Evening star., 1898-01-17
TRIBUTES Of GRIEF
Meeting in Me4orySf: Commissioner
Butterwgerth.
RESOLUTIONS AZ fHE PATENT OFFICE
President Mckintey Deeply Moved
at the News.
FEELING AT THE CAPITOL

The employees of the patent office gather
ed this afternoon in the room Of the COM
missioner of patents to participate in q
meeting called to honor the memory Of
their dead chief. 1t was sad meeting,
one of the saddest of its kind ever held.
and the faces of all present told plainly
the grief they felt. AS soon as the clerks
had assembled Assistant Commissioner
Greeley said:
Il have asked the clerks of the patent
office to assemble here this afternoon to
take such action which they deem best
to honor the memory Of our late beloved
commissioner. Some of you who knew
him better are perhaps better able to speak
CT him than I am. 1 came into the office
when he occupied the commssionership
some years ago, but it was only within
the past few months that 1 became closely
associated with him, but even in that brief
period l had learned to love and respect
ls nm If every possible way. The patent
office and world of invention never had a
warmer friend than Benjamin Butterworth
HIS service as commissioner during his
nrst term makes part Of the history of
the patent office. He came when we most
needed him, and his efforts to keep I'D the
efhcieEcy of the office were felt after he
severed his connection with the depart
ment AS member Of Congress subsc-
doShliy II was 10 MS GHOTtS IN a large
measure that this department received the
healthy increase in appropriations in 1885
his taxing OF now Is an irreparable loss
he accepted the commissionership dur
ing TINS administration at personal sacri-
fice Filled with q hope Of putting the Of
nee upon sound footing and with a firm
oeterIhinauon to remedy existing abuses
IN the practice before the department, he
worked ardCously to accomplish his end
II is history how well he succeeded in his
endeavors and every one of you present
Know now great the Improvement has been
IN IN thls character. His taking off made it
Impossible Tor MIN to bring about realiza-
tlon OF his desires to increase the efficiency
OF the office. and l have no doubt that the
worry of mind incident to his desire to be
IN the traces retarded his convalescence."
Resolutions Adopted.
Upon motion Of Examiner Winter. the
chair appointed committee, consisting of
Col. 5. W. Stocking, xaminer-in-chief and
Frlnclpal Examiners 3. w. Pond, Malcom
Seaton and F. w. Winter to draft Suitable
resolutions The committee reported the
1olIoWlng, which were unanimously adopt-
ed: P.
At meeting of the employees of the
United States patent Office, held January
II, 1S's, in recognition of the sad event of
tEe death OF the Hon. Benjamin Butter
worth, commissioner of patents, resolutions
were adopted follows:
Whereas in the course of Divine Prov
idence, the Hon. Pentamin Butterworth
commissioner of patents, has been removed
from us by death, ~
Resolved, That We desire to record our
profound regret and sorrow at this event
sorrow, that it is given us no more to be
in close relation to a superior so consider
ate and kindly and friend so honorable
ana cordial, and regret that this office and
the public service have lost an officer so
efficient and watchful of the just rights and
privileges of ALL - j 80
1T was the privilege of some of us to be
a at G1 until ~
office during his prior incumbency as com
missioner OF patents, and 1t was with un-
1elSned pleasure and cordiality that we
shook him by the hand when he returned
to assume again the duties of the office;
and such of us do not fail to recall with
deep satisfaction his terms of high appre-
citation of the labOrs of the examining corps
of that tine, and our anticipation that he
would appreciate with equally kind words
every faithful worker of the present is fully
justified to this very hour.
I'VE have viewed with genuine satisfac-
tion the steps taken by him to set up just
and high standards Of practice both in and
before the Office, and 1t shall be our earn
est endeavor in so far the task shall fall
to our lot to efficiently carry out the meas
ures which he began. When shall we have
another like rim?
Resolved, That we extend to the family
and kindred of the late commissioner our
hearty sympathy and fellow feeling in this
hour of their great affliction and SORROW"
Tributes by Examiners.
While the committee was preparing the
resolutions several of the examiners made
brief speeches.
Examiner Maxson said it had been his
privilege for many years to know Commits
sioner Butterworth. He had served with
him during his former administration and
knew how much he had done for the de-
partment. He came in, he said. when the
office needed a friend. The work was far
behind and the appropriations were made
quate to carry on the workings of the Of
flee.
He came in all the vigor of his middle
life and gave his best intellectual efforts
to the service. The employees had not been
accustomed to meet the commissioner as q
friend, yet when he came every one recog-
EiZed in him loyal friend, and when ne
left us our Godspeed followed him. When
he came back to US our hearts We're filled
with Thanksgiving. We knew that better
times were coming for the patent office.
But when the heart is full the voice is
weakest, and l cannot say the things I
would say of him who has fallen by the
wayside."
Examiner Pierce was visibly affected
when he arose to speak. He said his heart
was full of grief at the loss, the personal
loss, he had suffered in the death of Com
missioner Butterworth. He wondered il
all who knew him appreciated what a
great man Commissioner Butterworth was.
His law was that of his God. Righteous
ness was his guiding motto. He had known
him for fourteen years, and had never
known aught that was not in strict ac-
cord Herewith. He was honest, upright
and loyal, a patriot who was ever to be
found on the side Of justice. He came as
near to being an unselflsh man as any he
had ever known. Words were not fitting
in which to speak of his uprightness in
life and he goes to his death with a prom
Use of a rich reward.
One of the modest employees of the build
ing placed a bunch of pink rosebuds on the
commissioners desk with a card bearing
the following lines: i
We know not wheresGod's islands lift
There froudy palms in air.
We only knoWs we cannot drift
Beyond His lovingacare.
The President DeepIy Grieved.
President Mckinley and Commissioner
Butterworth had been dwarm friends and
political allies for years, and the Presi-