Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1893-12-13
COL GEO. K. sH1EL DEAD.
sustains Fatal InyAries From a Fall
Through Basement Light.

Col. Geo. X. Shiel, at one time man
OF prominence on the Pacific coast, fel
through hole in the sidewalk in front
of Hotel Willamette, Tuesday night at
$50 and was instantly killed. HI
walked out of the hotel and stood few
moments with one haad on the iron
rail, facing the building. The walk
was wet with failing rain. While fum-
bling about his clothes, his feet ipped
and he plunged over the railing head
first, to the bottom eleven feet in the
dark hole below the walk. AS he went
over Chief of Police Minto grabbed at
him, but could not save him from his
death.
Col. Shiel struck on his head severely
bruising and crushing the right side
of his face. There were also scratches
on the left side of his face. Marshal
Mimic was the on y person who saw
him fall and rushed into the basement
of the hotel aud dragged the old man
In onto b. floor. He gurgled once,
gasped and died without struggle.
Quite poo of blood was on the stel
beneath where his head lay, and pass
er-by says he heard sound like pistoI
cracking when he fell, and thinks ii
was the cracking of his neck-bones
when ihe vertebrae broke. Col. Shi5l
had been lightly intoxicated all the
afternoon.
Or. Byrd was called, but the body
was ife ess. 1t was AIKEN to Clough's
undertaking rooms. He had spent the
evening at Hotel Willamette talking
with public men aud lawyers who con-
gregate there. He had sat awhile In
the reading room and started nome,
pleasantly bidding all good night.
Col. Shiel was familiar figure on
the streets of Salem and character
well known to all old Oregonians. H.
was sixty-eight years old, and ha+
since the death of bis sister lived
almost alone in the world. He was II
frequenter of the state library, and the
haunts of the state house at all seasons
seemed to have charm for him.
Col. shiel obtained his title on the
staff of Governor Kerr. 1t Is dou btfu
If he ever had military command.
During the fifties he was once prose
cutting attorney of this district, but
never acquired much fame as lawyer
or had much law practice. When In
congress he entrusted few thousand
dollars to Ben Wood, Of New York, to
speculate In gold with. Wood accu
mulated $4,000 to $4,000, but turned
1t over to Shiel who soon dissipated it,
Geo. X. Shiel was the BreckinrIdge
candidate for congress in 1860, against
Dayid Logan, at the June election. In
| November another election was held,
at which Judge Thayer, of Corvallis,
was the only candidate. He went to
| Washington and his name was put on
the rolls by the clerk. Shiel contested
and got the seat, as 1t was held June
was the time to elect.
Shiel crossed the plains at a very early
day and undoubtedly took part In COM
mon with most pioneers in the Yakima
Indian war of 1855. .56, under Col. Kelly.
He was a rank secessionist and it is
said on good authority that he never
took the oath Of allegiance after the re-
bellion of 1s60.65. His sympathies
were entirely with the south In that
fight, aud 1t is related Of Shiel that he
often said he would starve before he
would surrender.
Personally Geo. X. Shiel was pol
ished, kind-hearted gentleman, with a
good education In belles-lettres, and
degree of gallantry and chivalry that
graced every hour Of his life. He had
Of late years lived almost eatirely off
the charity of old friends, and last year
went to Washington, in the hope of
getting an appointment to some con-
sulate. He came home disappointed,
but not soured and remained cheerful
to his latest moments.
Col. Shiel was never married. There
Is a tradition that several of the 6hiel
brothers and sisters made vow to re.
main single. One breaking the vow
was Immediately disinherited. No In
quest will be held on the remains,
which are still lying at the morgue.
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