The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-06-24
HE HAD BEEN ILL
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS
He First Defeated James G.
Blaine For the Presidency,
One Of the Most Gifted
Men Of His Day. Benjamin
Harrison Beaten in 1892

Princeton, N. j., June 24.-Former
President Grover Cleveland died at s.4o
o'clock this morning, succsmbing TO an
illness, from which he had been suffering
during the greater part of the winter
He recently returned to his home here
from Lakewood, where he spent several:
weeks in an effort to regain his health
The announcement OF death was made
by Dr. Joseph d. Bryant Of New York,
the family physician. 1t stated that
Mr. Cleveland had been suffering from
CASTRO intestinal disorders, organic dis
eases of the heart and kidneys and heart
failure. The statement said that heart
failure, pulmonary thronboris and oetle-
ma were the direct causes OF death.
The patient took sudden turn for the
worse early yesterday, but the news was
kept secret by his physicians and family.
1t was thought that he was ralIying
last night, but q relapse set in this
morning His wife was at the bedside,
but the children were at the Cleveland
summer home at Tamworth, N H., in
care Of their grandmother, Mrs. Perrine.
Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell,
Essex count, N. Z, on March Is, 1887,
being OF Puritan descent. His father
was a Presbyterian clergyman. IN early
Iife he studied law and then settled
iii the city of Buffalo. His early career
really began IN 1868, when he became
assistant district attorney for Erie coun-
ty. Then he was successively sheriff of
the county and mayor Of Buffalo. In
1882 be was elected governor Of New
York for three years.
The Democratic party, while casting
about for d presidential candidate, chose
him as their standard bearer Indepen-
dent voters were urged To vote for Cleve-
land, and for the first time in twenty
eight years Democrat was elected
president of the United States that fall,
Cleveland beating out James G. Blaine,
the Republican nominee. He was inan
gurated iii 1885. being then Az years of
age. Blaine had been known through
whole generation AS man oF great
natural gifts. eloquence and charm; yet
he was beaten BY man who had but
yesterday, as it we're, come into public
prominence.
Cleveland's popular majority over
Blaine was small, hut he was regarded
as the choice Of the people, not Of .
party. The Democratic politicians were
aneedIIy dismayed when he was inducted
into Office when they found that Presi-
dent Cleveland did not intend to make /
a full sweep Of the offices and give to tae |
yictors the spoiIs. During his first ad- |
ministration, great many reforms were |
inaugurated, which stand to this day. I
On the next election, Benjamin Harri-
son, Republican, was pitted against |
CIeveland, and won. Nothing daunted, |
the Democrats nominated Cleveland |
again the following convention and the
Republicans named Harrison again also.
This time Cleveland won out, although |
the popular vete for him exceeded Har-
rison's BY only 100000.
The closing days of the second term /
we're darkened by great perplexitics
which had to deal with foreign policies,
chief among which we're the difficulties
81 foreign rule in Cuba During these
days Ceveland's party turned partial
ii against him and for two years he
carried on the strife alone, practically;
and he retired from Office with feel
ing Of relief.
The later years Of his life have been
spent quietly at his home in Princeton,
n. j., with his family 1t was during
his first term in Office that he was mar
ried to Frances Folsom who survives
him, with their three children.
He was the only living ex-president
Of the United States.