Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-12-24

wAsHGNroN, Dec cG.-"Oh my God,
INV head, my head" exclaimed Senator
Preston b. Plumb Of Kansas, at 0:4J
O'clock this morning. and a few minutes
later he fell unconscious, never TO regain
knowledge Of what was going on about
him. a little more than five hours after
wards the broad Framed, powerful looking
Kansas senator was stretched out dead i'll
lis modest apar Mnents on 14th street. His
ph.elcian. DIR. Philip S. Wales; his ckrl,
Is. ". Flennikru; and his landlord, Mr..
jennings, were with him at the end. His
wife aud two children are in Kansas. Death
cane from apopleXy, the result OF exhaus-
ton of the brain. 1t was a clear case of
overwork aud inattenton to tho laws o,
nature.
The senator hns been known for years as
the most pushing, energetic, hard working
member of the Senate. a year ago 10 be-
gan to fail, his brain became affected and
throbbing headaches became more and more
frequent. His physicians warned him that
continuance Of bis Iabors meant death, but
le rofus I'd to heed their warning. lie con-
t.Aued TO work with the energy CT steam
en.no until to-day, when still apparently
in full vigor AMI with many years Of lie
before him, he died.
Tho news OF tie sad event spread rapidly.
An urdertaker was summoned, who pro-
ceeGed at once to prepare the body for in
tornent and soon completed the embalming
process. His haste gave rise to a distressing
incident News OF her husbands death was
telekraphed Mrs. Plumb at Emporia, Kas.
within a few minutes after it occurred. just
after the undertaken had embalmed the
hoI oil nj
the friends OF the family at EN-
pora directing that the remains
lie not embalmed. Soon nfterward
came a second telegram stating that last
summer Senator Plumb was for two or
three hours in Il state of suspended aniina
Iion and to oil appearances was dead.
Having that crisis in mind Mrs. Plumb did
not wish the body to be embalmed until it
was absolutely certain that her husband
was dead The receipt of this telegram
caused much unevsiiing regret. The UNI
dertaker, however, declared that there was
indsputable evidence OF death in the fact
that no blood flowed from the arteries when
they were opened Ia the course of the en-
balming process.
The deceased senator leaves wife and
five children. Two daughters are now a,
Emporia with Mrs. Plumb. Two sons are
at school in Pennsylvania and third is con-
fined to hospital In Philadelphia by a seri-
Gus ailment.
[Senator Plumb was born in Delaware
county, Ohio, Oct. 70, 1887. He left the
common schools for the printers case and,
as q journeyman printer, went in 1886 to
Kansas, where lbs plunged into the thick OF
the political strife then waging over the
slavery question. He at once went to tbs
mud q nlA n
leaven worth constitutional convention in
$50. He was admitted to the bar in 1861
served in the Kansas Legislature in 1862,
being chairman Of the judiciary committee
and was subsequently reporter of the Su
prene Court, When the war broke out he
entered the army as second lieutenant, anc
was commissioned colonel in 1862
After the war MIR. Plumb was elected
member OF the Kansas House OF Represent
ntiveg. and in 1876 was CHOSEN Unitet
states senator to succeed A. IL. Harvey
republican. lie took his seat in 1877 snt
he mas represented his State as senator
ever since. His term of office would have
expired March 3, 1892.
Undoubtedly Senator Plumb stamped hi
strong Individuality upon the legislative his
tory o. the United States in,more permn
nent character than have the Majority o
his colleagues. He was man OF most pos
tive views and devoted to republican prin
ciplos, but he never hestated TO point GU
what he regarded as mistakes in the policy
outlined by the party leaders and TO use hi
best efforts to correct them. lie was chair
man OF the committee on public lands and ,
momber of the committee on agriculture, ex
ecutive departments meat products and ad
ministrative service of the Senatel