The herald., 1897-01-15
IN THE island REPUBLIC
United States Minister Willis
Passes Away
HE VISITED SAN FRANCISCO
And Caught q Cold Which Developed
Into Pneumonia
4 Brief Review of the Public Services
of the Late Minister to the
Hawaiian Republic.
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
SAN FRANCISCO, an. 15.-Advices
just received from Honolulu per steam
ship Monowai are as follows
Uuited States Albert s. Willis died at
$3.50 a. M, anuary 9Th, after an illness
covering several mordhs. The effect up
on his heilth. resulting from the attack
of pneumonia from which he suffered
while on his vacations to the states.
In April last the minister and family
left Hawaii for a visit to their old home
at Louisville. While in San Francisco,
On the return trip. the minister con-
tracted a severe cold, which settled upon
his lungs This was the immediate
Gauss of his death. At noon of October
S1st, while leaving church, his horse ran
away and threw Mr.. Willis to the
ground. He was taken to physician's
office and soon recovered sufficiently
to return TO his home at Waikiki. He
never left it again.
Fever increased, and the cold taken in
San Francisco soon developed into
pneumonia. This settled so firmly on
the lungs that it could rot be checked.
All human effort was eXspended with
out avail. Three physicians labored in
cessantly and held frequent confer
emces on the case. A few days after
Christmas his case was pronounced
hopeless. Soon after the death of the
minister this morning all of the con-
sular and government shipping flags
were lowered to half mast. Expressions
of regret were general, and the wife
and son have the sympathy of the whole
community At the request of Mrs
Willis the funeral services will take
Of NJ oh,
8 o'clock tomorrow. Rev d. p. Birnie,
pastor of that church. and Rev. NJ
Monroe, pastor of the Christian church,
of which the deceased was a member.
conducting the services. The details of
the funeral have been left to United
States Consul and Charge d'Affairs Ellis
Mills
1t was learned last evening that Mr..
Mills had requested the government IL
take the funeral in hand and the govern
ment had accepted. hTe funeral process
sion will be the most imposing since that
of Kalakaua.
The remains will be deposited tempo
rarily in a vault in Nuuanu cemetery
until the 18th inst. when the casket will
be placed on board the steamship Aus
tralia for transportation to the United
States. 1t is not known yet whether an
escort will be sent with the remains, butt
it seems to be the opinion of a number
of citizens that a representative of the
foreign office should be detailed as an
escort to accompany the remains TO
Louisville and turn them over to the
officials there.
In September. 1898, Mr. Willis was ap-
pointed by Mr.. Cleveland minister pleni-
potentiary and envoy extraordinary to
Hawaii succeeding James H. Blount,
who acted temporarily after the recall
of the late John l.. Stevens.
Mr. Willis reached Honolulu by the
Australia on Oct 4. 1898, and met one of
the sternest problems ever referred to a
foreign diplomat in Hawaii.
During his residence in Honolulu in
an Official capacity Minister Willis per-
formed the duties of his office in a quiet,
Gignitled manner; he made no display at
private or public functions and was
looked upon as an unassuming, genial
southern gentleman, acting always in
matters of a diplomatic nature in a
! severely conservative way.
Albert S. Willis was born in Shelby
county Ky, January %, 1S43 and for
many years prior to his coming to
Honolulu as United States minister he
resided in Louisville His early educa-
ton was received al the common schools
| of Kentucky. He graduated in the Lou
| isvilla male high school in 1860. For
| four years he taught school, and in
the intervals OF his employment Stuuleu
law, graduating from the Louisville law
school in 1866. He was elected attorney
of jefferson county, in which Louis
VILE is situated, in 1870. In 1872 he can
vassed his state in the interests of the
| Democracy and served as presidential
elector on tn Democratic ticket. In
1874 he was reelected attorney of JEFF
! ferson county. ard served in that ca
| pacity until sent to the forty-fifth con-
gress. lie was returned to the forty
| sixth forty-seventh, forty-eighth -nd
| forty-ninth congresses as a Democrat
and during Speaker Carlisle's regime
filled the important post of chairman OF
| the committee on rivers and harbors.