The Butler weekly times., 1897-04-15
TALL SYCAMORE is AT REST.
Death Comes to Ex-senator D. W. Voorhees,
of Indiana.


Washington, q. g, April 10
Daniel w. Voorhees, of Indiana, for
twenty years one of the most con-
spicuous members of the United
States Senate, died suddenly at S
o'clock this morning at his Washing.
ton residence, los Maryland avenue,
southeast.
The Senator had been in poor
health for several years and for at
least two years past had taken little
part in the proceedings in the Sen.
ate He had been a constant sufferer
from rheumatism of the heart, and
his friends had come to expect that
they might hear Of his death sud.
denly. The last reports of him,
however, were that he was showing
some signs Of improvement, and his
death, therefore, while not entirely
unexpected, came with the suddeness
of shock.
At the time of his retirement en-
March 4 last, the "Tall Sycamore of
the Wabash" as he was affectionately
called by his devoted followers in
the Hoosier State. was the ranking
democrat on the finance committee,
and by virtue of this position the
nominal leader of his party on the
floor of the Senate on tariff and
financial questions
Mr.. Voorhees, was 7G years of age
last September, and prior to his re-
tirement from public life on March 4
last had been for many years one of
the most picturesque figures in the
senate. He was born in Liberty town
ship, Butler Co. Ohio,and in his in fan
cy was taken by his parents to their
pioneer home in the Wabash valley
Indiana. In 1S49 he graduated from
the Indiana Asbury (now De Pauw)
University, and. studying law, began
its practice in 1851. His first public
Office was entered upon in 1858,
since which time he had been almost
continuously in the public service.
That Office was Unite ! States district
attorney for Indiana. His congress
sional career began in 1861. He
served in the House of Representa-
tives for five terms. In his autobiog-
raphy he sad that be was defeated
for the Forty third Congress only by
reason of the nomination of Greeley
on his, the Dem ocratic ticket.
He went into the senate in 1877
by appointment, to fill the vacancy
caused by the death of Oliver P.
Morton, aud because of his long ex
perience in the House was assigned
Immediately to the finance commit
tee, very unusual honor in the case
of a new senator. Moreover, he
retained his connection with that
committee, being its chairman during
the last democratic era in that BODY,
and was leading figure in all the
debates involving the questions of
finance or tariff.
Senator Voorhees, was one of the
ardent admirers and supporters of
the United States greenback curren-
cy, and, beginning his senatorial
service with a most eloquent speech
in favor of the preservation of the
full legal tender quality TO the mon
ey, he never.abated at any time his
earnest advocacy of the greenback.
In appearance Senator Voorhees, was
one of the most striking figures in
the senate. He was familiarly known
as The Tall Sycamore of the Wa
bash" By reason of his large and
magni6cently proportional figure.
As an orator he had few peers, COM
manding magnificent vocabulary y
and imbuing his utterances with a
degree of earnestness and feeling
that strongly Influenced his auditors.
His legal reputation, in fact, was
based largely on his forensic power.
and it is an undisputed fact that