The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-13
r. ?. FLOWER DEAD
FAMOUS FINANCIER sUCCUMBs TO
AN ATTACK OF HEART FAILURE
AND INDIGESTION
WAS A VICTIM OF GASTRITIS
APPEARED IN ROBUST HEALTH
WHEN HE ARRIVED AT EAST
PORT THURSDAY MORNING
ATTACK CAME ON SUDDENLY

Was Stricken with a Painting Spell,
ReEained Consciousness, but Soon
ReIapsed and Died With Scarcely
Observation-Disclosures Career of
One of America's Most Prominent
Business Men.
NEW YORK, May 12-Former Gov.
Roswell P. Flower died tonight at 1880
I O'Clock at the Eastport County club at
Eastport, L. l. Mr.. Flower was taken
III early in the day with an acute attack
of indigestion. During the afternoon
symptoms of heart failure supervened
and he grew steadily worse until the
time of his death.
The attack of heart failure was accom-
panied by fainting spell, and Mr..
Flowers family in New York city were
quickly notified. Mrs. Flower and the
former governors nephew, Frederick S.
Flower, accompanied by DR.. Thomas H.
Allen, Mr. Flowers physician, left at
once on a special train for Eastport
When they arrived there Mr.. Flower had
somewhat recovered, but tonight the at
tack of heart failure was marked, and
Mr.. Flower became unconscious an hour
or more before his death.
At the club house all reports early In
the evening regarding Mr. Flowers Sc
rious illness were emphatically denied, al
though at that time 1t was not believed
he would recover.
Mr. Flower had been a sufferer from
gastritis for some time, with every now
and then an acute attack. For month
or two past he had been regular visitor
at Eastport County club in the hope that
he would find some relief in the outing
He appeared in robust health yesterday,
and this morning when he arrived at
Eastport, where he intended to remain
until Monday, his health was apparently
excellent The attack from which he
suffered today came on suddenly and
was of a more severe type at the outset
than any he had previously suffered
from.
Frederick S. Flower took charge of the
details after his uncle's death, but no
been made. The body will probably be
transferred to Manhattan tomorrow
morning.
MR.. FLOWERS CAREER.
Roswell Petition Flower was born in
Theresa, Jefferson county, New York,
r Aug. Z, 1896. His father was born at
Oak Hill, Greene county, New York, and
his ancestors went from Connecticut
Roswell was the sixth of nine children
and when his father died he was eight
years old. He worked with his broth
ers on two farms his mother owned and
spent his time between school sessions in
the hardest kind of labor. He became
deputy postmaster Of Watertown, N. Y,
In 1853, and kept his place six years. Then
he became a partner in the jewelry firm
of Hitchcock & Flower, bought out his
partner at the end Of two years and con-
tinued the business until 1862 Mr.. Flow
er came to New York in that year to
take charge of the estate of Henry Keep,
whose widow was Mrs. Flowers sister.
Mr.. Keep owned a great many railroad
and other stocks, and during the months
before his death he spent much time in
instrcuting Mr.. Flower about them Hav-
Ing thus gained an insight into Wall
street and its methods, Mr. Flower form
ed in 1870 the firm of Benedict Flower &
Co., in which he Joined E. c. Benedict
afind H. H. Truman. His firm was dis
solved in 1872, when Mr.. Flower was Ill
for several months Not long afterward
he organized the banking firm of Flower
& Co., which has since been power In
Wall. street.
Mr.. Flower always was Democrat. In
the seventies he helped Samuel ]. Til
den to develop the famous organization
which exposed Tweed and enjoyed many
other triumphS. Mr.. Flower was chosen
chairman of the Democratic state com
Inittee- in 1871 and in 1881 he defeated
William Waldorf Astor for congress- af-
ter hot campaign in the Eleventh dis
trict. His majority was $780, while Lev
u
the last previous election by more than
7,000 votes. He refused denomination
He was elected governor of the state in
1881.
In the cholera epidemic in the late sum-
mer of 1887 thousands of passengers ar
riving from Europe were quarantined on
shipboard down. the bay. As an emer-
gency method Gov. Flower bought, with
his own money, the Fire Island hotel in
the name of the state, and ordered thai
The passengers be sent there.
TOOK UP TRACTION.
Mr.. Flower took up the Brooklyn Rapit
Transit less than two years ago buyins
from 10000 to 10000 shares at about 25
when the capital stock was only $25 OOO
oe0 He absorbed many subordinate lines
among them the Nassau Electric com
pany, and increased the capital stock f.
$45,000,OOO and by his zeal and manipula
tion put up the price to 157. His holding.
in Brooklyn Rapid Transit alone, which
cost him two years ago little more thar
$50O,000 are worth at today's market pric,
more than $3,00O,000.
Mr.. Flower was one of the founders O.
the Federal Steel trust, whose stock al
ready issued is $99, ,377 800. Good authori
ties estimate that Mr.. Flowers profits
In the last eighteen months in Wal
street, have exceeded $3,OOO,OOO He ha
become in that time the acknowledge,
speculative leader In the financial mar
kets of the United States
Mr.. Flower married Sara Woodruff. ;
daughter of Morris M Woodruff, of Wa
tertown, on Dec. 26, 1859. Three children
were born, of whom only one survives
Emma Gertrude, who is the wife of Johl
B. Taylor. Mr.. Taylor has been for year
one of the wardens of st. Thomas Epis
ccpal church, in Fifth avenue