The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-15

the venerable Iowan. who died suddenly a'
$50 o'clock yesterday morning, rests TO-DAY
in magnificent cloth casket at the ueai
apartments in the Portland, on Thomas
Circle II has been decided TO have the
iuterment at his old home Burlington,
iowa. and special car attached TO the reg
uglar Pennsylvania Railroad train at $50
O'Clock this afternoon will convey the fu-
neral party thither. Owing TO the fact that
there are few Congressman in the city,
there will be no official services here. The
colleagues Of the aged statesman will,
however. be represented at the interment.
which will take place on Wednesday
afternoon.
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon the re-
mains Will be removed to the station,
under the guidance of Sergeant-at-Arms
Ransdell, Of the Senate, with eight Capt.
toll policemen as pallbearers. Mrs. Gear
will be accompanied to Burlington On
her sad journey by Secretary Wilson,
who was a lifelong friend of the
Senator. Mr.. Ransdell. two or three po-
licemen. and the Senator's messenger VIII
likewise accompany the remains. The
burial will be under the direction of the
Senate, but it has not yet been fully de-
cided who will represent Congress at the
grave. President Pro Tenn. Frye. of the
Senate. had not been reached by telegraph
up TO last right. Speaker Henderson was
found in California II is expected that
each of them will name delegation to rep
resen: Congress AT the funeral. All of the
Iowa members will. of course, be present.
and il is believed that. in view of the dead
statesman's wide popularity, the interment
will be one of the most largely attended
in the history OF the State.
The end came very suddenly yesterday
morning. II was due to an apoplectic
stroke. The Senator had been riding until
nearly 10 o'clock Friday night with Mrs.
Gear and Secretary Wilson. and apparently
felt unusually well when he retired. At
O'Clock, however the stroke came which
ended his life three hours ard n half later.
Caught Severe Cold.
Senator Gear was seventy-five years old,
and had been in public life almost con-
tinuonsly for forty years. He was not
in robust health, but he had been feeling
well for the past three months. The
cause Of his sudden death probably dates
back to last January. He had been at the
iowa capital, where he had engaged in a
His rival was A C. Cummings. a member
G ire Republican National Committee.
he fight was an interesting one, but
when the party went into caucus Senator
Gear-was chosen by reclamation. On his
way back to Washington. after his re-
e.ecuon. the sleeping car in which he
was travelling was sidetracked in the
Allegheny Mountains. 1t was expected
that the delay would only be for about ten
minutes, but instead the sleeper was cut
of fo- nearly three hours. II was bitterly
cold. and the passengers suffered greatly.
Colonel Root, the Senator's messenger,
vho was with him at the time. piled all
the covering obtainable upon the venera-
bic statesman, but despite all those pre-
cautions. Mr.. Gear took a severe cold.
1t lasted for several weeks after his ar
rival here and he was never in robust
health afterward
Since warm weather set in the Senator
had been, quite active. He had driven
around the city almost daily. He was a
frequent visitor at the White House, and
las always cordially received by the Presi-
cent. who esteemed him highly. Ore Of
he last callers to bid farewell TO Mr..
Mckinley before the departure of the lat
Ter to Canton was Senator Gear. The Sem
ator was then looking forward to taking
a large part in the national campaign in
HIS alidHeeHHthtS oceH iud1c
for speeches by him at Burlington. Cedar
Rapids, and Des Moines. 1t was 10 COM
mence this campaigning that he had
planned to leave for Burlington today with
Mrs. Gear.
Friday night. after a ride over the city
with Secretary Wilson, he spent some
time talking with the Secretary and Colo
mel Root He went to bel at 10 O'Clock,
in the best of spirits. About l he awoke
with a pain in the region of his heart.
Mrs Gear rubbed his chest with alcohol,
which seemed to help him, and he felt
better. but at 1:30 O'Clock he was taken
violently ILL., Colonel Root, who had his
quarters also in the Portland. was called
to the room, and, seeing that the Senator's
condition was serious, sent for the family
physician, DIR. Frank A. Gardner. In the
absence of the latter DR.. Davis was called.
He arrived soon after 3 o'clock Mean
while the Senator had continued to sink,
and the physician could do nothing
The aged statesman was conscious to
the last. At o'clock Mrs. Gear asked
him If ne felt relieved. He nodded in as
sent. He passed peacefully away al 4:30.
An Iowa Pioneer.
Senator Gear was horn al Ithaca, y. Y,
on April 4, 1925, and accordingly was well
past his seventy-ifth birthday. He was
almost raised on the frontier, for in 1886
the family moved TO Galena, ILL.,, and in
1888 to Iowa then Territory. The first
stop there was at Fort Smelling, but in