufferer from
govt, and in February last be had so Sc
we're an attack that he hardly left his room
for three months or more During that
10 loCt loA Il
forty pounds, and since then be has been
in poor health. In consequence Of his
long illness his business has suffered and
this had worried him at times. Mr..
Cameron last saw the general at about 3
o'clock on Saturday afternoon. He had
been talking of his business affairs and
seemed somewhat depressed, but before
Mr.. Cameron left he had in measure re-
gained his usual cheerfulness.
AS soon as the death of General BeIknap
Secretary Grant ordered the flags on the
building to be put at half-mast in honor of
the eX-secretary, and gave directions that
the building be draped in black for the
customary period.
Mrs Belknap has decided tn at the gen
eral shall be buried at Abingdon cemetery
and the funeral will probably take place
Thursday.
Gen. VIM. Worth Belknap was born in
Newburg, n Y, in September 1929. He
graduated at Princeton college in 1848
and in 1851 he removed to Keokuk, Ia,
where he practiced law Gen. BeIknap
served through the war, beginning his
service as major of an Iowa regiment
ard at the close was breveted general. In
October, 1869, he was appointed secretary
of war. This Office he retained during
Gen. Grant s second administration until
March, 1875, when in consequence of
charges of official corruption ne
resigned. He was impeached and
tried before the senate for re-
ceiving brides for the appointment Of
post traders, and was acquitted on the
technical ground of want of jurisdiction.
When the case was brought before the
senate, sitting as high court of impeach.
ment, the question of the jurisdiction Of
the court was raised on the ground that
the resignation of the secretary having
been accepted by the president he was no
longer a government officer. The court
sustained the position taken by the de-
tense and the impeachment proceedings
were discontinued.