The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-01
COL, HUFFMAN DEAD
Passed Away With Paralysis
of the Heart
WAS SECOND ATTACK
Came to America at the Age
of Seven Years.

the heart. He was stricken suddenly on
the afternoon Of the 10Th of last July in
his left side, but had recovered so that
Re could get about the place and appear
ed to be in fair way for final and COM
plete recovery. He walked about the
place by the use of a cane and seemed
to suffer no serious Inconvenience except
that he sometimes found IT difficult TO
control the fingers Of his left hand. Tues
day night he retired as usual and even at
2 o'clock was in unusually good spirits.
His two sons, Henry and Fritz. had been
Up town and when they returned, went
% the door of the coloneTs bedroom 10
say good night, as they have done every
night since he has been sick Mr.. Hutt-
man passed a pleasant word or two and
requested of his elder son. Henry, to come
around on yesterday morning as he
wanted to talk with him about some bust
less matters.
In an hour the second stroke Of paraly-
sis attacked his heart and he was dead
in few minutes.
And so Wichita awoke Yesterday morn
Ing to a loss that came as a personal be-
Pavement to every citizen Of the town
who knew him in a public capacity or as
= friend in business or social life. In the
zen years since Colonel Huffman came to
Wichita he had become an important and
reliable factor in the political and fnan-
eial affairs Of the city. BUT the greatest
good Of his life was above material con-
H~,c -e
Cently strong parts Colonel Huttman's
every day life was as tender as the song
Of a child. He found his chiefest pleas
are in contributing to the enjoyment Of
others and was most happy when he had
lis family all about him in his own home.
He wrestIed successfully with the prob
lens Of science and achieved fame among
scientifie men in two continents as the
Inventor and maker of instruments used
n the highest form Of mathematical and
philosophical computation He overcame
the emergencies that beset a successful
business career but the honor Of it all
end the struggle which hardens COM
n1oner spirits only made him love the
family circle more. His soul grew and
expanded from the joy Of the evening at
home. This influence he carried into his
every day life. And thus It was that the
gentleness Of his nature crept into the
hearts Of his friends like the warm sun
light of an autumn day. His genial ways
grew on you till you came to expect a
pleasant word or encoura sing suggestion
every time you saw him. He never disap-
pointed. No wonder that voices lowered
softly yesterday as the word passed from
friend to friend that Colonel Huffman
IS dead" It was a heavy tribute of grief
death levied on his friends.
Fifty-nine years ago on January 9. W.
z. Huffman was born in Magdeberg,
Prussia. His father, w H Huffman,
was a Justice of the superior courts Of
Germany and outspoken for right and in
condemnation of wrong wherever he saw
st. As a student in Heidelburg University
w. H. Huffman had belonged to an
organization that resented the insults put
upon the common people by the nobility.
With the famous Carl Schurz ne made 4
stronger fight later, and the government
put secret men on their trail So a COL
ony Of the leaders, among them Carl
Schurz. seeing Imprisonment in store for
them, disposed Of their goods and came
TO America in lSfS, at which time W. Z.
Huffman was only seven years old. They
settled in Wilmington, Delaware, and
afterwards in 1854 moved 20 Milwaukee.
Here W. Z Huffman began his scientific
studies. A general amnesty proclamation
having been issued the family made two
trips TO Germany. where Mr. Huffman
took Instruction in his line in the leading
universities in Germany.
When the civil war broke out MI Hutt-
man. at the age of %. enlisted in the
Twenty-sixth Wisconsin regiment of VOL
nnteer infantry as a private. Before they
went to the front Mr.. Huttmans activity
IN raising men had reached the ear of the
governor of the state and he was COM
missioned as second lieutenant Later he
was promoted TO first lieutenant and
then 10 captain. on account Of sickness
ae was discharged from the service a lit
lie while before the war was over. After
she war n went 70 Chicago and set up in
the business Of making mathematical
philosophical Instruments. being the first
attempt of such a thing on this side Of
the Atlantic. Here he met and married
Miss Cacala ErpeIding. a native OF Co
logne. d woman OF great intelligence and
remarkable strength Of character. In q
few years be had won a name among
scientific men. both in American and
Europe and was very successful Gucuci-
ally. But his hearing became bad and
the doctors told him nothing but a change
Of climate would help him. He came 20
Kansas in 1871. and found after a few
-o.-- -L-t hi L,-~s-s. ;-r,-,--,-aT greatly
He resolved 20 make this his permanent
home and moved 10 Barton county IN the
fail Of ISIS
He at once became prominent in poll
tics in the state. It was Colonel Huct-
man who pus Governor Click into D7-
sitioa 70 secure the Democratic nonIna-
ton for governor at the Emporia c5nven-
ton IN ISSe when Click was elected he
appointed Mr.. Huffman to his stan with
the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1854
Colonel Huffman was nominated for state
treasurer on the ticket with Click. bus
the whole ticket was defeated, Colonel
Huffman receiving the largest vote OF any
candidate ~ the ticket.
In Barton county Nj Huffman had en-
gagged in the hardware business and later
published the EIiawood Advocate IN
1879 he moved his family &c Wichita. and
IN 1882 was made United States revenue
collector fer the Seventh District Of kan
sas. a position he held for foar years. n
this position he worked very hard, travel
ing over the country nearly al the zine
Hesxas not Of the men who consider pub
lie Office a private snap. The same con-