The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-18
WILLIAM |. WILSON
DIED VERY SUDDENLY,
Noted Soldier, Statesman and
Scholar Was Cleveland's
Postmaster General.
STORY OF HIS USEFUL LIFE.
As Student. Lawyer. Private. Pro
feSSOr. congressman and Tabi-
net Officer He Was Il
Remarkable Man.

I.hNlhGttE ! 'bf'. Il Sfl,.' III l.. W -
| sor. rresil'rr rf the Washington .tHi tee
II iiversity IN! cS-1nstma ter G.ae-aI. died
sucdon!r ~ 49, "'Ci"ol; iHiS nlrru''.s frhi1
congestion q. -" lUa"s. lie had b""1 iaii-
ing eyer since HI. r";nru from .lr.zcnl.
His son. Doctor N..r'r Wii-uI.. ~ Lynch
burg. visited him sunday .uG left Monday.
Then cam" IN" s-'iG5n Grange. MIR. VII
sons attending physician did not give NJ!
hope of his r-iiyrc until late i.s; night
Mr.. wilson Tta Cpn'iE"i - tine hcnse
since Tues,iay week aco. tu' VS. thought
TO be ir'prH.et v""n lis son icft him. lie
was cousr!uus urt.I the last. BY h-s beds III,
were his Wiz hts dau- te.s. N,ss-s Mary
and Bette Wilson, ara one >pn william II.
Wilson.
Funeral T"-warra.v Morning.
Mr.. Wi::cn'S tun":li win occur lt Cnar'es-
town. Jei;'isoH Comfy. W. Va. FridaY
morning at 10 n'cInrk The rcuairs will
leave Lexington that norHinG over ~" Bal
timore and Ohio p I O'Clock. :.cro,i7 pa nird
by the family. Harry x. George Tucker.
chairman of the faculty ot professors; 4. l..
E"lson an'i VI. y Willis. ""n.m:tt.- ~ jh..
faculty. Honorable William y Anderson
and 4. r. Barclay q: -. Beard of Trustees
and u committee of twelve s:u!.lis.
Services viii be- neid ,U-llu-Yvw Afternoon
n Lee Memorial Chapel al the university.
conducted by The Reverend T. A F;aI' of
lexington Earist Church and the R-vgr-
"Ed Doctor James !. Quarlc< ih- uni
che university. Ti.- remains are row lying
i'll state At 'he presidents housc
William Lyle wilson was born near
Cl.ariestOwn. W. Va. f:t.-rlac ycatS ago
lie was the son II a s'h0oir.ast"r. who died
when he WAS We: rs old. His n,o:hcr was a
woman Of character and cl:ltu,e and she
directed the education Of the hoy. who soon
became known at the Charl@stown Academy
for his studious habits
From the academy young Wilson went to
the Columbian University In Washington.
where he graduated In the class of 1S60. He
was taking a pnst-craduate course at the
University ~ Virginia when the war broke
out. He CWilSon, served throughout that
struggle private IN the Confederate
Army. and VIXEN peace WIS declared. he ac
ceptei al appointment as professor Of Latin
and Greek In the Columbian University
This post he held until 1871. when he re-
turned TO Charleston and took up the prac
tice Of law. AZ the sane time re entered
rre=tly into poiiis g and in 1889 he was
delegate to the National Democratic Con- |
vcntion and was later appointed elec'o-- |
a,-larse for Hancock and English
Subsequently Mr.. Wilson accepted the |
presidency of the West Nirciu University. |
but resigned TO accept nomination for |
Congress. Hc elected and took his 4
scat as a member OF the FOrty-eighth Con-
gress I'm 1sS3.
He soon came to he recognized as strong
force In that body. He became one Of the
leaders on the Democratic side. In 1887 he
vas appointed member of the Ways and
Means Committee by Speaker Carlisle. and
served continuously until his retirement
from Congress
II was while he was chairman o: the
Ways and Means Committee that the Will
son-Gorman tariff bill was passed. This
measure was not satisfactory to Mr.. VIII
son. but It was the best he could do under
the circumstances
His health began to give way after this
and his defeat for recollection in 1894 served |
to ageravate his trouble.
Mr.. Wilson served as Postmaster General
in the last Cleveland Cabinet, and retired
TO accept the presidency of Washington
and Lee University.
CLEVELAND'S TRIBUTE TO WILSON. |
REIUBIIC SPECIAL.
Princeton. ~ j.. oct. T.-When informed |
of the death of William L. Wilson. former !
Pre- sident Cleveland dictated the following
statement:
Il am very much shocked to hear Of his |
death. Few men had n nature more COM
pletely rounded out. Ia his public life he |
was patriotic and absolutely devoted to the |
hest interests of his countrymen | have |
seldom or never met n man who was. in his |
private relations. so well constituted to In |
spire regard and affection. His intellectual
traits were of very high order. and II
may be said. without any extravaganza of
expression. that his death Is a great loss TO
his country and ppSifIya N 4