Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-03-20
EXPIRES AFTER MAKING PRO
BOER ADDRESS AT JOLIET.
HAD AMI EVENTFUL CAREER
While Governor of Illinois He Called
Down Excavations of Many People
by Pardoning Chicago Anarchists
Once Served on Bench-OWned
Much Business Property.

at 1909 o'clock He had been uncon-
scious since midnight
Mr.. Altgeld was the principal speak
er at a pro-boer mass meeting Tues
day night in the Joliet theater. Just
at the close of his speech sudden
dizziness seized him and he was as
sisted from the stage. The meeting
proceeded, the audience not realizing
what had happened. Mr.. Altgeld was
taken to the door of the theater,
where he was seized by spasm OF
vomiting. This continued for nearly
an hour and was so violent he could
not be removed meanwhile to the
hotel
Physicians were hastily summoned,
and when the vomiting had been
checked Mr. Altgeld was carried to
the Hotel Munroe across the street.
He retained consciousness, and urged
the newspaper men not to publish any
thing concerning the occurrence, lest
| it should needlessly alarm his wife.
| Shortly before midnight he became
unconscious, remaining in this condi-
| ton until death At Sal in the morn
! ing it was thought he had died. but he
revived and from that time until
shortly before the end, showed won
derful vitality, although remaining
motionelss. The cause of death was
given as cerebral hemorrhases.
Clarence barrow, life long friend
and a law partner of the ex-gov-
ernor, said that the governor died as
he had lived. pleading the cause of
the lowly. No autopsy was held.
! The family did not wish it,
being content with the statement
of the physicians that he died from
cerebral hemorrhage The body was
embalmed and sent to Chicago
Mrs. AItgeId Frustrated.
! Chicago, March 13-Mrs. Altgeld,
widow of the former governor, who
died yesterday, was Frustrated by the
shock of the news from Joliet Grave
/ apprehension for her welfare is felt,
as she has been in delicate health for
two years.
John P. Altgeld was a unique
character and a man with more than
the usual amount of brains. He never
sought popularity. His manner was
not that OF the politician or the man
who seeks to conciliate or please. He
had been held up as the exponent OF
a red-shirted, tOrch-bearing anarchy
and socialism, and by many millions
of people was looked upon as dan
gerous man. When governor he par
doned several of the anarchists, whose
sentence to death had been commuted
to Imprisonment for life By Gov
Oglesby, and brought upon himself
the excavations of people in all parts
of the country.
Although a strong advocate of the
Is to l doctrine, all the leases tC
rooms and suites in the Unity build
ing, on Dearborn street, which struc
ture was owned by him, were always
payable in gold. At one time, Mr.
Altgeld was practically a millionaire
but the hard times of 1893 struck him
hard and crippled MIN greatly.
Real estate, or big buildings,
seemed a passion with him, and, al
though a lawyer of superb attain
ments and judge-he was on the cir
cult bench for several years-whose
opinions and decisions always COM
manded respect, he preferred real es-
tate to law. Being childless, the only
members Of his family being his wife
and himself, he called his big build
ings his children. The magnificent
Unity Building, representing more
than $1,000,000, he called his boy.
But most of this property got away
from him. He never kept a carriage,
cared little or nothing for society,
never went to clubs, and he and his
! wife lived alone happy in each others
companionship. While bitter and
sarcastic in debate or public
| speeches, he was the mildest of men
ordinarily, was a pleasing converse
tionalist and genial host.
Being thoroughly in earnest in
everything, Altgeld had a devoted
following, politically speaking. Dur
ing the late mayoralty compaign all
his agents served without pay Even
in the height of his financial success
Altgeld was not considered generous
man. If he gave away money to char
ity for the public benefit it was by
stealth. If Altgeld were a Yankee
he would have been called near"
He dressed in clothes that would be
called common. He stopped on the
street to speak to any man he knew,
and his gait in walking was shamb-
ling. His chin did not indicate
strength. his mouth was not what
would be called firm, his nose was not
large and inclined to turn up, and
there was nothing ordinarily called
character" in his features. Yet
| when he spoke he commanded atten-
| ton.
The election of such a man as Mr..
! Altgeld to the governorship of Illinois
naturally attracted the attention of
| the country. His pardon Of the anar-
! chists and his controversy with
President Cleveland. when the latter
sent United States troops here during
| the great strike of 1894, are matters
OF history. Mr.. Altgeld always main
| tanned that he won victory over the
| president in the matter.
| Governor Altgeld was born in Prus-
STA in 1913, but his parents came to
| this country and settled near Mans
| field. O., when he was very young.
| He was working hard on his fathers
| farm in 1864 when there was another
call for troops. Although but Is. he
I enlisted and served until the close OF