The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-10-14
GEN. BELKNAP is DEAD
His Distorted Body Found in
Bed in Washington City.
ALONE IN HIS LAST sTRUocLE.
Prssident Grants Secretary Of War, who
Sold Post-Traderships - brave
Soldier But Corrupt Omcial.

WAsHINoToH CrrY. Oct. Ia. General WV.
Belknap, secretary Of war during Piesi-
dent Grants first term, was found dead In
bed at 8 o'clock this morning. It Is be-
lieved his death occurred between O'Clock
Saturday night and 4 o'clock Sunday
morning.
From John w. Cameron, General Bel
knap's business associate, it is learned that
for some time it had been the generals
habit to meet 3 few friends at the home Of
DR.. Hill, who lives less than square away,
for social game OF cards. On Saturday
night he was with them % usual. and re-
manned until nearly midnight " hen he re-
turned to his apartments at No. lao New
York avenue, and he presumably retired
Immediately. He was never again seen
alive. About 8 80 this morning Mr.. Cam.
eron arrived at the building, and pro.
ceeded to the second floor, where their
offices and the generals apartments are
located. The servant girl who keeps the
rooms. raped at the door and inquired If
General Belknap was out Of the city, say
ing she had several times since Sunday
morning tried the doors, but found them
locked.
The door was then forced open and the
body found lying partly uncovered. The
left arm was bent rigidly toward the head,
and the left hand tightly clenched -
though death had come while he was in
commissions. The bedclothes was some
what disarranged, Is if there had been
slight struggle for breath. A physician
was summoned, and after making . brief
examination he expressed thaopinion that
death had resulted from . stroke of apo.
plexy.
The coroner soon afterward arrived and
took the body in charge. An autopsy dis
closed the fact that the immediate cause of
death was Inflammation of the inner lining
of the heart
was summoned by telegraph, and also the
generals son Hugh. from Chicago.
For some years Belknap had been an al
most constant sufferer from govt In Feb
ruary he had 50 severe IN attack that he
hardly left the room for three months or
more, and during that time he lost in flesh
between thirty and forty pounds. Since
then he had been in poor health. In con-
sequence of his long illness his business
suffered, and this worried him at times.
As soon IS the death of General Belknap
became known at the war department Act
AAk CCCACa8xy uE6Ab OIoSIS0 tuo nag ON the
building to be placed at half mast in honor
OF the ex-secretary, and gave directions
that the building be draped in black for the
customary period. He communicated with
the family Of the deceased to offer what as
sistance they might desire from the de-
partmAnt IN afsAss0g for the funeral. As
soon as the funeral arrangements are conf
pleted, an order will be issued closing the
department on the day of the funeral.
William Worth Belknap was born in New
burgh. N. Y. September Y, Sace- He was grad
uated at Princeton in 184S. studied law and prac.
ticed ct Keokuk, L.. where he settled In 1851
and was elected to the legislature % Democrat
in 1857. At the beginning Of the civil war he
joined the army ~ major Fifteenth Iowa volun-
teers. He was engaged at Shiloh, Corinth and
Vicksburg; became prominent in Gherman's At.
lanta campaign. receiving promotion % briRa-
dier-general In May, 1864. and was breveted ma.
jor-general on March Is, 1866. After the war he
was collector of revenue in Iowa from 1865 till
October 18 1869, when he was appointed secre-
tary of war. This Office he retained during Gen.
eral Grants second administration until March
z, 1876, when, in consequence OF charges of Of.
fetal corruption, he resigned. He was i'm
peached and tried before the Senate for receiv.
ing brides for the appointment of post traders.
and was acquitted on the technical ground of
want Of jurisdiction.