The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-24
poLIrIcAL Ups AND DOWNS
a Former Senator n Congress Now Livis9
Almost the Life OF Hermit.


| Almost the Life OF Hermit.
Fov u. Wahi-atr- E,,nins sta-
GRAND RAPIDS Mich. Feb. 10.-Living with
a widowed sister In an old fashioned white
house near the railroad in Grand Haven. one
| OF the deadest and quietest towns In all Michi-
| gan. is a man Whose name was once house,
| hold word from the Atlantic to the Pacific:
| whose fame was more than national; whose
every action was watched with interest By the
/ entire world. Once popular. powerful, and
! famous he has fallen into n seclusion and re-
/ tirement almost that OF a hermit and the path
worm e' deep iS with s the feet Of those who came
This man is ex-senator Thomas w. Ferry,
Tor hopes deferred apT and AMBITIONS 1nsstis.
fed. and with scant fortune to live on, he is
! is seen In public, and it has been long since
anybody stonped over night 9t the run.down
tions his face and figure and voice would once
arouse the Widest applause and enthusiasm
ns IN in Of the psy Which
he formerly led; and ali this has been the work
Mr.. Ferry was born in Michigan. His father
was q Iresbyterian missionary and n early
days 6ei m Menisa1 had become %. e. state he
Indians. lie built the Mission House. which
every visitor To- the fairy island must have
he left it. In this house Thomas ". Ferry. was
| born in June. 1874 long before the island
had become famous rs summer resort. Iho
northern climate disagreed with the mic.
sonarys health, and early ia the ,hirties he
mouth 81 Grand liver. then promising lake
port. There he resumed his pastoral duties.
was .hrewd old fellow, and laid the found.-
rumor fifteen years ago placed aiming the mil
| lions The eX.Scnator was q, iucatel in the
| Tor public life. lie was elected Supervisor and
| then to the State Legislature. He served in
one one e9m liz was MeSe@ns se nd.
Vice President In the National Convention in
from this district and twice elected Un!ied
Statos Senator. As a Supervisor he made
sny q " Con- In .s1 he e Ss
| !ected himself In the practice AMI became
m1,sE 5 Of !ne srr Inc .vor roodv on m,
question. ana upon the death OF Wee. presi-
Ssn b s fh IH OIL hs t ts
body, He was the presiding ot,ser during The
exciting times OF the TiIden. Have. contest,
| his nerves to the sleepless nights and intense
strain which fell to his share AT that time. He
OF hostiitles and still preserves. framed. the
ren which he used in signing the docunent
VIII" Mr. F tTrS downfall "ams in 1851 He was
4 candidate l2r reelection Tor third p term.
suiar schemes Ferry had artagonized In the
senate, was bitterly opposed TO his Reelection
tinl Republicans in tile State, were also ops
posed 10 him. and tho opposition united TO
CURED sixry-eght TO elect Mr.. G. q.
sadsr Of the Ferry oTs and on
dent was he OF victory that he offered to het
ss Zeal r s"as bower IN hass s days
Stock bruges chief lieutenant and Ed. L. Fer
n n. ssHssr wa. also % napa
six OF the eighty-one memhers signed tho call.
and ak more agreed to sign t. while nineteen
INTO any caucus or be bound by caucus rules
unless it should be agreed that siXty,seyen
teen .DI re s TolteTs remsined steadiast and
when the baloting began. Ferry was able to
sheet. The hall3hng began on Jan; 10 and
ballots we're taken The end OF the light cams
on the evening OF March II. when on the NTH
scatter. and before morning Thomas W. lal-
NOR had been electeo amid scenes OF the Wild
est confusion aud excitement.
sot aiioat affecting Mr.. terry's financial at-
Wealthy. and Il the reports were that he was
bankrupt "A the contest became hotter the
and before the last ballot had been taken the
sheriff was In possession OF the Ferry mills at
r Gttna @ 10 but soon lot shas
city for Tanaha and thSnfe called called i9r bEIIops;
and furious. The entire estate was found to be
In ths widest confusion and assets lar bslow
TIE lisiities ioE severn years the d courts
branches of 1t are still pending. Among the
creditors were several men prominsnt in
Washington life. banking on his high re-
upon his friends!and creditors rose up in every
quarter Ferry was in Europe four or i've
years and when he returned he was changed
Vote and manner gone. lie figured in the
hr-t Harris on eAmpaign as stump speaker.
Tut could no longer arouse any enthusiasm.
lod the hight against hi, reelection for the first
time since that contest. and the writer was
present al the Interview. For an Instant Ferry
Looked at hEH6Gell; aG I'LL huRnelI appeared nGt
ward with hand outstretched Huhbell took
the nrofleTed hand. they ehatted for u few mo-
ments aud then parted. They have met IN
Ferry seemsto have forgiven the past
When Ferry went to Europe his brother
looked alter affairs here, H. gradually worked
mendOus undertaking lie finally settled uR
with most al the creditors but the terms OF
the settlement were never given 10 the public.
When he wound IN he affairs in this part OF
tab where he was interested in a silver
mining company, aud tho profits from the
mine were poured int3 tue lum1ber azure noe
stock holdsrs in tho niue did not like FerTy'a
MANAGEMENT and voted him ont OF onlee. He
went into other mining ventures, and two
NUMBERING. When last heard Of he was in
private asylum for the insane near san FrAn-
cisco. receiving treatment Thomas W. Ferry.
at his old home Ia Grand Haven IN almost
total obseuFitY. Another brother William
Perry. Is in Utah. and under Cleveland lIst
was warmly endorsed for the
URit9d states MArshAship.