Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-10-11

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\ FSA< The Postmaster
II. c. PAYNE. General died at
6:10 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
were Mrs. Payne Rev. DIR. Dunlap of
town, n. Y; Mr.. and Mrs. Winfield
st Johns Episcopal Church, Major
and Mrs. w. s. Cameron of James
town, n. Y; Mr.. and Mrs. Winfield
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-time 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 at the Payne apartments.
He was preceded few moments by
Secretary 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-
quies 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 trip on which it was
believed he had recovered his strength,
undermined by overwork. The ensu-
ing days witnessed brave fight for
life, in which several times the end
was thought imminent.
George Bruce Cortelyou, chairman
of the Republican National Committee,
it is believed, will be appointed to fill
the vacancy as soon as he can be
spared from work in the campaign.
For more than two decades Mr..
Payne had been a conspicuous charac-
ter in State and national politics. In
business as we'll as in politics he al
ays~maintained the confidence and
trust of men dealing with large affairs.
He was born in Ashfield Mass, Nov.
%, 1913, and received q home training
calculated to develop habits of indus
try and to fit him for life of useful
ness. His ancestors were Puritans,
his father having been the descendant
Of an Englishman who settled in
Braintree, Mass. in $780,
Young Payne was educated in the
Shelburne Falls Academy. graduating
in 1859. He removed to Milwaukee in
1863, and for four years was a clerk
IN a dry goods store He speedily
forged to the front, however, possess
ing a surplus energy that enabled him
to take leading part in public move
ments. In 1867 he married Lydia W.
Van Dyke, and that event he always
considered as the date frcsn which he
reckoned his rise to fame and prosper
ity.
In 1872 he first became noted in pol
tiles Almost instantly he sprang into
prominence, being selected as the rep
resentative of Wisconsin on the Re
publican National Committee. Then
for ten years he was postmaster in
Milwaukee, retiring in 1886.
The political success of Mr.. Payne
is considered to have been remarkable.
He knew intimately men and condi-
lions, and he was always pacific in his
methods. The rank end file were
taken into his confidence. and 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 overcame
difficulties by tactful concessions. He
was assertive, but rarely dogmatic,
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 and civic pro-
gress, and generous in his sympathies
His kindly nature was proverbial
This was shown especially in his treat
ment of his invalid wife
Since Mr.. Payne's appointment as
Postmaster General, on Jan. g. 1902. he
had become. if that were possible, a
more busy man than he had previous
ly been. But he dearly loved to play
whist, and often engaged old friends
in MS favorite pastime He was a
commitment of the Episcopal Church.
TO which he was deeply attached and
to which he was a liberal but unosten-
tatious contributor. He leaves no chill
dren,