Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-01-29
RIDDLEBERGER IS DEAD.
The Ex-Unitcd States Senator from
Virginia Expires.

I0o Tx nlCCO states senator from
Virginia Expires.
WOODSTOCK, Va, Jan. 24.-Ex-Sena-
tor Riddleberger died at 2:30 O'Clock
this morning. He mas been i'll for some
time, and for a week there has been
little hopes of his recovery.
Mr.. Riddleberger was one of the
characters of the Upper House.
Though he scandalized the Senate on
more than one occasion, it had been
scandalized in the same way by men of
greater reputation than the Virginia re-
adjuster. Riddle berger was q born de-
batter. He had fine voice, and his de-
livery was both torcible and polished.
He could think on his feet, and even St.
Jerome Edmunds was careful to avoid
his retorts. After once taking up a
subject he never let go, as his fight for
open executive sessions and against the
Rosebery- Phelps extradition treaty
showed. The integrity of his
public life was never questioned,
and those who knew him
best never ceased to regret that his I'M
fortunate habits rendered his talents
useless. His later years in the Senate
were soured by the belief that his col
league, Gen. Malone, had undermined
MIN. He brooded over this belief until
it colored all his actions, and last fall he
was one of the strongest opponents OF
Gen. Malone for governor of Virginia,
taking the stump in support Of the
whole Democratic state ticket. Though
they had abused him shamefully, the
Democrats were glad of his aid, and
would have welcomed him back into
the fold for good, but he had nothing in
l, ~,
of Malone.
Mr.. Riddleberger's public career was
a varied one. A lawyer by profession,
he proved brave Confederate soldier.
After the war, accepting it's results in
good faith, he became newspaper
editor, served in the Legislature, and
during the time when the Old Dominion
Democracy masked under the name of
the Conservative party he acted with it.
In 1876 he was presidential elector
on the Tilden ticket, but four years
later he had become one Of the leaders
in the readjuster movement and was an
elector on that ticket. The readjuster
movement swept him from the state
Senate to the Senate of the United
States, which he entered in 1888.
While in the Senate he was strong
advocate Of the Blair educational bill,
and was an ardent protectionist. There
have been senators from Virginia of
more prominence who did less for the
state than Mr.. Riddleberger, but during
the last two years Of his term his infu-
ence was all gone. Last winter several
times he created scenes, but the most
painful happening was the night of
March 4, a few hours before the end OF
his official life, when President pro tenn
ingalls, ordered his arrest, while the vile
and daughter of Riddleberger looked
down on the disorderly proceedings
from the gallery.
Mr.. Riddleberger was born in Eden
burgh, Shenandoah County, Va, Octo-
Der 4, 1874; received a common-school
education, and had home preceptor
for two years; served three years in the
Confederate States army as second and
first lieutenant of infantry, and as cap
tain of cavalry; was lawyer by profess
sion; served as commemorative attor-
ney of his county for two terms; also
two terms of two years each in
the House Of Delegates, and one
term of four years in the state
senate; since 1870 he has been edl-
tor of three newspapers, the Tenth
Legion, the Shenandoah Democrat, and
the Virginian; was a member of the
State Committee of the Conservative
party until 1875; was a presidential
elector on the Democratic ticket Of 1876,
and the same on the Readjuster ticket
of 1880; in 1881. while commonwealth IS
attorney and state senator, he was elect
ed to the United States Senate as a
Read!uster, in the place of John w.
Johnston, Conservative, and took his
seat Decembe 8, 1888. His term of SER
vice expired March 8, 1889.