Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-15
COLONEL FRENCH DEAD
WAS FILE CLERK OF HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES.
End Came at Wiesbaden,. Germany,
Yesterday-Sketcho of His
Long Career.

Col. Walter H. French. file clerk of the
House of Representatives. died yesterday
at Weisbaden, Germany.
Col French went abroad shortly after the
adjournment of Congress, and until 2 few
weeks ago his friends heard from him resu-
Iarly. He first went to London, and from
there had Travelled extensively on the con-
tinent. He had spent considerable time in
Italy, Greece and Germany. He expected
to go next to France and from there to
England
The death of Col. French removes from
the capital one of the most popular and
best-known men in political and official
circles. He was man among men at all
times. pronounced a royal good fellow by
every one who knew him and welcomed
wherever manly qualities and good fellow
ship were appreciated.
His work as file clerk of the House of
Representatives resulted in a great i'm
provement of the manner of preserving
the BILE papers that were placed under
his care. Upon assuming that position he
made personal examination of every pa
per given in his charge and did much to
rearrange and care for them in a way to
increase the service of his office. lie found
that vandals had gone through the papers
and that in most cases the signatures OF
notables had been cut from the records.
Came Here in 1857.
Colonel French first came to this city in
1857 at the time Mr.. Tenny took charge of
the National Hotel. He was born in New
Hampshire, his father having been promi-
nent railroad builder in that state and at
the time of his death president of one of
the state roads. Colonel French was born
In 1888 and was sixty-Six years of age at
the time of his death.
Coming here when LITTLE more than IA Il
in 1857, he remained with Mr.. Tenny as a
clerk of the National until 1861, when the
management of the house went into other
hands. Mr.. Tenny again took the house in
1871. but young French had in the mean
time formed other interests. He entered
a stock brokers' office in Boston and took
an active interest in politics. He was a
democrat and voted the straight demo-
cratic ticket until the nomination of Mr..
Bryan, when he joined the gold democrats
and finally when election day came he
voted for Mckinley.
His entrance into brokers' Office opened
for him a career that was destined to bring
to him many ups and downs. He was in
business for himself in Boston for a time
but then went to New York, where he
opened an office in Wall street. Three
played the game as plunger and touched
either high or a low mark in his opera
tons.
About 1882 he went out of business as
then returned to Boston. He was well con-
nected In Boston, and having been men,
Der of the Ancient and Honorable Artil
lery of that city had wide acquaintance.
He took an active interest In politics and,
during the first Cleveland campaign. work
ed for the success of the party. The re-
suit was that when the democrats organic
ed the House Of Representatives Col.
continued to hold through changing admin
istrations to the day of his death.
When he came here, about 1885. he took
a room at the National Hotel, which he
of his residence in this city. It was on the
third floor and looked out on Pennsylvania
avenue. His room was hung with rare
pictures and filled with his treasures of all
kinds. He possessed many rare documents.
Obituaries Of Himself.
One of the curious articles Of his collec-
ton was a series OF newspaper clippings
of obituaries on himself. which he had
hanging in his room since HIS severe illness
of four years ago. At that time he was
supposed to be on his death bed at Gar
field Hospital and his death was expected
hourly Accounts of his condition and
sketches of his career were then published
in all the newspapers OF Boston
He had suffered from Brights disease
months he was believed to be gradually
sinking into a condition from which he
could not recover. His only child.
Walter French, an employe of the New
York customs house. was summoned by
telegraph and told that his father could
not live more than an hour. The young man
had no thought of meeting his father alive
again when he took a train for this city.
Colonel French had fallen into state OF
Inconsistencies from which the physicians
said he could not rally. Just at that time
news was received of the favorable result
Of saline injection administered to Mrs.
Mckinley The attending physicians at
Garfield Hospital said that no harm could
result from a similar treatment of their
patient, although they could see no pos
sibility of it being of benefit to him
They determined to make the experiment
and injecting salt in the region OF his heart
they were astonished to see their patient
recover consciousness. From that time
there was a gradual Improvement OF his
condition and two months later he was able
to leave the hospital Since then he has
had his usual good health. The case is re-
membered at Garfield Hospital as one OF
the most remarkable recoveries on record.
Six months before that severe illness Col.
French had lost his wife. who died at the
National Hotel in this city. Her remains
were cremated and as Col. French was a
strong believer in that method of dispos1ng
of the dead, 1t is believed instructions WI!
be sent to Germany for the cremation or
his body there before its return and burial
In the family lot at Boston.