Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-16
STRICKEN AND DIED
Mr.. Frederick W. Royce a Victim Of
Apoplezy.
WIDELY KNOWN, HIGHLY ESTEEMED
Famed as Telegraph Operator
and Electrician.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER


Mr.. Frederick w. Royce. inventor, cleo
trician and veteran telegraph operator. was
stricken with apoplexy this morning short
ly after o'clock in front Of the city post
office building, and died a few minutes af-
ter having been taken to the Emergency
Hospital Mr.. Royce was one Of the most
widely known residents Of the District hav-
ing lived here for more than forty years.
He was also known to all of the older tel
egraphers In the country, having had an in
ante-bellum days.
Mr.. Royce's sudden death was a distinct
shock Some years ago he was not in the
best Of health, but lately he had improved
and often spoke of enjoying better physical
conditions than he had known for a long
time past. He seemed perfectly well when
he left his home at 1141 18th street this
morning to go down town to his temporary
office in the Kellogg building on F street
Mr.. Royce was engaged with Mr.. Charles
Moore In working on some mechanical de-
vices the two had in mind, and was giving
much of his time to the matter.
Having some business which demanded
his attention at the post office, Mr.. Royce
walked from his office to that building.
When in front of the structure he reeled
and fell to the pavement. Assistance was
speedily summoned, and the ambulance
from the Emergency Hospital arrived with
in a few minutes. Mr.. Royce was uncon-
scious. He was hurried to the hospital,
but was in dying condition before the in
stitution was reached. Coroner hewitt
viewed the remains, and gave a certificate
of death from apoplexy. Arrangements
for the funeral have not been completed.
A son Of Mr.. Royce Mr. Frederick Royce,
IT,. who is the New England travelling
freight agent of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, with headquarters in New York,
has been telegraphed for.
Mr.. Royce was slxty-one years old. His
wife, who has been quite i'll for some time
past. is now in serious, almost critical.
condition, and may not recover. Aside
from the son mentioned. Mr.. Royce leaves
one other boy, Morgan Royce, and a mar
ried daughter, Mrs. Joseph c. Latimer.
Showed Wonderful Speed.
One of the first men to send message on
the old printing telegraph instruments, Mr..
Royce became the most expert of teleg-
raphers in the country engaged in that fea-
ture of the service. He was long renowned
as a sender Of press kilograms and had Of
ten attained maximum speed of sixty
words minute. or 5000 words an hour.
This was twice as fast as the Morse instru-
ments could be operated then, and was
faster than can be sent nowadays even
with the approved appliances and the use
or typeWriters in receiving. The old print
ing telegraph machines have gone out of
service almost entirely now, on account of
the protests made against the character of
the messages, the long strips being un-
weildy for newspaper matter and difficult
to tile by mercantile concerns.
A native of Delaware, Mr.. Royce went
from Wilmington to Albany, and New York
city, and thence to Baltimore, following his
profession as an operator. He came to
Washington about 1858 from the monument
tai city. In Baltimore he was one of the
youngest and withal the most expert of the
operators employed by the House Printing
Telegraph Company, which, together with
the New York and Washington Printing
Telegraph Company, was absorbed by the
American Telegraph Company.
Career in Washington.
1t was when this deal took place that
Mr.. Royce came to this city, serving with
the American company in its old quarters
OIL Pennsylvania avenue, near Az street.
The printing telegraph instrument was
then in its heyday. The sending apparatus
consisted of a keyboard resembling that of
typewriter. AS the keys were pressed
the letter was recorded by the companion
machine at the other end Of the circuit
In 1866 the American Telegraph Company,
which, after having absorbed the Morse
company, was swept up by the Western
Union Company. MIR. Royce then came into
the employ of the latter company and re-
mained with 1t until 1890. By that time he
had engaged in n number of business enter
prises The printing system of telegraphy
had practically become obsolete, too. So,
when, in 1890. fire in the New York of
flee OF the Western Union Company de-
stroyed the companion instrument of the
printing circuit between Washington and
Baltimore, Mr.. Royce finally severed con-
nection with teegra phic work
He devoted himself in assisting Mr.. Moore
NlyIth &c unr hot 10 tIo
thaer linotype, or typesetting machine, in
use in nearly all of the larger news paper
offices. He also became senior member OF
the firm of Royce & Marean. electrical con-
tractors. continuing in that business until
the dissolution Of partnership about two
years ago.
Genial and Popular.
Mr.. Royce was a man of happy DISPOSE
ton. He possessed a fund of anecdotes Of
the earlier days of telegraphy, when all the
printing telegraph operators in the country
were known to each other. He was with
the American Telegraph Company when
the Washington office was managed by Mr..
A. B. Talcott, the venerable electrician OF
the Capitol and former superintendent of
the District fire alarm system. Mr.. Royce
married Miss Laura Davis, whose father
was prominent grocer of the capital city
for many years.
uestionably Mr.. Royce was one of the
most noted telegraphers of his day. He
worked with a number of men who have
since become famous. A little Incident is
told of the visit of former Governor Bull
lock of Georgia to the telegraph offices in
this city number Of years ago. The man
ager was showing the distinguished south
erner every attention. and taking him to
where the printing telegraph instruments
were, introduced him to Mr.. Royce.
''Why, hello, Rufe," said the latter, ris-
ing eagerly from his chair.
He had been associated with the governor