Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1895-06-06
A.vny.

Washington, May %. - Walter O..
Gresham. secretary of state, died at
l:50 this morning. He was conscious
until an hour and half before his
death, and talked to his wife and
daughter.
When Mr.. Gresham was tc'lcn ~ick
four weeks ago the physician dag
messed the case as gall stone in the
bladder. His pleurisy symptoms were
overlooked for almost thirty-SiX hours.
AS soon as DR.. w. w. Johnston, who
is now the attending physician, was
called, he discovered that the secre-
taly was suffering from an acute case
of plGurisy. probably caused by ex-
posture Willie riding out to Woodley,
the presidents country place. at night.
In the meantime tile gall stone had
passed. The sccretaly's right lung WAS
affected. the cavity being already
filled with plculatlc fluid. his resprl-
tion rose to 43. The physicians de-
cldcd not to tap the cavity. but to rely
upon absorption to rid it of the cXud,d
fluid. Gradually Secretary Gresham
grew better. The respiration was re-
duccd almost to normal When DIR.
Johnston thought all danger past. the
left lung suddenly hccamc affected,
and the secretary failed rapidly.
Walter Quintin Gresham was Il sol
der. a judge and Il statesman. emf
ncnt and distinguished in these three
great fields of human cndeHvor. He
rose to the rank of major general of
volunteers during the rebellion. lie
WAS for fourteen years United States
circuit judge for Illinois, and held
three cabinet portfolios, postmaster
general and secretary of the treasury
under Arthur and secretary of state
under Cleveland.
Gresham came from English stock.
His ancestors moved to Virginia and
later to Harrison county. Indiana.
where he was born on ST. Pairick's
day. 1872. In 1888 GreSllam's father
was elected sheriff. and tine next year
was murdered by IL noted desperate
whom lie had gone to arrest. Ills
mother was left widow with five
small children. Walter Q. WAS but
two years of age when his father was
killed. Walter grew up with hut two
or three winters schooling until llc
WAS sixteen years of age. by dint of
hard work and the assistance of his
brother he succeeded in entering ILL"
seminary ut Corydon. Two years there
ard one mt Bloomington university
completed his education so far as
illc study of law under Judge w. a.
Porter one of the noted characters of
Southern Indiana, while acting as
deputy clerk. and i'm 1876. entered into
partnership with Thomas c. Slaughter
f.I,innut In nf Il
Judge of the circuit court.
In 1888 the Republican Ear,y was
formed. and with it Gresham Mt once
allied himself. In the law Gresham
had gained n good reputation as Il
careful. painstaking lawyer.
Wich the first Shrek of wars alarm
Gov. Morton appointed him lieutenant
colonel of the Thirty eighth Indiana,
but before lie saw active service he
was appointed colonel of the Fifty
third in December. 1861. GrcShnln's
regiment was ordered to join Grant
after Donaldson. Aug II. 1Sti3 and h.
was appointed hrigadier general on
the recommendation of Grant and
Sherman and placed in command of
the NatcheZ division. III tic following
spring he was placed in command of
the division of the Seventeenth corps
Of the Tennessee, which took part in
the campaign against Atlanta. AT
Leggettc Hill. before Atlanta. lie was
struck by sharpshootcr's bullet Just
below the knee To the day of his
death Gresham never recovered the
full use of his limb.
The war over. Gen Gresham re-
turned to his profession. forming
law partnership at New Albany, Ind.
In 1866 he was nominated for congress
against NJ. C. Kerr but the district
was heavily Democratic and he was
defeated. When Gen. Grant became
president he appointed him United
States district judge for Indiana.
When postmaster general Howe died
in April. 1883. Gresham, then holding
court at Evansville. was rendered the
cabinet position by telegraph. and ac-
cepted. Near the close of Arthur's
term. on the death Of Secretary
Folg"r. he was appointed secretary of
the treasury. Il position he held until
October 1854. President Arthur. who
had taken him from the bench, had
the satisfaction of restoring him to
the bench at the close of his service.
by appointing him to succeed Judge
Drumm0nd.
III 1000 JuNlSC tsItSIuul WIS lll;luc Il
prominent candidate for the Republic
an nomination for the presidency at
the Chicago convention. His liberal
views on the tariff created against
him the antagonism of the extreme
protectionists at Chicago. He, with
other Republicans, openly disscnted
from the Mckinley law. and in 1892
after the nomination of Mr.. Cleveland
by the Democrats, he renowned his
allegiance to the Republican party
aud advocated Mr.. Cleveland's cleo
ton. After Mr.. Cleveland was elected,
i'll February. 1893. he summoned
Judge Gresham to Lakewood, N. j.,
where, after a consultation, lie ten
dcred him the position of premier of
the cabinet he was forming. Judge
Gresham assumed the duties of Sec
rotary of state on March Z, 1893. Dur
ing his short term as postmaster gen
cral Gresham accomplished much
Letter postage to Canada was reduced
and the postal convention with Mexico
was signed. Another important SER
vice lie rendered to the country was
the re-cstablishment of the fast mails.
AS secretary of state in the present