Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-15
FOUND DEAD ON A SIDEWALK
Mysterious Death of Congress-
man Charles A. Chickering.
IT OCCURRED IN NEW YORK CITY
On Forty-first Street Side OF
Grand Union Hotel.
a Window OF His Room. in tho Fourth
Story of the Building, Was Open. and Rs
Either Fell or Jumped to ths Pavsmsnt--
Complained of Rhoumatism.

New York, Feb. 3.-Congressman
Charles A. Chickering Of Copenhagen,
N. l., was found dead outside the
Grand Union Hotel, in this city, today.
He had either fallen or jumped from
window of the hotel. His body was
found on the sidewalk of the Forty first
street side of the hotel, under the open
window of his room, which was on the
fourth floor, by a milkman, who was
driving along the street at a. m.
Evidently, it had been lying there for
some time, as the. clothing was satur-
ated with rain. 1t was clothed in
underwear, socks, night shirt, trousers
and vest. There was bad cash on
the right side of the head.
Mr.. Chickering was in the hotel all
day yesterday. He had complained
considerably Of rheumatism, but moth
ing irrational in his actions had been
observed by those at the hotel.
AFFECTED WITH MELANoHotIA.
A dispatch to the Associated Press
from Albany says that Mr.. Checker
ing's friends there had been aware for
some time that he was afflicted with
melancholia, following severe attack
of typhoid fever.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED. r Z
Charles A. Chickering was born at
Harrisburg, Lewis County, N. ",
November 26th, 1S43 He was educated
in the common schools and at the
Lowville Academy, at which institution
he was for time teacher. He was a
school commissioner of Lewis county
| from 1865 to 1875, and a member of the
| Assembly in 1879, 1880 and 1881. lie
was elected clerk of the Assembly in
| 1884, and re eelected ib the years from
and including 1885 TO 1899. He had
been chairman of the Republican
county committee of Lewis county,
secretary of the Republican State COM
mittee and also member Of the legis-
lative committee of that body He was
elected to the Fifty third Congress.
| and reelected three times.
Washington, Feb. 13. Members Of
Congress we're greatly shocked at the
news of Representative Chickering's
| violent DEATH, in New York City, this
morning. The first information came
in dispatch to Representative Gillette.
q CLOSE friend of Mr.. Chickering, and
was communicated to Sergeant,at. :.
al ms Casson of the House. The families
Of Mr.. Chickering and Mr.. Gillette havo
long Deem hSSOCldtou, dlit tbc wv WiNoS
we're together when the news of the
tragedy came. 1t was kept from Mrs.
Chickering, for fear the shock would
prove too great, and she was informed
that her husband was dangerously Ill
in New York. Arrangements were
made for her to leave for New York at
noon, with Mrs. Gillette.
Mr.. Chickering was one of the
| p;delv known and universally esteemed
men in the House, although long i'll
ness had kept him away from his asso-
ciates during tho present session. He
was last seen here when the. vote on
the financial bill was taken. He insisted
on coming on crutches, in order to
record his vote for the bill.
Speaker Henderson and many others
who had long known Mr.. Chickerine
expressed profound regret at the
lamentable occurrence, and prepara-
tions we're made for the appointment
of q Congressional committee to take
charge OF the funeral arrangements.