Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-18
Was First Minister to Panama, Also
Representative to Argentina.
IOWA BUSINESS MAN
Engaged in Mercantile Trade at
Sioux City in 1882.
HEADED PAN-AMERICAN FAIR
Also Represented HRwkeye state at
Columbian Exposition in Chicago
-PublIc Life Covered wide
Field of EndeavOr.

LONDON, oct. 17.-William I. Buchanan
OF Buffalo, N. Y, former American min
lister to the Argentine republic and to
Panama, who had been closely identified
with several important American diplo-
matte missions, met tragic death last
night on a London street He was dis
covered lying on a sidewalk in Park Lane,
near the American embassy in a dying
condition a few minutes before 12 o'clock,
and was carried to St Georges hospital,
a short distance away. He was dead when
the ambulance reached the hospital The
cause OF death is not known, but It is
supposed that IT resulted from heart dis
ease or apoplexy.
There were no marks of violence on
the body, nor had robbery been committed.
The body was placed in the hospital
morgue and the police notified. The den-
tity of the dead man was discovered this
afternoon through inquiries sent out by
the management of the hotel where Mr..
Buchanan was staying An inquest will
be held tomorrow.
Mr.. Buchanan, who had come to Lon
don on a mission for the United States
government in connection with the Vene-
zuelan claims, had been here for several
weeks. He previously had visited Berlin
and Paris. He took up quarters at ClRr-
idges hotel, one Of the most fashionable
in the city, which is located about half
a mile from Park Lane
Won Fame I'm Hawkeye state.
SIOUX CITY Oct. NV. l. Buchanan,
who was found dead neas the American
embassy In London last night, may be said
to have got his start on the road TO promi-
nence in Sioux City. Coming to this place
in 1882. when he was % years old, he
engaged in the crockcry business. The
personality which afterwards proved such
valuable asset In public life soon won
him many friends here.
His work with the Corn Palace eelebra-
ton led to his appointment by Governor
Horace Boies in 1890 one of two commits
sioners OF Iowa to the Worlds Columbian
exposition In Chicago. LIE was made
chairman of tho committee on agriculture
at the exposition end in December. 1890.
was appointed by Director General Davis
as chief of the department of agriculture
of the exposition.
The news of Mr.. BucEar ans death comes
as a great shock to his hundreds OF friends
here.
Held Many Important Posts.
WASHINGTON Oct. H.-News OF the
death of Mr. Buchanan came as a great
shock to his many friends in official
Washington. Since President Cleveland's
last administration, Mr. Buchanan had ir-
regularly, it is true, but with very short
intervals Of intermission, been connected
with the Department of State in some of
the most important diplomatic work that
has engaged the attention of the depart
ment and the uniform success that has
attended his undertakings has caused him
to be regarded as one of the foremost
American diplomatists.
He was remarkably successful in the
relations with the Latin-American peo-
pies. not only because OF his complete
mastery Of the Spanish language. but also
because of his ability to enter into the
peculiar mental processes OF the South
and Central American people.
Former Sioux City Merchant.
Mr. Buchanan was born in Covington.
O., September 10, 1858. He went to Sioux
City, Ia, when about 29 years old, where
he entered business as merchant SO
well did he manage the Corn Palace ex-
position held in that city that he was
called upon to represent his state at the
| Worlds Columbian exposition in Chicago.
Mr.. Buchanan was appointed United
States minister to the Argentine republic
| by President Cleveland in 1894 He de-
voted himself to extending and improving
American trade with South America gem
orally and with the Argentine republic
especially. incidentally he negotiated a
reciprocity treaty between Argentina and
America that gave great promise Of mu-
! tual benefit to the business interests OF
the two countries. but this treaty failed Of
ratification by the United States senate.
| Mr.. Buchanan, as director general sue
cessfully managed the Buffalo Pan-Ameri-
can exposition.
First Minister to Panama.
! Scarcely had M finished his service as a
delegate to the second Pan-American con-
ference, held In tho city OF Mexico In
1909 fore he was again drafted into the
diplomatic service 10 become the first
United States minister to Panama, where,
owing TO his tact, he was able to adjust
many Of the difficult issues that had arisen
as the consequence of the separation of
the province OF Panama from the parent
state OF Colombia
Voluntarily relinqusshing that post when
his work was done, Mr.. Buchanan went TO
south America and later to Europe as rep
resentative Of large business concerns. But
soon another call came from the State de-
partment and he went first TO the Rio
Janeiro conference and then TO Venezuela
American concessions and diplomatic busi-
ness generally were in bad shape in that
country and Mr. Buchanan succeeded in
arranging for private settlement OF four
of the five great American claims against
Venezuela and for the reference to The
Hague tribunal OF the fifth.