New-York tribune., 1896-07-28
wtr1JAM II. SMITH DEAD.
,prpR IN THE NEWSPAPER WORLD
AND IN PUBLIC LIFE.

AND IN PUBLIC LIFE
,u,v 27--Wilam Henry Smith died al
Cn" ,,,s morning al his home In Lake Forest
s'ea,monia lie was formerly general man
Honi =, me Associated Press. The funerai Wi"
as~ go at s1S p. m. On Wednesday
S,., was born at AusterLtE Columbia
NJ ON December l. 1888. wh.ls he
o0"A. o0,u child his parents removed 10 Homer
W. , :, was In that State that he received MS
oa-, ,ion the hes, that Commonwealth Afforded
s .usht school for a time and was atterwaru
ne iu A West Erie college While he was yet
S,sent an article Of his attacking the pr'ncipes
Enox-Nothing party attracted considerable
attention -. ..s-.,sr oo-aer on The
,ot ' Times" now The Times-S;ar. early IN
- o,tes" From the place of reporter ne grad
So worke.d himself ~ 10 be managing euitor OF
.- os,er He began 10 take an active interest," IN
n,,.s and was one Of the leaders among the young
W., w. n building 40 the Republican party. being as
s,.s us in this work with Rutherford r. hayes,
,'.ssra smith and other men since famous.
HIS SERVICES IN THE WAR
.,,,s q. The Civil War ne was engaged
.rna cincinnati Gszot;e" as editorial writer. and
,,ns the war ne took an active part IN raising
x,,s md forwarding sanitary supplies ana III poh'-
- w,rk FOR streng g,hening the Government through
... nahum OF the press. He was instrumental IN
he
o-sbt, NJ John Brough who was supported by the
y.,h,,.,ns and war Democrats. and in 1868 he be-
o.ms Governor Broughs private secretary
N 1854 he nominated py the HeP"oica"
.-,v as Secretary Of State OF ONO ana was eject
"A nv q ,arge majority. HIS record IN this once
WAS 50 coed that he vas rehomlha'eo os aociaiia-
~. "a reelected Part of his first term was
''ol- ,arsous with the first Administration Of
,S.N-sord n HAYES as Governor OF the State.
~. ,r,s,dsbip was formed between Mr.. Hayes
go n, Smith al that time. which grew closer
.nd lasted until the death Of the former.
r-n euns the Office Of Secretary Of State. Mr.
s-,,,h Also acted as Fund Commissioner. having in
SIN .. ,ha payment Of interest on the State debt.
un,o,s his second term expired he resigned in
80, 10 aid in establishing The CINCINNATI
Csr0r,cIe" Overwork in this broke down his
s.,,, and he was forced 10 retire from all active
work for several months
THE WESTERN ASSOCIATED PRESS
Som after the Western Associated Press was or
,a,,zea In 1859 Mr. Smith wac urged 10 become
san.r,I manager and he held that place until the
,.,i-,ment of the association from the news he.d
He was nornnaly the manager OF what was left
~ the association al the time OF MS death IN 1885,
however the new managers practically retired MT
Smith by the appointment or NJ. r. stone as dsso
eiate general manager.
Mr. Smith developed leased-wire system OF
news distribution and introduced the use OF the
typew ritter In telegraph work He vastly increased
and improved the quality Of the Associated Fress
foreign service. The association when he took hoid
Of Il. was struggling in debt. Mr.. Smith removed
the headquarters from Cleveland to Chicago, and
IN a short time placed II on a sound financial
basis and revouiionized its news-gatherins and
distributing methods 50 long strong ana eHcleht
di he make II that in 1888 II was able 70 form an
Alliance on equal terms with the New-lork Asso-
ciatei Press. to which, before that time. II had
Mr.. smith assumed the management of the united
In Mr. Smiths career manager of the Asso-
ciated Press extending over perio1 q t@WenH @
years yea hS his neers So Of the assocaton was
questioned. He was Justly recognized as man Oh
pure character anG integrity
COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS AT CHICAGO
Mr. Smith was always Republican, but never
narrowly partisan. In his Associated Press "orN
he never allowed personal party preferences or
views 10 cloud color the news reports In repor'-
ing political his orders 10 thu Associated Press
were that exact only were 10 be recorded Out
as pJsa pb;s nelitioai views effective. He always
sagacous in anayzing the currents OF pOntIca vpsi
~, ma IN forecasting results As an instance OF hs
shrewiness in mis- direction ii may be mentioned
that in December, 1875, he wrote iea{sr 10 Mr,
hayes in IN ~, wniSG goud Be Hayes and Wheeler Mr.
Hayes always placed great dependence upon MT
lar..ient Hayes wanted Mr.. Smith 10 be Post
10 IN EnSope m but Mr. smith felt that
he c,uid not AFFORD TO surrender his place at the
hsaa s eice %i IN Finally president Hayes Col
ec,or Of Customs at Chicago an once wn,cn ne
Press He conducted the office on practical Civii
Service Peform principles He was also instrument
M IN exposing the rascaty and corruption which
had attended the construction OF the Federa hul!d
ing In Chicago He discovered and exposed vast |
system OF under valua tion by Custom House brok
ers in New-York. While he was Collector he was
erection Of the Courthouse and Postof1ce in chi
eago
PRIVATE LIFE AND LITERARY WORK.
Few men had such strong hold on their friends
and acquaintances as Mr.. Smith Those who knew |
him best were most attached TO him ana IN an 'he
relations of life he enjoyed universal esteem Presi-
dent Hayes showed his appreciation OF Mr.. smith
by appointing him his literary executor, and for |
history Of The life of General Hayes and his ad,
ninistration as President, work which ne hoPeu
10 complete this summer .-.,-, , -, |
lie was the author o. nunper oi hstoItcd WI
rsatng to Ohio and Western history. some OF WHicn
are standard In the public libraries OF thr Mes,.
Notable among his works are his 81 Cialr r@pe.s
q vols Cincinnati. 1882, whlch give tne esuss
history Of Ohio and the country WeSt oi III ~
shanv' Mountain. in an exhaustive form. he was |
slso ihe author of the biography OF Charies HAM
By his investigation In the British MUSEUM Wa he
h,,ytr ~ ugbt many unpublished letters OF W ASH.
ngsoi ~ Colouel Henry Bouquet ana % %snoMeu ars nr
no; given CORRECTLY Mr. Smith also wrote
Ntcai History OF the United states nis sn, Se.. "
tary q State Of Oho he founded nihoii~ over
looSeS snca ,hs admission OF the State, and ne sue
eseiea in recovering many valuable papers %'"
are now file IN The state msus sss -, Greene Mound
Ind 10 o".Tn Emma @ REYNOLDS Mrs Smith died in May.
lM Two children lived 10 maturity u ne Williams
Editor Of The Indianapolis News and ,,yia G,rd IN
Nav las, wear son. Delaven Smith survives