The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-22
Daily Answered Over 100 Letters, Spent Sew
eral Hours in the Departments, Besides
Attending to His Senatorial Duties
Brief Services in the Senate Yesterday
Over the Statesman's Remains.
President Harrison, His Cabinet and the Dip
lomatic Corps Present Body Sent to
Kansas Under Escort Of o Committee.
LESSON OF PLUmB.s DEATH.
The People should Write Fewer Letters Ar
They Do Not Want to Kill Statesmen.

The People should Write Fewer Letters if
They DO Not Want to Kill Statesmen.
Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2l.-"'Died from over
work would be the verdict of q jury were
q coroner's inquest 10 be held upon the
late Senator Preston Il. Plumb. of Kansas"
said Senator Manderson. of Nebraska. this
afternoon. Senator Manderson continued:
And l might add that the jury would
likely say further that Senator Plumb was
killed by his correspondents. That man
was fairly run TO death by constituents.
who pelted him at every turn with letters.
He used to get from 80 10 two
hundred letters a day. They asked for
pensions and tho settlement of all sorts OK
claims. and they came from homesteaders
and persons who had been raided by In
dians, and who wanted appointments aud
everything else under the sun. Imagine
man taking care of such a quantity of cor
respondence. Ii is almost physically i'm
possible. 1t is necessary for n Senator 70
do something moro with letters than simply
sit down and write an answer. He must,
In o majority of the cases. write other let
ters to carry out the wishes of the CORE
sDondents, and in one-qparter OF the in
stances he must visit departments and tho
White House and introduce bills in Con-
gress and upon them make reports. Sen
ator Plumb had as much work as ak men
could have done and preserved their lives"
There has been a great deal of eommepu
like the above made to-day upon Senator
Plumbs death. Physically and mentally,
Sen ator Plumb was almost q giant. He
stood over six feet In height, was raw
boned and muscular, and weighed proDa-
bly, 220 pounds. He was rugged and TO-
bust. and had good digestion, and was q
sound sleeper up to few years ago. when
the terrible mental strain began 10 wear
upon him. His committee clerk and private
secretary. Dir. B. L. Fienniken. Is little
taller and more fieshy than was Senator
Plumb. To-day Mr.. Flenniken. IN speaking
of the great amount OF work done by the
dead statesman, observed that he himself
was almost completely worn out Both
men have done so much In the way or
letter-writing and running through de-
partments during the past six or eight years
that one was brought down 70 the grave from
oyerwork and the other TO the verge. Their
examples illustrate how completely mental
work can wreck physical giant. for it is nm
probable that two stronger men were ever
coupled together In Washington to do men,
tai labor. Mr. Flennlken says that Senator
Plumb often dictated 40 letters in a single
morning. and averaged over one hundred
letters. and, after this work was completed,
be spent two or three hours in the DEPART
in committee, or spoke on the floor of the
Senate chamber until dark, when he re-
turned to his lodging house. and continued
poring over and debating letters. Often
the Senator was so affected with vertigo
after hard days work that be could
scarcely walk, and last week was warned
that, unless he gave ND all Of his work and
took a rest, he would be stricken with
paralysis or apopiexy. both fatal afilic-
tions struck him within an hour before be
died. The physicians in Philadelphia, who
diagnosed the case. told HIM that be had SO
lived upon his nerves and excitement that
be would die of apoplexy. The warning
came too late: 1t came within forty-eight
hours of his death.
The sudden death of Senator Plumb has
again called attention to the fact that moro
men die suddenly in Washington than auy
two cities of It's size In the United States.
and the physicians say if comes from over
work and severe mental aud nervous ex-
element Ii seems, after all, the life Of the
politician or Office holder is not an easy one.
UNDUE HASTE FOB THE VACANT SEAT.
Within less than two hours after the
death of Senator Plumb yesterday Senator
Warren, of Wyoming, had mailed letter
to Door-keeper Bassett applying for the
dead Senator's desk, whIeh was q very de-
sirable one. The Kansas Senator occupied
desk and chair in the very center of the
outside row next the main aisle. where he
could have easy egress and ingress and
could see and be- heard from any
point in the chamber. The eagerness
with which Senator'S pOunce upon the seats
of their dead confreres makes one almost
shudder. Quite q number of letters were
mailed yesterday to Mr. Bassett asking for
that the post-marks on the envelopes bad
10 be consulted as 10 priority OF Gppllca-
tion; Senator Warren fortunately carried
his letter TO the city postofnce hlmseif.
thereby securing On Immediate pOst-mark
e o'clockl. when the death occurred just
after IL, and so he gets the vacant chair.
It is understood that senator Squire will
move into Governor Warren's seat. and
other Senators Will probably move around
until the least desirable place in- the
chamber is left for the Kansas Republican
who will be appointed by Governor
Senator FIumb's death will give the
Northwest another committee chairman
ship. for Senator 'Dolph Of Oregon will 40
to the head of the committee on public
lands. Just what changes will be brought
about in the formation of committees by
the death of Senator Plumb cannot easily
at this time be foreshadowed. These Will
depend very largely upon the character OF
his successor. Ifex-Senat0r Ingalls, should
be appointed there would have 10 be very
much of a readjustment. for senatorial
courtesy would insist on Mr. ingalls, get
ting piace on as many as possible OF his
|
The services to-day over the remains Of
the late Senator Plumb. which were con-
Quoted exclusively by Chaplain Butler,
came 10 an end at 2 o'clock. and then en-
sued what many people regard an ex-
traoTdInary affair. Without any motion ID
adjourn or 10 take recess. and without
making any provision for the hiatus " hich
afterwards became decidedly prominent.
the Senate simply collapsed d-walked out.
leaving its guests standing For fully two
minutes the President and his Official fam
Ily, the Supreme Court and the diplomatic
| corps waited for directions as 10 the proper
sty le aud location of exit, but as none came
the distinguished visitors departed IN such
a manner as individually seemed 10 him
best. How the Senote was ever to reas
semble when there had been no pfovisc
made for its dispersion or for anythi
else was too much for any OF the old-timt
In the galleries.
At 3 O'clock the Vice president return
TO the Senate Chamber. Senator Allison
| had Just preceded him. and Senator Glib
son of Louisiana was at his desk attending
70 some of his correspondence. Tho SEN
ate will be in order" said the Nice-presi-
| dent. The two Senators arose simultane-
| ously. Senator Allisoa looked at Senator
Gibson and senator Gibson gazed at Sena-
tor Allison.
II move that the Senate adjourn" sand
Mr.. Allison. just as the pause was beeom-
4 s1Ttk. &c. L.. 49,