The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-16
RICHARD ?. BLAND DEAD.
DEMOCRATIC LEADER SUCCUMBS
AFTER LONG STRUGGLE.
Was One Of the PioneeRs In the Free
silver Movement and In 1850
Was One Of the Leading Canai-

LEBANON. Mo-. JUNE 15--Richard Parks
Bland. congressman from the Eighth Mis-
souri, district passed peacefully away at
exactly $50 o'clock this morning Tuesday
night about 10 o'clock he fell into q sleep
from which he never awoke. The physi-
clans used every means in their power TO
arouse him, but he never regained con-
sciousness in the slightest degree. About
o'clock this morning It could be seen that
he was sinking rapidly and at 40 O'Clock
he ceased to breathe. Toward the end. the
action OF his heart increased perceptibIy
and hopes were expressed that he was
awakening. but II was fruitiess hope. His
sons. Theodore. Ewing. George and John:
his daughters. Fannie and Virginia, and
Mrs. Bland were at his bedside when the
end came. His brother. Judge J. C. Bland.
OF 81. Louis; Mrs. st. Thomas. his brother
in-law. Gen. E. 7. Mitchell. and E. Y.
Mitchell jr.. and hts private secretary. Grid
Bell. were also with him.
The funeral will be held Saturday after
noon at o'clock at the opera house. and
the body Will be buried in the Catholic GEM
etery. The funeral viii be in charge of the
sergeant-at-arms Of the house Of represen-
tatives and win be conducted by Masonic
lodges. Private Secretary Bell has noti-
fed the clerk OF the house OF Mr. BANDS
death, requesting him to appoint a commit
tee OF members to attend the. funeral.
Prominent friends OF Mr.. Bland through
out the country have been notified OF the
funeral arrangements.
Mr.. Bland was a member OF no church.
and the ministers OF all denominations will
participate In the services. 1t is planned
to have Col. w. J. Bryan deliver the fa-
neral grafton.
Richard Parks Bland was born In Ohio
county. Kentucky, August 10. 1895. He
wAA lens an orphan at an early are. ana
secured his education by working In sum-
Il years OF age ne began preaching. ana
earned money enough to assist hisns
through college. Later he studied law and
was admitted to the bar. In 1855 he moved
TO Missouri. and later to California. A
few years later he removed to Nevada,
and was there elected treasurer OF Carson
county. IN 1855 he opered a law Office
brother. In ls:s he was elected to congress
from Missouri az a Democrat, and until 1894
had been regularly elected each term.
When ,sls he entered ,Is congress. he Immediately
and In 1875 was made chairman OF the COM
mittee Of mines and mining. He introduce
ed several bills having for their purpose
yer. but II was not until the Forty fourth
congress trst the FREQ coinage bill was
raised and became known az the Bland
bin. The senats, through its chairman CT
finance. Senator Allison amended II so a.
TO destroy its free coinage features, and
II was passed over President Hayes veto
and became a law as the Biand-Allison act
OF 1879
In 1894 Mr.. Bland lost his seat In con-
gress by a close vote. He was the leading
candidate for the Democratic nomination
before the Chicago convention in 1895 up TO
the time when Bryan's name was sudden
ly sprung In the convention. Mr.. Bland
al one period OF the balloting received 235
votes.
Mr.. Bland WINS elected to his old seat in
congress from the Eighth Missouri district
In 1896, and again in the election last fall