Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-03-18
HIS DEATH Is NEAR.
CHAIRMAN SPRINGER ALMOST
BEYOND HOPE.
May Live But Few Hours-Thc Fry
sipelas Has Returned-sketch of His
Carcer--Generai News from tho Ma
tionnl Capital.

WAsuISeToN, March s.--Represenla-
tive Springer is much worse. II the
| unfavorable symptoms which developed
this morning continue another twenty
four hours his case will be hopeless.
The erysirc!as returned early in the
day and the features again became
swollen so that Mr.. Springer's face was
hardly recognizable. lie also suffered
good deal of pain, and delirium be-
gan to manifest itself. This was his
condition all yesterday afternoon
and evening. After delirious spells, in
which he talks mainly about the work
in Congress, the patient relapses into n
state of semicoma from which he is at
times aroused with difficulty.
DR.. Vincent, who was Mr.. Springer's
family physician, has from the time Of
his arrival been conservative in his eX-
pressions. He found the patient APP
parently improving, but at once re-
marked that it would be several days
before Mr.. Springer would be out of
danger.
Sketch of HIS Public Career.
William NJ. Springer came to Illinois
with his parents in 1913 and settled in
jacksonville. Morgan county. He was
then in his 18th year, having been born
in New Lebanon, Sullivan county, Ind,
May 30, 1896. He was the eighth son
in succession of his fathers family. His
early boyhood days both in Indiana
and Illinois were spent on the farm. u
few months each winter being spent in
the district schools. Later he taught
country schools and prepared for col
lege In September 1854, he entered
the Illinois College at Jacksonville,
pursuing the classical course.
He studied for the legal profession
and was admitted TO the bar in 1859.
In 1862 he was the Secretary Of the
State Constitutional convention of Hi
nois.
He was elected member of the State
Legislature of Illinois IN 1sT1-72, and
elected to the eight Congresses from
the Forthyfourth to the Fifty-second
inclusive In the last mentioned cleo
ton he got the Democratic nomination,
receiving 20,95l votes against 1876
votes given to Jesse Harmon, the Re-
publican nominee.
He was one of the best parliamentar-
ians the House has had in many years.
Its methods of procedure were as ia
miliar to him as the b Cs. Among
the many measures introduced by him
in his long career was one providing for
constitutional amendment which
would insure national marriage and
divorce law.
Mr.. Springer was twice candidate
for speaker The first occasion was in
the Forty-eighth Congress, when Mr..
Carlisle was chosen. On that occasion
the Illinois delegation did not endorse
his candidacy, and he withdrew before
stronger fight. Though he did not
have the full support of the Illinois
members, he gathered about him u
strong following and he was able to
dictate the choice of Speaker Crisp.
In his personal relations Mr.. Springer
was one of the kindest of men. He
literally never seemed to harbor II re-
sentiment. His pronounced individu-
atty made him frequent target in
the debates. His unfailing good nature
made him proof against all malice. JIe
was actually irrepressible, for there
never was question which came up
in Congress that he did not have
something to say about it.
But the most notable feature in Mr.
Springer's political life is its honesty.
There was not blemish on his sixteen
years life as a Representative from Illi-
nois. During his time he was man of
splendid character and habits