Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-04-27
TWO CENTS
COL. BEN WILSON DEAD.
Another Prominent Citizen OF
the State is Gone.

He was a Lawyer, Politician aud states
man Long Illness of Paralysis
Caused his Death II For Years he Dom
mated his section of the state.
CLARKsBuRG, w. Va, April 27.--
Col. Benjamin Wilson, lawyer states
man and politician is dead OF par
alysis. He was rs years old and
had been in feeble health for some
time past. His death, nevertheless,
was sad shock to host OF friends
and the community is mourning for
some of it most eminent citizens.
Mr.. Wilson's last public office was
that of assistant United States at
torney in the department Of justice.
He was appointed during the first
Cleveland administration and had
charge OF the, French spoilation
claims. On retirement from this
office ia 1889 he returned to private
life and spent his latter years in the
sale of coal lands and oil speculation.
His health has not been robust for
some time and he soon succnmbed
to the paralytic stroke. The funer-
al will take place on Sunday and in.
terment will be made here.
HIS CAREER.
Benjamin Wilson was born In
Harrison county, Virginia, April 30,
1926 He was educated at til q
Northwestern Academy at Clarks-
burg and later studied law at the
Staunton law school. In 1S4s he was
admitted TO the bar. He served as
commemorative attorney for Har.
rison county from 1862 to 1860. In
1S6l.he was member of the eonsti-
tutional convention of Virginia. In
1868 he was presidential electorat
large on the democratic ticket.
Again in 1872 he served as mem
Der of the West Virginia constitu-
tional convention that met at Char
lesion. He had the honor Of being
a delegate-at large to the national
democratic convention at Baltimore
in 1872 that nominated Horace
Greeley for president. He was
elected as representative to the for
ty-fourth congress from the first
district with 1879 votes against
1861 for Nathan Golf, jr., republi-
can. He was re elected to the forty
fifth congress, receiving 1902 votes
against 16,067 for Charles B. Scott,
republican, serving from December
4, 1875. Again in 1880 he was re-
elected to congress, defeating John
A. Hutchinson, the republican can
didate. He was appointed assistant
United States attorney in the de-
partment OF Justice ut Washington,
by Grover Cleveland and served in
that capacity until superseded in
1889. One of his last official posi-
tions was that Of government attor-
ney in the settling of the French
spoliation claims.
Colonel Wilson served his constit.
uents in congress in a most efficient
manner. He was constantly at his
post of duty and was attentive,
courteous and polite to all with
whom he came in contact in the dis
charge Of his public and private du-
ties as citizen and representative.
Col. Wilson was very we'll known
in Morgantown. He was very
campanionable man and easy of APP
proach. Living as he did made him
great power in the affairs Of his
state and district. He had taken
care of the money that he made he
wonid have died very wealthy. As
it was he was in comfortable circum-
stances.
The father of Col. Wilson was q
Revolutionary hero and also bore
the title Of colonel. Some of the
land originally patented in Harrison
county by this pioneer is still in the
hands of the family.
The news of the death Of this man
is learned with genuine regret by
his many friends and acquaintance
in this place