Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-02-05
WINDOW No MORE
The Secretary of the Treasury Elk
pires Suddenlyat DelimOnicO's
in New York.
He Goes to Gotham to Deliver
an Address on Our Fiscal
Policy.
A Brief Sketch Of the Life and
Career of the Great Finan-
cier.

NEW YORK, Jan. 29.-secretary
Windcm died suddenly tonight at the
Dplmonico banquet. William Window
was horn in Belmont county, Ohio, May
10, 1927 He had an academic education
and studied law at Mt. Vernon, Ohio
He was admitted to the bar in 1850, and il
1852 became prosecuting attor-
ney of Knox county. In 1856
he removed to Minnesota and soon
after was chosen to congress as a republi
can, serving f. N 1859 to 1869. In 1876
he was appointed to the United States
senate to fill the unexpired term of Daniel
S. Norton, deceased, and subsequently
was chosen tor term that ended in 1887
He was re- elected for the term that
closed in 1888, and resigned in 1881
to enter the cabinet of President Garfield
as secretary of the treasury. But he re-
tired on the accession of President Arthur
in the same year, and was elected by the
Minnesota legislature to serve the re-
mainder of his term In the senate. He
was appointed secretary of the treasuryt Y
President Harrison, and has since served
in that capacity.
He left Washington this morning ap-
parently in good health to attend a ban
quet of the board of trade and uanspor-
tation at New York this evening, where
he was to make an address outlining the
fiscal policy of the government.
The news of Secretary WINDOWS death
was first communicated to the president
by the Associated Press, and he was so
shocked and overcome by the sudden an
nouncement that he was unable to say
anything with respect to the loss he has
suffered.
In the early evening the members of the
board of trade and transportation
gathered in the reception parlors at Del
monico, and to welcome the guests and
friends who had come from near and
far.
Perhaps the most prominent ones
were Secretarys Window and Tracy, OF
tie treasury and navy respectively
Nova Scotia had representative among
those present in the person OF Attorney
General Mr.. Longley. Canada, too, was
there in the person of Wilford Lauries.
Mr.. Window, dignifed of mien
as usual, was apparently In
perfect health. All formed jolly pro
cession to the banquet hall, where the
members and guests were seated. The
members at the tables upon the floor ard
the guests at the long table upon the raised
platform. The aged Capt. Ambrose
Snow, president of The board, was in
the center place; at his right he
seated Mr.. Window, and upon the left
was Mr.. Bayard.
The dinner was completed shortly after
9o'clock, and Mr.. Window was intro.
duced by Judge AmouX, and responded to
the toast, Our country's prosperity de-
pendent upon It's instruments OfCOmmerce
He finished his speech at 9:55 clock,
1t had been remarked that he was reading
it off hurriedly from the printed copy,
going faster and faster as he neared the
end, and at last he had re
quested the audience not to applaud.
A culver of fear shot through the assem-
bIage like an electric shock as the speaker
finished Mr.. Window was standing
erect under the glare Of the gas lights,
with the faces of all turned toward him
For a moment the secretary stood
silent, while banqueters, equally silent,
watched him. | was a moment that one
who was present will never forget. Then
hr. Window sat down quietly, too quietly
many thought in his seat. Toast master
Arnoux arose to introduce EX-Secretary OF
State Bayard as the next speaker.
He began a short speech but had not
proceeded far when Mr.. Window gave a
short, sharp moan of anguish and fell
back in his chair. His face grew
purple his lower limbs stiffened, and
stretched out under the table,
His eyelids opened and shut spasmodic-
ally but there Was no CLEAN of intelli-
gence in the eyes which we're rapidly los
ing the ustre of life. The cigar which
he had been smoking was held between
his grimIy cIinched teeth, for only
moment he appeared thus.
A CRY went up from those sitting near the
guests at the table: Look. look at Mr.
Windom!'
Every eye was TUNED toward ihe man
whose voice had Just ceased As they
looked he collapsed IN his chair
und was falling to the floor. His
face was CHASTITY and cry of horror arose
from the late festive banqueters. There
was an immediate rush on the part of all
toward WINDOWS chair, but several
doctors, VIII were present at the dinuer,
got there first and drove the others
back They were Drs. Robinson, Durant
Whitney, Fisher and Bishop.
DR.. Robinson bent down and,
making a close examination OF
the PROSTATE form, he discovered The
heat yet beating and with assistance
of Judge Truax, Capt. Snow, and one or
two others carried him into the room be-
hind the banquet hall and everything was
done to reSusciiate him. Messengers were
hastiI, dispatched for electr batteries and
as many as four were applied
to his body, it was rapidly growing cold
This was exactly 1905 D. m. For six
minutes the electric shocks were applied
necessarily, but without success; he was
pronounced dead
Il would say the cause of death wa,
apoplexy," said Dr. Robinson. IF il
was not for the history of heart disease
| am inclined to think heart dis
ease killed him, Mr.. Window was
subject to fits of heart failure. On Tues
day last he was siez> d with an attack
while on the steps of the treasury al
Washington. But he did not lose con,
seriousness, and was able to take care Of
himself.
At 1912 p. m. Judge Aonoux came from
the room where lay Window, and an.
nouncod to the diners that the secretary
whom they had the pleasure OF hearing
but few minutes before, had breatheC
has last. He is dead. >
he said. This was the
fearful announcement that was uttered in
voice midway between a sob and whis
per through the gayly bedecked banquet
hall arouni which still hung the funera
pail smoke of his after dinner cigar
HE is dead" The words went to the
heart of every man who heard them
They could hardly believe that the brillian
orator of a few moments before, aglov
with enthusiasm, predicting the futm,
policy of the treasury, was nov
only inanimate clay, his voice was for