The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-06
Former Was Distinguished as n PO-
nous as Physician and
Mr.. WALKERS DEATH SUDDEN
STRICKEN WITH APOPLEXY AND
DIED A FEW MINUTES LATER,
Minister Willis Reported Dying In
the Steamship MiOwera Left Homo
IuIu About a Week Ago.

BOSTON, Jan. 5-Gen. Francis A. Walk
er. president of the Massachusetts Insti-
tute of Technology and widely known as
a political economist and litterateur. was
stricken with apoplexy at his home in this
city early this morning and died soon after
wards. He had recently returned from a
trip tn Washington and New York.
General Walkers end was sudden, COM
ing with hardly an instant's warning. and
the sad rews was received with surprise
and no small measure of incredulity when
it first became known in this city. He
seemed in good health yesterday and at
tended to his duties as usual. He passed
at the usual hour. About 1890 a. m. he
spoke to Mrs. Walker, who was awake by
his side, making some casual remark. She
answered him and it was but few minutes
later when she was startled to notice that
his breathing was becoming labored. She
spoke TO him. but received no reply. lie did
not speak again. Mrs. Walker aroused the
household and a messenger was dispatched
for a physician. who responded as soon as
possible. but when he reached the house
General Walker was beyond the reach OF
aid. having passed away SO quietly and sud
denly that the fact was hardly perceptibie.
Francis A. Walker was born in Boston
July 2. 1910. His father, Amasa Walker,
was we'll known in political and educational
movements, the author of a book on The
Science of Wealth. and a representative in
Congress. The son after graduating from
Amherst In 1901 lTlIueuldltiy tSdI tht
study of law, the first of a surprising num-
Der of occupations. in many of which he
succeeded. When the war broke out he en-
listed as sergeant major under Colonel Dew
ems in the Fifteenth Massachusetts regi-
ment, and was rapidly promoted to the
rank of brigadier general. He was on the
stats of Generals Sedgwick. Warren and
Hancock. He was severely wounded at
90 - Of 90 m =
Station and kept for some time in Libby
prison. AT the close of the war he became
a teacher of the classics in Williston's Sem
mary, and in 1868 for a short time tried
journalism on the editorial staff of the
Springfield Republican.
In 1859 he was appointed chief of the Blu
reau of Statistics at Washington, and a year
later organized and conducted the ninth
census. His faculty for systemizing and
organizing "A department was soon visible
In the work of both bureaus. In 1871, while
retaining the Office of superintendent OF the
census. General Walker became United
States commissioner of Indian affairs. he
resigned the latter position in 1913 TO be pro-
lessor of political economy in the Sherleid
scientific school at New Haven. where he
STAYED. with occasional leaves of absence,
for eight years. One of these leaves was IN
the centennial year, when ne was chlef OF
the bureau of awards at Philadelphla; In
1879 he organized the tenth census without
giving up his lectures. and, although he
resigned the superintendency of the census
in 1881 to become president OF the lhstllute
of Technology. he also lectured a great
deal. He vent to Paris in 1878 as commits
sioner from the United States to the inter-
national monetary conference: lie was
nrasident of the American Statistical Asso-
citation from 1882. and president of the
American Economic Association from
General Walker has appeared occa-
sionally before the public in addresses and
pamphlets on the question of bimetallism.
General Walker was invited by President
Harrison TO represent the United States i'm
the international bimetallic conference In
1890. but declined the offer.