The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-05
Contracted Pneumonia in Chicago on
Washington Yesterday Morning.
WAS A NATIVE OF INDIANA
AND GRADUATED FROM THE STATE
UNIVERSITY IN 1853.
Married in indianapolis Following
Year-Was Elected to Congress from
Illinois-Lawyer and Judge.

WASHINGTON, Dec 4.-William M.
Springer, of Illinois, Democratic leader
conspicuous in the House of Representa-
tives from the Forty-fifth to Fifty-third
Congresses. inclusive, and once chairman Of
the ways and means committee of the
House, died at S:25 this morning at his resi-
dence in this city, aged sixty-seven years.
His death was due to pneumonia con-
tracted in Chicago Thanksgiving day. He
was attending a dinner there and was sud-
denly taken with a violent chill He left
Chicago the following day and arrived here
last Saturday afternoon very i'll, and grew
steadily worse until his death.
His wife and son, Chaplain r. w. Spring
er, u. S. A. who has been stationed at
Fort Washington, but who was summoned
home when his fathers condition became
serious. We're at the bedside during the
patients dying hours.
1t is probable that the funeral services
will be held Monday at the Metropolitan
NJ Z. Church, in this city, Rev. Frank
Bristol officiating The body will be placed
temporarily in the receiving vault at Rock
Creek Cemetery, and later taken to Spring
field, ILL.,, for interment in the family
burying ground.
William McKendree Springer was born in
New Lebanon, Sullivan county, Indiana, on
TO Jacksonville, ILL.,, in 1S4S, and received
his early education at the Illinois College.
He was graduated from the Indiana Uni
verSity In 1858, studied law was admitted
to the bar in 1889, practicing>at Springfield,
where he has always made his home.
Mr.. Springer held many high offices and
was the author of number of measures
which gave him his fame in Congress- He
was secretary of the Illinois State constitu-
tional convention which was engaged in
revising the laws of the State. He was
m n Loo icln tfrro n, or,I
1872, and was elected as a Democrat in 1874
and served continually in the House from
March 4, 1915, TO March 4, 1895. He intro
duced INTO the House a resolution declar-
ing that the precedent of retiring from the
presidential Office after a second term had
become a part of our republican system,
and any departure from this time honored
rule would be unwise, unpatriotic and
fraught with peril to our free institutions
1t was adopted and contributed materially
to the defeat of President Grant for renonl-
ination in 1876 for third term. He served
on many important committees, including
the Potter committee which investigated
the election OF 1876. and the joint committee
which reported the Electoral Commission
bill of 1876 and 1877. From 1882 Mr.. Springer
was an active worker for tariff for rev.
enue only, and delivered many exhaustive
speeches on that question. He also intro
duced several notable bills and his amend
ment TO the bill granting Sl500O00 TO con-
tinental commissioners, with his successful
efforts in recovering that amount through
the Supreme Court. won for him wide rep
utatiOn.
During the Fiftieth congress he secured
favorable action in the committee on terri
tories on his bill providing for the organi-
cation OF the Territory of Oklahoma and on
his bill to enable the people of Montana,
Dakota, Washington and New Mexico 10
form constitutions and State governments
In 1883 he was chairman of the committee
OF the whole pending the tariff debate and
in that year was reelected for the Fifty
first Congress.
At the opening of the Fifty-second Con-
gress Mr.. Springer ran for speaker against
Mr.. Crisp and Mr.. Mills. but when he found
that he could not be elected he withdrew in
favor of Mr.. Crisp. When the committees
were formed Mr.. Crisp made him chairman
OF the ways and means committee. TO sue
coed Major Mckinley. Mr. Springer planned
the tariff reform course of attacking the
Mckinley bill in sections.
In 1895. on his retirement from Congress-
President Cleveland appointed him Judge of
the Northern judicial district Indian Ter
ritory, and chief justice of the Indian Ter
ritory Court of Appeals. In 800 he resigned
from the bench and took up the practice of
law In Washington.
On Dec. Is, 1859. at Indianapolis, Mr.
Springer married Rebecca Ruter, author of
numerous poems and OF two novels Beech
wood. which was published In 1873. and
Self" in ISL.