Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-12
HAD APPARENTLY BEEN IN PERFECT HEALTH
Delegation from kcarney Arrives in
Omaha This Morning to Take the
Body of the Congressman
Home.

At o'clock last night William L. Greene
OF Kearney OF the Sixth congressional dis
trict OF Nebraska was apparently hale,
hearty and in the full enjoyment OF life
with all dts pleasures, domestic, social ano
political. At O'Clock he had Joined the
great majority, and the awful majesty of
death was stamped upon his face as he lay
in his last sleep on the cold mosaic floor oi
the Burlington station in this city.
Mr. Greene came to Omaha from Lincoln
on Friday evening and put up at the arcade
hotel. He had been at the state capital
for some days having come up from Wash
ington to witness the election OF a Nebraska
senator. After spending Saturday greeting
his friends and attending to business in
town he took hack about 7;45 In the even
ing to catch the Burlington train to Lin
coin.
Congressman Greene was accompanied oy
three friends, bound for the same train. j.
c. Reeves OF Madison county, n farmer; f.
r. Prince. a hotel keeper OF Madison, and
7. b. Donovan Of the Madison Star.
on reaching the station Congressman
Greene was observed lying back in the seat
Of the hack as If asleep and every effort
was made by his companions and the pas
senger director to arouse him. He was
borne in an unconscious state to the waiting
room of the depot and in answer to tele
phone message DR.. s. II. Smith was soon
in attendance on looking at the body the
doctor pronounced him dead and advised
the railway authorities to summon the coro-
ner His advice was Immediately followed
and in a few minutes Coroner Swanson had
gathered the facts and the body WIS re-
moved to the morgue Death was attributed
to heart failure.
At the post-mOrtem inquest held at Cor
oner Swansons Office an autopsy was per
formed by Dr. Milroy and the jury returned
q verdict of death from the excessive use
OF alcohol.
Career of the Deceased.
William L. Greene of Kearney was born
on farm in Pike county Indiana, October
! 2, 1S4s He removed with his parents TO
Dubois county in the same state, where dur
ing his early youth he worked on farm
in the summer months and attended school
in the winter. In this way he acquired an
education which fitted him TO enter the
academy at Ireland Ind, which institution
he attended for three years. Mr.. Greene
1 then engaged in teaching and followed that
profession until he began the study of law.
/ In 1876 he was admitted to the bar in
Bloomington, Ind, and began successful
practice in the Indiana courts. In 1883 he
/ which was his home at the time of his
/ death, and there resumed the practice OF
/ his profession. Ia his practice he has been
successful and has made general reputa-
/ tion a criminal lawyer, as well as one Of
the foremost populist orators In politics
/ he was democrat until 1890 when he Joined
/ the populist party al the beginning of that
movement. In 1892 he was brought before
the Legislature as a candidate for United
States senator and came within two votes
/ OF being elected to fir the position which
! william Y. Allen has just relinqulshed In
| 1895 he was elected judge of the Twelfth
/ judicial district. He was elected to the
4 Fifty fifth congress as populist, receiving
1873 votes, against 1884 votes for Addi-
son E. Cady, republican. His majority over
Norris Brown in the election last fall was
/ 2O14 he being reelected to Office by vote
OF Is, 415.