Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-10
WILEY WILLET PO lTINGER.
The Career OF Nebraska Iioncer,
Recently Drowned

The late Willet P0ttiuger OF Plattsmouth
for years one of the bost known lawyers and
politicians in the state, affords good subject
1or an lntereS ting sketch, sketch that could
be made to abound with pathos as well as hu-
NOR, and furnish Il moral fit as an adornment
for any tale
He drowned in the Missouri riversome
three or four weeks ago within sight of his
home. Mr. POttingcr was always an cnthu-
sastic follower of Izaak Walton, and for
years has had his 'trotn lines strung along
the river, it being legend that his catches
exceeded those OF any fishern man along
the Big Muddy for, say stretch of one hun
dred miles, either up or down. 1t is supposed
thathe was in pursuit of his favorito opas time
the passion for which has RENAME dominant
even in the enfeeblement which ALWAYS ac
companies old age-that he was out seeing to
his lines," and the treacherous bank crum-
bled beneath his feet, precipitating him into
the rushing river. lie was too weak and un-
nerved to battle with tho powerful current
and was swept off to death.
In his early days Pottinger was much more
than an ordinary man, and always took a
conspicuous part in the affairs of the terri
S"ry omS Of he yoNG%rrD WAS LAWYER 5 t0o and
shrewd and erspicaclOus in drafting his
plans and decisive and brilliant in their exc
cutiOn
Indeed Pottnger was no ordinary indvid-
ual, but a parsonage who should have at
tained greater heights in the plane of public
life than he did, but now thathe has gone, his
foibes and faults and the prohigate phases of
his life have gone with him, and he will have
place in Nebraska's history that will live
long after his bones are dust for it was by
his peculiar ingenuity and bold action that
this great state was admitted to the union.
.Pottinger was graduate of the Athens O.
university. He came west and located at
Plattsmouth back in lS56,and for number of
the Hon. II. M. Marquette. He
owned several shares in the original
town of Plattsmouth, and was the builder of
one OF the handsomest dwelling houses in the
town.
Pottinger was queer man in many parti-
culars; sharper than serpent's tooth, un-
scrupulous in the attainment of his ends,
shrewd and astute in all his manipulations
and devices, smooth man with his lnguisti-
cal powers, and generally successful in all
his undertakings. He wasn't troubled very
frequently with any qualms of conscience.
In 1866 he was one of the canvassing board
Tor Cass county, when the adoption of the
state constitution was voted on. AS will be
recalled by the old-timers and all those famil-
lar with Nebraska's early history, the demo-
Gratis, true to their tnCts, were rabidy on
posed to the proposition,
They would have defeated it, too in all
prOOdDllIy, nau III not Oeen Tor Wllet Pot
fingers neverfailng ingenuity.
BY some mysterious hook or crook, an ir-
regularity of some abstruse character was
discovered in the returns from Rock Bluffs,
in Pottingers county, and it was Pottinger's
preternatural disCernment that discovered
this timely discrepancy. The county board
was composed of Pottinger, County Clerk
Spurlock and j. a. Chapn. The vote was
held back until il was learned TO a certainty
that by throwing out the vote of Rock Bluffs
the whole aspect of affairs would be changed
and the constitution would be carried and all
the offices of the state fall TO the lot of the
republicans.
Was Willet equal to the emergencyi
Wen, history says that the Rock Bluffs re.
turns Were thrown out, and Nebraska came
into the union through the accouchment OF
Pottinger. II was rocky on Rock Bluffs, but
went all the same, and Nebraska owes the
willy canyasser monument as high as the
E1ftel tower.
The democrats charged Pottinger with the
grossestfrau but Pottinger was aman with
good deal of the facetious in his composition,
and the wrath of the bourbons was the balm
OF Gilead to his soul.
1t Is also said that IL was Pottnger's
peculiar methods that made Phineas w
Hitchcock United States senator.
Pottinger OF Cass ana Kennedy of Sarpy
county were ontestants for float senator for
that district and of course the certificate
was issued to Pottinger He held his seat