The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-15
Death of Henry c. DOrr
at His New York Home.
A BROTHER OF T. w. D0RR.
He Went TO the Metropolis in 1S47
TO Practice Law.
HIS HISTORICAL PAMPHLETS.

Henry q. Dorr died Saturday morning
at 2l7 West Fourteenth stroet where he
had lived for twenty. seven years. He was
born In Providence, X. l., on Dec. 80
1890. anu was educated at Brown Uni
vorsity. His father was sullivan Dorr
and he was a younger brother of ThomAs
Wilson Dorr. who was known rs the
canse OF DORIS Rebellion" Mr. Henry
q. Dorr was the youngest son and last
surviving child of Sullivan Dorr. lie
came To New York in 1917 10 practice law
and was last in business at - Wall street.
lie was one OF the oldest members Of the
Century Club and of the New York His
torical Society. tor forty years past he
had occupied "a pew in 1'ripity, and he
was always deeply Interested in tine
affairs OF the Protestant Episcopal church
lie mad written NUMBER of pamphlets
un the early history of Providence, his
native town, and bad frequently maze
addresses on the subject in public there
lie had collected fine library of old
books, which are now in Providence. He
was never married. His nephew, Gen.
William Ames arrived in New York
yesterday from Providence. The funeral
will be at ST Stephens church. in Provi-
dcncs on Monday afternoon.
Mr.. Dorr was the last figure to link
with the present generation an episode in
America politics of half century ago.
Thomas Wilson Dorr. his older brother.
studied law In New YORK under Chancel-
lor Kent, and after having been admitted
to the bar returned 10 his native town To
practice. In 1888 he was elected TO the
Assembly of the State as a Federalst,
| but four years later, when he became
| Democrat. he retired from that body. In
A. q 81 l.,.x
| duced and carried through the Assembly
| n bill which curtaiied greatly the powers
| of the state banks. Then the government
| of Rhode Island was based on n charter
| which had been granted by Charles III in
| 1868. Only about one-third OF the citizens
| in tho state could vote, as according to
| the old charter the suffrage was limited
To persons possessing sl3i aud to their
| eldest sons One result of this was that
| representation in the Legislature was
| most unfairly distributed. One instance
| of that was found in the case of Newport
and Proyidcnoe. Newport, with 5000 in
| habitants had six members while Provi-
| dence, with 23, 600 people but less wealth,
had only four representatives.
| Mr.. Dorr had struggled in the Assem-
| blv to secure a more liberal constitution,
| but the failure OF his efforts was shown
| by the fact that he succeeded in getting
for his project only out of ~ votes. He
people and after some popular agitation
| suffrage party was formed which was
| powerful enough to call on July D, 1871,
| for n Constitutional Convention. The
| convention did meet on Oct In that year
| and constitution was prepared and
| submitted TO the people of the state in the
| following December. Ii was said that
| a. 900 votes We're cast and that this number
| .naie up majority of the adult voters in
! the state and that the new constitution
had been adopted by majority of the
legal vo,ers-that is. OF those who.
under the old charter were entitled To the
| suffrage Meanwhile the Legislature OF
| the state had met and uallei copstitu-
tional convention, and the delegates who
| We're elected prepared another new cpnsti-
| tuition, which was submitted to thc>b beopls
| In March lS41, and rejected.
In April an election was hald under the
Suffrage" or new constitution, and
| Mr.. Dorr, rs its originator was elect 81
| governor. A Legislature made MP en-
| tirely of the sympathizers with his con-
| stitution was elected. Samuel w King
| was chosen governor in an election held
under the old charter OF 1858. In NAV.
1913, both governments organized in New.
port aud IL was seen that an appeal To
arms was inevitable. King was recognized
as governor 10y the national government.
and he declared martial law aud asked
for aid from the national government
An attempt was made by armed "suffraQ-
ists' TO seize the arsenal In Providence.
ana this was prevented only by the an
pearance of Gov. King and the military
10 was after this demonstration that
Mr.. DORIS adhcrcnts persuaded MIN to 90
to Washington 10 cndcavor to get the sun
port OF the Federal authorities for his
side. When he returned his followers as
sured him that they were ready To fight
for their rights, and at Chepachet. ten
M A IN aaf- q,
was held in his honor in June, 1919 but
as only 300 Of his adherents were present
against 5000 of the other side Dorr ordersu
his men io disperse. and order was re-
stored after few days OF rioting. The
emu OF what had been called DORIS Rebel-
lion was already near. for tho Legislature
called a convention, which after ssveral
months doliberation drew up the pres
ent state constitution.
When this was put before the people
they adopted it almost unanimously.
There was nothing now for Dorr to do
but escape from the state as speedily as he
mis- ght. He fled To Connections and from
that state into New Hampshire. But n
price of $1,000 had been put on his head by
the state authorities, and IA soon Us he re-
turned To Rhode Island Mr.. Dorr was ar
rested He was tried for high treason
and on June -, 1874, he was condemned
TO imprisonment fer life. After three
years he was released under "a general
amnesty act. and in 1851 he was restored
To his political rights. IIe died in Prov
idence three wears afterward.
Horny &. Dorr, who died Yesterday. was
fifteen years Younger than tho cause of
DORIS Rebclliln.' It was in 1917. the
year I'm which his brother was released,
that Mr.. Dorr removed TO New YORK..
lie was not seen much In court during
his career here as lawyer. but devoted
himself almost exclusively 10 office prac-
tice. lie made n speciality o~ieal estate
titles IL is said that of the history of his
native town he bad remarkably compre-
hensive knowledge. His death was duo
to "a compicai ion Of diseases Tho Sun.
Milk Dealers New Iie3. ~vxn