Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-03-20
.EX GOV. ALTGELD
DIES SUDDENLY
EXPIRES AFTER MAKING PRO
BoER ADDRESS AT JOLIET.
HAD AMI EvENTFuL CAREER
While Governor of Illinois He Called
Down Execrations of Many People
by Pardonins Chicago Anarchist
Once Served on Bench-Owned
Much Business Property.

| John P. Altgeld died in THE city at
the Hotel Munroe yesterda. morning
! at 1909 o'clock He had been uncon-
! scious since midnight
Mr.. Altgeld was the principal speak
er at pro-bOer mass meeting Tues
day night in the Joliet theater. Just
at the close of his speech a 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 neediessly alarm his wife
Shortly before midnight he became
unconscious, remaining in this condi-
! ton until death. At 3:41 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 hemorrhages.
Clarence Darrow, g. 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 1t,
being content with the statement
of the physicians that he died from
cerebral hemorrhage The body was
embalmed and sent to Chicago
Mrs. AltgeId Frustrated.
, Chicago, March 13.--Mrs. Altgeid,
J 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.
4, 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
IL
gerous man. When governor he par
doned several of the anarchists, whose
sentence to death had been committed
! to Imprisonment for life by Gov
| Oglesby, and brought upon himself
the execrations of people in all parts
of the country.
Although strong advocate of the
16 to / doctrine. all the leases to
| 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 1898 struck him
hard and crippled him greatly.
Real estate, or big buildings,
|
/ though lawyer of superb attain
ments and a 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
ix,erc DC, al, ant
Unity Building, representing more
than $4,000 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
speeches, he was the mildest of men
ordinarily, was 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
IA hSaShl vi LIS SuNNSSS
Altgeld was not considered a generous
man. II he gave away money to char
, ity for the public benefit it was by
stealth. If Altgeld were 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-
ticn.
The election of such a nan as Mr..
, Altgeld to the goveraorship of Illinois
naturally attracted the attention of
the country. His pardon of the anar-
chists and his controversy with
President Cleveland. when the latter