Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-10-12


IL. {. PAYNE. General died nj
G:10 p. m He died peacefully, with
out a struggle. Cause of death, dis
ease of mitral valve and dilatation of
the heart"
At the bedside when the end came
We're Mrs. Payne. Rev. Dr. Dunlap of
town, \. y; Mr.. and Mrs. Winfield
st. Johns Episcopal Church, Major
and Mrs. W. $. Cameron of JaIles-
town. y. Y: Mr. and Mrs. Wiz field
Cameron of Milwaukee; Charles l.. and
Miss Louise Jones, relatives Private
Secretary Whitney, Miss Marie Bar
biere, and Mr.. and Mrs. w. l.. Mason
of Washington, old-tlme friends of
Mrs. Payne, and the aged negro mes
senger of the department of the Post
master General
President Roosevelt was the last of
fetal caller ut the Payne apartments.
He was preceded 4 few moments by
Seer etary of State Hay. Neither en-
tered the sick room. and the President
scarcely had left the hotel when Mr..
Payne breathed his last.
Funeral services were announced for
st. Johns Episcopal Church in Wash
ington, to be followed by further obse-
qules Sunday in All Saints Episcopal
Church in Milwaukee, and interment in
Forest Home Cemetery.
The Postmaster General was strick-
en- with heart failure. shortly after his
return from a trip on which it was
believed lie had recovered his strength,
undermined by oyerwork. The ensu-
ing days witnessed a brave fight for
life, in which several lines the md
was thought imminent
George Bruce Cortel5oU. chairman
of the Republican National Committee,
ii is believed, will be appointed to till
the vacancy as soon as lie can be
spared from work in the campaign.
For more than two decades Mr..
Payne had been conspicuous charac-
ter in State and national politics. In
business as well as i'll politics he al
ways maintained the confidence and
trust of MGR dealing with large affairs.
He was born in AShtield. Mass, Nov.
%. 1913, and received a home training
calculated to develop habits of indus
try and TO fit him for a life of useful
ness. His ancestors were Puritans,
his father having been the descendant
of an EngIishman who settled in
BFaintree, Mass, in 1880.
Young Payne was educated in the
Shclburne Falls Academy. graduating
in 1859 He removed to Milwaukee in
1868. and for four years was clerk
in Il dry goods store. He speedily
forged to the front however. possess
ing a surplus energy that enabled him
to take Il leading part in public move
meuts In 1867 he married Lydia w.
Van Dyke. and that event he always
considered as the date from which he
reckoned his rise to fame and prosper
ity.
In 1872 he first became noted in pol
itics. Almost instantly he sprang into
prominence. being sele ted rs the rep
resentatiye of Wisconsin on the Re
publican National Committee. Then
for ten years he was postmaster in
Milwaukee. retiring in 1886.
Tie political success of Mr.. Payne
is considered to have been remarkable.
He knew intimately men and condi-
lions, and he was always E1cifc in his
methods. The rank and file were
taken into his confidence. nd appar-
emily he never forgot that party inter-
ests should always be above individual
interests 1t is said of him that when
difficulties arose he disarmed personal
opposition by tolerance and Oyercame
difficulties BIZ tactful conccssiOos. He
was assertiye, but rarely dognatic,
and few men possessed greater ability
to make and retain friends.
In his private life Mr. Payne was
liberal in his charities. broad in his in
terest in public affairs ana civic pro-
grcss. and generous in his sym9athies
His kindly nature was proyerbial
This was shown especially in his treat
ment Of his invalid WIFE
Since Mr. Payne's appointment "a
Postmaster General, or Jan. S, 1902, he
had become. IL that were possible. a
more busy man than he had previous
~ been. But he dearly loved to play
whist, and often engaged old friends
In his favorite pastime He was a
communicate of the Episcopal Church.
to which he was deeply attached and
to which he was liberal but unosten-
tatiouS contributor He leaves no chill
drcn