The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-18
DEATH OF MIR. PHELPS.
His Family Grouped at the Bedside
When the End Cana.

Englewood, n. j., June l7.-At 1850
o'clock this morning Hon. William Walter
Phelps passed away. The end was so
peaceful that for some minutes after he
had breathed his last his family, who
were watching at the bedside with in
tense sorrow, would not believe that the
end had come. The patient was uncon-
sclous to the end, and appeared TO pass
into deep sleep, Mrs. Phelps and Mrs.
Won Rotenberg were greatly overcome
with grief, but bore up nobly. Grouped
around the bedside were Mrs Phelps
Mrs Won Rotenberg and his sons. Capt
John j. Phelps and Sheffield Phelps
William Walter Phelps, whose death at
Paterson, ~ j., was reported in the
MORNING News dispatches yesterday, was
a descendant of William Phelps, brother
OF the John Phelps who was Oliver Crom-
wells private secretary. William Phelps
came to this country in 1880 and settled
IN Connecticut. The grandson of William,
John j. Phelps, was the first Of the family
to leave the Connecticut settlement. He
went to New York city, where he made
fortune, and where William Walter
Phelps, his only son, was born in
the year 1889. John j. Phelps
was president of the Delaware.
Lackawanna and Western railroad
at the time Of his death, and left his son
the bulk of his great property. William
Walter Phelps was educated at Yale and
studied law at the Columbia law school
His first legal practice was as the counsel
for the Delaware, I4ackawannaaud Wes-
tern road and the United States Trust
Company Before he was 30 years old
GOV tenton offered him a judgeship,
which he declined. He first held public
office as congressman from New Jersey,
the fact that eowned a country seat in
that state at which he resided for
part of the year being held TO consti-
tute him citizen Of New Jersey. He was
sent as member of the
House committee of three to
investigate the revolt of the whites
of Louisiana against the carpet-bag legis-
lature, the result of which investigation
was reorganization of the legislature.
Mr.. Phelps independence in the matter
OF voting against the Republican party on
the civil rights bilr' cost him re-elec-
tion; he was defeated by seven votes in a
district he had previously carried by
2,715.
Mr.. Phelps was a warm admirer of
James G. Blaine, and was a Blaine re-
publican always. In three national con-
yentions to which he was a delegate from
New Jersey, those of 1876, 1880 and 1884
he was one of Mr.. Blaine's most ardent
supporters. In 1881 President Garfield
sent him as the minister Of this country
to Austria. In less than a year q
change of administrations came about
and he returned home and was reelected
to congress from his old district. He re-
matned in congress through the Forty
eighth, Forty-ninth and Fiftieth con-
gresses. In 1859 President Harrison sent
him as the American minister to Ger
many, in which capacity he served four
years. During his residence in Berlin
his daughter, Marion, was married to
Baron Won Rotenberg, of the German no
bi!ity. After his return to America the
governor of New Jersey appointed MIR.
Phelps a lay Judge of one of the state
courts, which Office he held at the time of
his death