The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-12-25
SENATOR PLUMB DEAD.
The Kansas Statesman Dies Sud
denly of Apoplexy.

$500
apartments, on Fourteenth street,
this morning. A few minutes later
he fell unconscious, never to regain
knowledge of what was going on
about him. A little more than
five hours later the broad framed,
powerful-looking Kansas Senator
was stretched out dead. His ply
sician, DR.. Philip S. Wales, his
clerk, B. W. Flenniken, and his
landlord, MIR. Jennings, were with
him at the end. His wife and two
children are in Kansas.
Death came from apoplexy, the
result of exhaustion of the brain.
1t was clear case of Overwork and
inattention 10 the laws of nature.
The Senator has been known for
years as the most pushing, ener-
getic, hard working member of the
Senate. A year ago he began to
fail. His brain became affected,
and throbbing headaches became
more and more frequent. His
physicians warned him that con-
tinuance of his labors meant death.
lie continued to work with the en-
ergy Of a steam engine, and to-day,
when still apparently in full vigor
and with many years of life before
him, he died.
The deceased Senator leaves Il
wife and five children. Two
. daughters are now at Emporia with
Mrs. Plumb. Two sons are at
school in Pennsylvania and q third
is confined to a hospital in Phila-
dclphia by a serious ailment.
Senator Plumb was born in Della
ware county, o., October -, 1897;
so that he was in his saith year at
the time of his death. He was not
a college graduate, but left the
common schools for the printers
case, and in pursuance of his voca-
ton as a journeyman printer, III
1856, in the bloody days of the
history of the newly organized ter
ritory of Kansas, he walked into
that territory, and with the vigor
and indefatigable energy which has
throughout his life been his chief
characteristic, the young man
plunged at once into the thick of
the hot political strife which was
then waging over the slavery ques-
ton. He at once went to the front
and was chosen member Of the
Leavenworth constitutional con-
yention of 1859.
He was admitted to the bar in
1861 when the place of his adop-
ton became a State Of the Union,
served in the legislature in 1862,
was chairman Of the judiciary COM
mittee and subsequently reporter of
the Supreme Court. When the
war broke out he entered the army
as second lieutenant in the Elev-
enth Kansas Infantry, and served
successfully as captain, major and
lieutenant-colonel of that regiment,
and was commissioned a colonel of
the same regiment in August,
1862.
After the war Mr.. Plumb, re-
turning to Kansas, was elected
member and speaker of the Kansas
House of Representatives, and in
1876 was chosen United States
Senator to succeed James NJ. Har-
vey, Republican. He took his seat
in 1877, and has represented his
State as a Senator ever since that
time. His term of office would
have expired on March 3, 1895.
Undoubtedly Senator Plumb has
succeeded in stamping his strong
individuality upon the legislative
history of the United States in
more permanent character than
have the majority of his colleagues.
He was a man of most positive
views, but always had keen APP
probation of the line of separation
between the impracticable and the
expedient. His devotion to Repub-
lican principles was beyond ques-
ton, but he never hesitated to point
out what he regarded as mistakes
in the policy outlined by the party
leaders and to use his best efforts
to correct them. lie was pecu-
liarly fitted to grasp details. That
faculty found ample field for exer-
else in discharge of his functions
as a member Of the Senate
Committee on appropriations
and it was generally under
stood among his brother Senators
that Senator Plumb was unim-
peachable in any statements he
made concerning the intricate ma
chinery of the government service.
He was chairman of the committee
on public lands and IL member of
the committee on agriculture, exec
utive departments, meat products
and administrative service of the