The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1897-04-17


DANIEL WOLSEY VOORHEES,.
friends. Therefore. had come to expect
that they might hear of his death sud
denly. The last reports of him, how
ever, were tnat he was showing some
signs of Improvement, and his death.
therefore. while not entirely uneN-
pected, cam with the suddcnncss Of 4
shock.
At the time of his retirement from
the senate. the Tall Sycamore of
the Wabash as he was af~fectionately
called by his devoted followers in The
Hoosier state, was the rankingdemocrat
on the finance committee, and by virtue
of this position the nominal leader, at
least, of his party on the floor of the
senate on tariff and financial ques-
tons. He was not very active, how
ever, owing to his i'll health, in the
work on the Wilson tariff bill, most of
the numerous senate amendments to
this bill and its final passage after a
stormy career in which it was in seri-
Gus danger several times, being due to
Senator Jones, of Arkansas.
In the repeal of the Sherman silver
law the Hoosier senator, however, took
a very prominent part. 1t was his last
important work in the senate, n the
final accomplishment of the repeal was
due largely to the effective support he
rendered to the Cleveland administra-
ton, which had made the repeal one of
its chief purposes. The finance COM
mittee at this time was almost evenly
divided on the financial question, and
the balance of power in the committee
lay practically with Mr.. Voorhees,.
Mr.. Voorhees, death was caused by
an attack of angina pectOris. His
health was so poor during the recent
political campaign that he could not
participate in it, but after his return to
Washington, in November, he seemed
to improve in health. Two weeks ago
the old rheumatic troubles re-
turned and three days ago his
symptoms became alarming, but the ex-
senator did not confine himself to his
bed, and his family felt no immediate
alarm. 1t vas not, indeed, until hall
an hour before the final summons came
that anyone realized death was near.
The ex-senator's son, Reese N. Voorhees,,
had remained in the room with his
father during the night, and was
awakened about four o'clock by
his father, who was hen suffer
ing great pain in the region OF the
heart. He refused, however, to allow
a physician to be called, saying the
pain would pass away. Half an hour
later he appeared much better n got
out of bed to walk to the bathroom,
his son being with him. When they
entered the hallway the eX-sena-
tor wa attacked by a more Sc
we're spasm than he had yet expert
enced and fell in a semi-conscious
condition into his sons arms. The lat
ter carried the now dying man back to
his bed and summoned DIR. Shoup, a
neighboring physician. 1t was too late,
however, for any aid to be of avail, and
the ex-senator soon passed away with
out regaining full consciousness. Only
his son, Reese, his daughter, Miss Hal
lie Voorhees,, and the physicians were
present when he died.
The remains will be taken to Terre
Haute. Ind, the ex-senator's home for
SO many years, for interment, but just
Wnen Is uOb yoG uSOOa AAS ALAN
will depend upon the word received
from his eldest son, Hon. Charles Voor-
hees, who resides in the state OF Wash
ington. The ex-senator is survived by
three sons, Charles, Reese N, and
James Paxton. and one daughter, Miss
Halle, all of whom, except the first
named, reside in Washington.
When the news of ex-senator Voor-
hees' death became known at the CAPT.
itol. expressions of deep sorrow were
heard. Mr.. Voorhees, had been so long
in public life hat he was known 70
every employee about the building, and
all felt an affectionate regard for him
because of his uniformly kind treat
ment of them.
1t was generally remarked as fitting
that ex-senator Voorhees, should have
died. as he did. within a stones throw
of the new congressional library build
ing. and as particularly sad that he had
not lived to witness the opening of this
institution, which is soon to take place.
He had introduced the first resoln-
ton looking to the erection OF
this building, and had watched
it rise from the foundation
stones, with all the pride of a creator.
1t will stand in large part q monument
70 the Indiana senator's memory.
Mr.. Voorhees, was 76years of age last
September, and prior to his retirement
from public life, on March last, had
been for many years one OF the most
picturesque figures in the senate.