Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-15
DIED IN CHAIR
Ex.PosiW asler Guernsey Expired Suddenly in DTesber X
 Keil's Cafe.
WENT TO GET LUNCH

John H. Guernsey, postmaster of
 Waterbury from 1899 to 1907, died
 shortly before noon to-day at Dresh- CT & Kiel's cafe on Harrison avenue.
 MT Guernsey sent into the place
 about 11:30 o'clock and took a seat
 at table in the rear room and or
 dered lunch. Fifteen or twenty
 minutes later Charles Simpson, the
 expressman, entered and took a seat
 at the same table and ordered q
 lunch. While the waiter was prepar- ing the order MT Simpson and MT
 Guernsey ehatted about one thing and another-and just as MT Simpson's $ order was being placed on the table
 he noticed something peculiar in Mr
 Guernsey's voice and looked at him.
 His face and muscles were tWitchins and then he was seized with a fit.
 MT Simpson took hold of him by the arm and thus prevented him from falling to the floor. He was carried
 into the office nearby where he ex- pired in couple of minutes He
 was placed in chair with a towel over his face and remained there until Acting Medical Examiner Good enough viewed the body, after wlich It was removed to Burralls under taking rooms.
 John H. Guernsey was born in
 Watertown and came to Waterbury in his boyhood and entered the en- pioy of A. B. Simons as bookkeeper. Later he tried his hand at the hard- ware business with D. B. Wilson and finally engaged in that line of bGSi- ness for himself, conducting a store for five or six years on East Main street. It didn't pay and after some time he became associated with the Connecticut Indemnity association and was with the company until it suspended. On February IA, 1899, he was appointed postmaster of Wa terbury by President William Me Kinley and took office on April l o1 that year, succeeding D. E. Fitzpat- rick. He was reappointed for a sec ond term and was a strong candidate for the place in 1907, but strong political influence was brought 10 bear against him at Washington and he was dropped and the present in. cumbent, J. H. Filling. appointed his successor. At that time his health was poor and the disaproint- ment caused by his failure to be con tinued in the postoffice together with his illness weighed heavily upon him and for several months he fingered between life and death at his home on the Wolcott road. His wife died just about the time he was about to move into the Wolcott road cottage, and this, too, had much to do with his troubles. But he got over them and for some time past appeared to be in good health and was doing a successful insurance business, and had a pleasant home with his ne phew, Mir Hunnell of Waterville.
 MT Guernsey was prominent member of Harmony lodge, F. and A M., and Nosahogan lodge, I. o. O. F. He had taste for music and VITO some exquisite songs which were set to mrsic and had a wide circulation. He was pleasant, cheerful man, who made friend. wherever he went and anybody who had an opportunity of knowing him intimately always regarded him as a charming gentleman whom it was a sort of relief to meet and spend a half hour or more in his companion ship. His untimely death was sim ply another reminder of he admoni, tion that Fen in the midst of life We are in death" for just moment before he was stricken he appeared In the best of health and spirits and talked cheerfully with Mir Simpson, whom he had known and valued as a friend almost all his life time.
 There was large crowd in he place at the time, but it happened so suddenly and the body was re- moved to the private office so quick i ly that very few of the customers knew anything about 1t until some lime after. One man who passed 1 down Grand street and saw the mat. ] ter bulletined at the Democrat of- ! flee remarked that there must be some mistake about that. adding | hat he had just come from there l and heard nothing about it.