Evening journal., 1891-01-30
The Free Coinage Question.
No News az Mn.hlnrtcn.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-1he news Of Sec
retary WINDOWS sudden death in New
York last night was not received here un
I'll late hour, and at midnight was known
20 but few. In official life, TO the president
and among his brother cabinet officers and
their families, the news came about II
O'Clock like a pail az the dinner and mu-
sical entertainment given az his home by
| Postmaster General Wanamaker TO the
president and cabinet The guests had
assembled, had enjoyed the excellent menu
and were being entertained with soul in
| spiriting musical entertainment. with c.
J. Bushnell and Miss Elliott, of New York,
as baritone and soprano, ana Miss Amy
| Hare az the piano, when the sad hews
came in a dispatch 70 the postmaster gen
/ eral The President aud Mrs Harrison.
Secretary and Mrs Blaine. In fact all the
cabinet or some members Of their families
excepting Secretary Window and Attorney
General Miller, were present.
Mrs. window Informed.
Mrs. Window, her two daughters and a
lady friend were also present When the
sad news came, az the suggestion OF Secre.
tary Blaine or the postmaster general, Mrs.
Window s friend was informed of the sec.
retary's serious illness. and accompanied
10y the secretslrys wife and daughters, was
taken % Secretary Windom's 4 home There
the news, which was broken TO Mrs
Window and her daughters, was followed
by scene of indescribable grief A. soon
as Mrs Window left the Wanamaker man.
sion the brilliant and joyous sentertainment
came 10 an end and the guests dispersed.
The President and Mrs Harrison had start
ed home "A few moments before the sad
news came, only to Ike apprised OF IL when
they reached the executive mansion
The President Hears the News
President Harrison had just heard the
news Of Secretary Windows death q mo.
nent before this journals representative
arrived az the White House His greateoat
was bnttoned tightly around him and his
carriage awaited him. He was in the act
Of returning to the postmaster generals.
where he and the cabinet had been dining
rs il tTue?n he asked
"rhe report IS confirmed the reporter
replied.
"Oh, my 6Odp' said the president, plas.
ing both his hands az the side of his head
with despairiDg gesture, while his face
became deathly pale The president turned
half away and an audi0le sob escaped him.
The man was deeply and sensibly affected
u anu tiHttfG tLfCAlnA.
Just 10 Think he said. walking few
steps away as II in a reverie mot thirty
minutes ago left his wife and daughters
at a merry party at Mr.. Wanamaker's.
Ny God but this is terribler' he cried
again.
No one could have said. to see President
Harrison az that moment, that the chief
magistrate OF the nation is a cold or un.
sympathetic man. As he stood on the Dor.
tico be bowed his head upon his breast.
with every manifestation of a strong man
who has been struck a severe blow.
The seeretary's Career.
Secretary Window was born in Belmont
county o.. May IL, 1927 lie received an
academic education, studied law at Mount
Vernon, o., and was admitted "a the bar
in 1850. Ia 1859 he became prosecuting at
torney for Knox county. but in 1856 he re
moved TO Minnesota and soon afterward
was chosen 10 congress from that state as
Republican, serving from 1859 TO 1869
In that body he served two terms a. chair
man Of the committee on Indian affairs
and also was at the head Of the special
committee which visited the western tribes
in 1865 and of that ON the conduct OF the
commissioner Of Indian affairs in 1857. In
1870 he was appointed 20 the United States
senate 70 fill the unexpired term of Daniel
s Norton, deceased, and was subsequently
chosen for the term that ended in 1917
He was reelected for the term that ex-
pired in 1883, but resigned in 1881 to enter
the cabinet Of President Garfield as secre-
tary Of the treasury, but retired on the ac.
cessiOn Of President Arthur in the same
year and was elected by the Minnesota
legislature 20 serve the remainder Of his |
term in the senate. In that body Mr.. |
Window acted rs chairman Of the commit |
tees On appropriations, foreign affairs and
transportation. At the expiration of his |
term Mr. Window came 60 New York and /
engaged in business in Wall street
He was in the midst of prosperous busi |
ness career when Benjamin Harrison was |
elected president and called him 10 his old |
position in the cabinet lie hesitated to /
respond, but was finally prevailed upon to |
leave New York and 90 TO Washington
Since his resumption OF the duties Of the |
Office OF secretary of the treasury, Mr.. Win |
dom has been constantly before the public |
because Of the late unsettled financial af- /
fairs of the country. He had shown him |
self equal 10 all emergencies, and was
found never to be wanting on occasions /
that demanded prompt and decisive action i
In the time of Wall streets latest troubles i
Mr.. Window acted with such judgment 1
that the street was saved from panic and /
MANI firms from ruin.