The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-05
Lies for Two Hours at Foot OF
Stairs Before He Is Dis.
covered.
Surveyor. General Of Oregon Was to
Have Been Released by Government
Senator Fulton Had Recommended c.
w. Westgate for the Position.

PORTLAND, Oct. a.--John d. DAILY.
United States surveyor. general for
Oregon. was killed at 1880 o'clock this
morning by falling down q flight OF
stairs Mt the Park street entrance to the
Selling. Hirych building. The body was
found BY i. Walton. chef at the Hotel
Oregon. at $3.50 o'clock. Mr.. DAILY leaves
a son and daughter.
How DAILY came to be rambling
through the halls Of the building at that
hour is not known. as he was not oeeu'
pying rooms there. Mrs. +. Walton
heard him walking in the hall. and later
heard him stumble and fall. She says
the body made terrible noise going
down the stairs. When her husband re.
turned him, two hours later. she had
him investigate to see what had caused
the racket, for while Mrs. Walton had
heard DAILY In the hall and heard the
noise she was too frightened to look
out.
The surveyor general evidently dis.
covered he was lost In the building, and
was killed in trying to find his way out.
Being ncar.sighted and not seeing the
stairway clearly, he pitched forward. In
falling DAILY seized one OF the posts in
the banister rail protecting the top of
the staircase, and he pulled this out as
he lurchcd forward. DAILY was precipi'
tated on his head on the eighth step
from the top, after which he turned n
somersault and fell in bruised and
bleeding heap 20 steps farther down. The
fall was, in all, 2s steps, the sairs being
particularly steep, an angle of about 80
degrees.
President Roosevelt appointed DAILY
surveyor. general, succeeding Meldrum,
more than four years ago, Days term
having expired several months ago. SEN
ator Charles w, Fulton requested the
delegation that he have the naming OF
Meldrum's successor, and, this being
granted Fulton recommended DAILY,
Since his term expired DAILY had been
endeavoring to be reappointed. There
was considerable opposition to his re-
tention.
Monday Senator Fulton telegraphed
DAILY from Baker City that Senator
Bourne had notified him the department
insisted on a change, and that a recon.
mendation other than DAILY must be
made. Up to the receipt of the telegram,
DAILY had expected to continue in Office,
and so confident was he that the delega.
tion would stand that Sunday he in
formed Mr.. Sneider, son of his former
landlady, that he had heard from Wash
ington and that he had been reappointed.
This statement of DAILY together with
his wandering in the Selling Hirsch
building at the time of his death, indi.
Gates that his mind may have been
affected.
For some time past DAILY had been
worrying over his troubles and i'll
health, the troubles consisting OF his
efforts to be re'appointed. When he re-
ceived Senator Fulton's message it came
as a hard blow and he wired back:
"Very well, Charlie, it will be my turn
next
After notifying DAILY that he would
not be retained, Senator Fulton recon.
mended the appointment of G. w. West
gate, chairman of the Republican state
central committee, who recently moved
to Portland from Albany. There Is no
opposition to Westgate's appointment
and he will probably be appointed soon.