Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-17
HON. BEN. BUIlERWORTHDEAD
His Illness Was Pneumonia, Contracted In
the Ohio Campaign The End
Came Peaceful.

been i'll at FineywoOds hotel here, sew
eral weeks, died at 3;15 this afternoon.
The end was peaceful. and when II
came his wife and children were at
his bedside. He came here to recupcr-
ate from an attack of pneumonia and
recovered rapidly until two weeks ago.
when he suffered from uremic convul-
sions. From that relapse he never re-
covered. His body viii be sent 70
Washington tomorrow.
benjamin Butterworth was What Is
known as "Blrthright Quaker" Those
who knew him best during his busy
career are unanimous in saying OF
him. His daily life was as exemplary
of the tcnets OF that good old fnlth as
that of any public official could be-
He was born in Warren county. o.,
Oct. 22, 1887.
His father was William Butterworth,
his mother Linton, family noted
throughout the entire line for their
keenness OF intellect. powers of per-
ception and strength In speech and
debate. Both parents were OF Quaker
ancestry. His father was originally
Virginia planter, who freed his slaves,
and, removing to Ohio, became active,
with Levi Coffin, in the underground
railroad"
at Ohio university in Athens, studied
lay in Cincinnati In the office OF Dur
bin Ward; was admitted TO the bar in
1861, and practlced in that city. lie
was United States district attorney
in 1870: n member of the state senate
in 1894 from Warren and Butler coun-
ties; was elected from the First Ohio
district to the Forty sixth, Forty-sev-
enth. Forty-ninth and Fiftieth Con-
crosses, and was reelected to the FIJI
ty-first as a Republican. He was the
father of the compulsory army retire
ment act.
Ben" Buterworth. as he was al
ways best known. spent his earlier
years round aobut MEANWHILE and Fos-
ter's Crossing-the latter n little sta
ton on the Little Maimi railroad. He
served through the civil war, and at
its close resumed the practice of his
profession.
In 1888 President Arthur appointed
him a commissioner to examine a
part of the Northern Pacific railroad,
He was also retained by the govern
ment as counsel to prosecute the South
Carolina election cases in that year.
After the retirement of L. NJ. Marble
from the patent office, September l..
! 1888 Mr.. Butterworth was appointed
commissioner of patents. He was
secretary and solicitor-general of the
! Worlds Columbian Exposition and did
/ last year he was appointed by Presl-
[ dent Mckinley to be commissioner of
! patents, which place he held until his
! death
! Mr.. Butterworth liked Washington.
| Amos J. Cummings. speaking of the
! fascination Washington has for former
members of Congress, in his lett 'er to
The Tribune, printed last Monday,
| said:
"The brightness of those who lose
| their seats in Congress frequently re-
turn to Washington as naturally as
children return to their firesides. They
make II their home and are found in all
| walks of life. Some resume their law
| practice or become claim agents. Others
| speculate In real estate, and others, ap-
| parentiy more fortunate. gravitate Into
new government positions. Each finds
his speciality, and each extracts from
| Washington life his own quantum of
enjoyment. 1t was this iinfatuation
that drew rare Ben Butterworth back
here after his retirement from Con-
| gress. He tried Chicago after leaving
Cincinnati, but the memory of Wash
| ington destinations was too much for
him. With the return of a Republican
administration he vaulted once more
| into power as commissioner Of pa
tents. but he remains u full-nedged
Washingtonian,'
a wife and four children survive the
Mary Schuyler of Pennsylvania. The
children are Mrs. Howe of Washing
ton, ID. c., a widow; William, who mar
ried Miss Deere of Moline. H.. young
Ben, who was injured in a college
game early in life. and Frank. whose
prowess rs a football coach and full
back is almost international.
SORROW IN WASHINGTON.
Washington, Jan. 16.-ln Washing
ton, no less than In his native state.
Mai. Butterworth enjoyed a wide ac-
qualntance and great popularity, and
the news of his death, while by no
means unexpected, will cause general
| sorrow here.
No public man probably had a larger
circle of personal friends at the capital
He contracted his fatal illness while on
the stump in the late Ohio campaign.
No information has been received as
to the time or place of the funeral.