The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-06-04
PENNOYER
THE WELLKNOWN Ex-GOVERNORS
DEATH IN PORTLAND.

DEATH IN PORTLAND.
Sketch of His Career-He was
Twice Elected Governor of
-Oregon-W on Over Thomp-
| son and Cornelius.
Sylvester Pennoyer, for eight
years governor of Oregon, Mayor of
Portland from 1896 to 1898, and a
man of national prominence, died
very suddenly of heart disease at
his home on West Park and Nor
rison streets, about 4 o'clock yester-
day afternoon. He was alone in
his room on the second story of his
residence at the time of his death !,
and was not discovered until five
O'Clock, when his wife. returning
from q street-car ride with her
son-in-law and daughter, Mr.. and
Mrs. George F. Russell, found him
lying prone on the floor near sofa,
from which he had apparently fall
len. His glasses lay broken on the
floor beside him, and across his face
was spread an Oregonian which he
had been reading and which had
evidently b' ea loosened from his
grip in the fall.
Mrs. Pennoyer Immediately sum-
moned the servant and sent for
physicians, and Drs. White and
Brown, whose Offices are near by,
and Dr.. Dickson was called. An
examination convinced them that
Governor P,nnoyer had been dead
about I'm hour, and it was there o.
Rpinion that either heart disease or
apoplexy had taken him off. There
were every indication of a peaceful,
painless death.
Governor Pennoyer had of late
been in fair health, although his
strength was sapped by an attack OF
illness nearly year ago, and he
had, never recovered his wonted re-
business. OF late he bad made dai.
ly Yeats to his ranch in Woodstock,
and spent several hours in the op-
en- air experimenting numerous i'm
provements he was making. Yes
terday morning he went to his ranch
as usual and returned about moor.
In the afternoon he took a walk &,
and the servant, who was left alone
in the house, said he entered the
house at three O'Clock, and, as was
his habit, went Immediately TO his
room. She heard no sound of a
fall, and was aetonished beyond
measure when Mrs. Pennoper in-
formed her that something had hap
pened to the governor, and sent her
out to summon help.
The news of the governors death
as surprise and a shock to his
thousands of friends throughout the
city, among whom it soon spread.
He had been on the street every
day this spring, had taken a deep
iaterest in p litical affairs, although
not participating in them, and his
counsel was much sought by demo
cratic leaders, of whom he was re-
cognized as one of the ablest up tc
the date Of his death. To those who
spoke to him and inquired for his
health he invariably replied that he
was feeling better than he had fol
years, that his work ON his ranch
was making a new man of him and
that no one could bear more lightly
the burden of three-score and ten
years than he. The strike in the
Pennoyer mill, in which he still re-
tanned a large interest, had given
him some uneasiness, but he ex.
pressed himself as entirely satisfied
with the manner in which it was
settled. In fact, with a fortune
with no political cares, and with a
lcongenial occupation. that Of farm.
ing, his only trouble the last few
years was the improvement of Al
der street, on which he owns a
block in the heart of town, and
gave him much annoyance because
of his apprehension that it would
be paved in some manner objection.
| able to him.
! Pennoyer was easily the most
picturesque figure in the politicaI
life of Oregon. His famous tele-
gram to Grover Cleveland, through
Secretary of State Gresham, when
! Cleveland, as president, advined the
governors of the various states te
guard against Chinese troubles, was
but one Of the many unexpected
things which he seemed to delight
to do. He was man Of elegance
and force either on the stump OF
with his pen, and his eommunica-
tions to the newspapers were nc
Hess interesting than his speeches.
Both contributed largely to the at
tention he attracted throughout the
state. and the nation. Personally
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