Evening journal., 1905-07-24
A NorAnLE cAREER.

Daniel Lamont was born al COuruand-
Vile. Cortland county. ~ ", February g.
1851. Ills father John b. Lamont. and his
mother, Elizabeth Scott. are stan living at
McGrawville. IN Cortland county. Up 10 a
few years ago his father kept store IN
McGrawville. a village OF about 1000 per-
sons. Daniels first work was as clerk
in this store. He went TO the village
school at the same time, and later 20 Cen
tral Academy which he left to enter Union
College In 1872. Young Lamont became a
politician early. AT 10 he was an index
clerk in the New York House Of Delegates
and in 1871 was a delegate 70 the state
convention. lie attracted the notice of
Samuel J. Tilden and the two became
friends. When Tilden became Governor Of
New York Lamont was made deputy clerk
Of the Assembly Daniel Manning. after
ward Mr. Cleveland's Secretary Of the
Treasury. induced Lamont. Ia 1877. TO re-
port the proceedings Of the New York Leg
islature for the Albany Argus. which
work brought him into contact with all
the more important politicians OF New
York. Lamont worked hard to elect Mr.
/ Cleveland Governor of New York. and
after he succeeded he made Lamont his
private secretary. He remained with Mr..
/ Cleveland all the time he was Governor,
and IN 1884, went with him 10 Washington.
there 20 continue as his private secretary.
He became very popular IN the national
capital. and before Mr. Cleveland went
out Of office a law was passed TO in
crease his salary 70 5000.
In 1889, when Mr.. Cleveland went tC
New York to practice law. Mr.. Lamont
was engaged by william C. Whitney anC
oliver II. Payne, who we're Interested II
surface railways in New York city. HI
became director OF Is companies, receive,
large salary and had a good deal Of in
terest in the stock Of the various con
Germs. 1t was said that he had become
rich man. lie was elected secretary and
treasurer Of several Of the companies
His health failed in the spring Of 1892, and
in April of that year he went TO Europ,
and Travelled six months In Scotland n,
found a number of his relatives Hi.
grandparents on both sides we're Scotch
He was about feet 1-2 inches high, had
blue eyes, light-brown hair was PARTIAL,
bald and weighed about 160 pounds. Hs
married Miss Julia Kinney, Of Cortland
in 1873. and they had three children, al
girls, aged Il. and years. His home #
New York is 2SS West Seventy-thirt
street. His wife belongs TO the Prosby-
terian Church. AIR. Lamont got the tn,
Of colonel when Governor Cleveland ap
pointed him. January IS. 1883, his pri
vate and military secretary.
GAINED FAME IN OFFICE.
Lamont it is said, was the only prl.
lvate secretary TO a President, with tn,
exception Of Cortelyou, who ever gain.
ed fame through his management OF
that office. Others have held the Of.
flee who have afterward secured
repute. No one has ever gained ma.
e tional distinction by reason Of the ser.
E vice in il excepting Lamont. Mr
e cleveland himself was extraordinaril,
e Impressed with the tact which his sec
} retary displayed, almost as much b,
o this quality as by the wisdom Of som,
of Lamonts suggestions and his dis
lcretion, which seemed almost too ma
ture for one of his Fears. These quail
tiles also impressed Mr.. Whitney. who
> while Secretary of the Navy. was al
ready in negotiation with certain grea
capitalists for important business in
. terests which he undertook to develol
as soon as the administration was end
ed
Lamont never fully overcame tn
I Suggestion OF his early country life
He was by no means a rustic in ap
pearance or manner but there wa
!, something of the hint of seif-con
seriousness which was especially man
lifested in his distaste for the whirl O
; fashionable festivity. His culture wa
: entirely that which comes from ex
q lperience
u Mr.. Whitney lifted Lamont out O
o what might have been an embarrass
9 ment had he been compelled 10 loo
e about for a career and set him righ
8 in the midst Of that group of capital
< lists whose p ans are believed TO EN-
r brace the control Of the street rail
: way systems in all the greater cite
of the United States.
From the rush of political life to tina
: other and entirely different activit
which characterizes great business op
lerations, Lamont found himself sud
= denly removed and whitney discover
: ed that he had not misjudged hin
Adaptability was one of Lamonts tai
= lents and he proved quite as service
y lable in these great business "a dertak
" lfppQ oz ba ha1 nc tho ,fobf b.,,l ,