St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-09-29

EA-GOV' AHaIleS Dell eXplTeu very
suddenly in train which he had taken
at the Grand Central station in New
York Saturday night to return to his
home in Walden. Shortly after he
boarded the train the other passengers
noticed he had slipped from his seat and
before a physician could be called from
the emergency hospital in the station Mr.
Bell was dead Heart failure was the
cause of death. This sudden termina-
ton of Mr.. Bells life came after a strenu-
GUS week following his recovery from
similar attack of heart trouble while in
church week ago last Sunday. Mr..
Bell recovered from that attack quickly
and evidently did not realize its serious
ness because he started last week for Or
leans county where he visited several
oranges and was obliged to keep late
hours part of the time. He was in this
village Friday evening and took the
sleeper for New York where he went on
business connected with the national
grange.
He had completed his business and was
about to start home when the end came.
He was alone at the time and was iden-
tilted by papers in his pockets. The
body was taken to an undertaking es-
tablishment and prepared for burial. 1t
was placed on the train there Sunday
evening" Gov. G. H. Prouty and Judge
Worcester escorting it to the train and
showing every attention possible. At
Springfield, Mass, E. W. Page of Pitts
field, a relative, took the train and was
joined at Rutland by ]. A. Person of
Bellows Falls. At Burlington the body
was transferred to4the Burlington and
Lamoille train and brought to East
Hardwick. c. T. Walter, secretary of
civil and military affairs during Mr..
Bells administration as Governor. went
to Cambridge Junction to meet the body.
At the station in East Hardwick were
several of Ex-Gov Bells life long friends
who bore the casket to the hearse.
Mrs. Bell was visiting sister in Lit
Teton, N. H., at the time of her hus-
bands death, having left him on the
train here Friday afternoon. She and
her sister drove 40 miles Sunday to
reach home before the arrival of the
body.
The funeral will be held at "The Bel
fry in Walden Wednesday afternoon at
two o'clock. The Rev. H. A. Campbell
Gov. Bells pastor will officiate at the
service.
A special train will leaye here at ~ 80
today. to stop neab the house, and re-
turn after the funeral. Regular fare will
be charged.
The honorary pail bearers will be ex-
Lieut.. Gov. c. H. Stearns Of Johnson,
| D~,c 1 >f Eo;Itao
Gen. N. G. Williams of Bellows Falls,
and Gen. W. E. Putnam of Bennington.
The bearers will be Col. F. S. Billings of
Woodstock, Col M. B. Roberts OF
Rupert, Herbert S. Drew of Cambridge,
Mass, Charles T. Walter of st. Johns
bury, ]. A. Pearson of Bellows Falls, and
H. w. Sargent of Brattleboro.
Charles James Bell was born in Wal
den, March 10, 1915, son of James Dean
and Caroline Warner Bell. His father
was of Scotch ancestry. John Austin
Bell OF Scotland was the first of this
family to bear the name. He invented
the tulip shaped bell now iii common
use. This invention brought him into
Royal favor and he was knighted by
| NuSSH l~IlZclDNlIIi assuming LIN htiiN Va
Bell James a descendant came to
America and settled in Lyme, N. H., and
of this branch Governor Bell was a
descendant.
He was educated in the common
schools of his native town and at
Peacham Academy. At II he enlisted in
Co. B, 10th Vermont Volunteers, after
ward re enisting in Co. c, LIST Vermont
cavalry, in which he served as corporal.
He was wounded Just before the close of
the war.
In Walden he served as school director
and selectman ard in 1882 represented
that town in the Legislature. His next
public Office was that of senator from
Caledonia county in 1894, being that
year appointed bv Governor Woodbury.
as member of the board of railroad
commissioners. He served as member
of the board of agriculture in 1897 s and
as secretary OF the board from 1899 to
1904. He was secretary OF the State
board OF cattle commissioners from 1899
to 1902 treasurer OF the Vermont State
Grange from 1872 to 1891 and master
of the State Grange from 1894 to 1896.
He was also serving his third term of
three years each as a member of the ex-
ecutive court of the National Grange.
In July, 1904, Mr.. Bell was nominated
by the Vermont republican State con
vention tor governor and at his su0se-
quent election was given next to the
largest plurality in the history OF the
state One OF the best remembered
events of his administration was the
controversy over the hanging OF Mary
Rogers. Governor Bell was beseiged by
pleas and threats of those who wished