The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-12-30
FRIEND OF LINCOLN
DIES IN new YORK
Aaron Il. ByingtOn Was a
Noted War Correspondent.
ONCE PUBLISHER OF THE SUN
Big Man in Connecticut Politics for
Many Years-AWHrded Medal for
Got a Beat on Story of that Battle.
Helped Protect Washington.

New York. Dec. 29-Aaron Homer BY
ington. OF Norwalk Conn. died this
morning at the home of his son, Stewart
" Byington, at 29 Franklin place,
Flushing. in his eighty-hfth year. Mr..
Byington came to visit HIS son a month
ago. He had been NJ for about week
when he died
Mr. Byington was born in Herkimer,
n Y. on July 3. 1S26, and while stiIl a
boy moved 90 Norwalk, Conn, There he
went into the Office of the Norwalk
Gazette the second oldest paper IN the
State. and learned the printing business.
Young Byngton later bought the paper
and for six years he was editor and pub
Usher of the Gazette.
Mr.. Byfngton was a delegate to the
convention that nominated Abraham Lin
coin for President, and when the civil
war started he went down to Washing
ton to take the position OF Washington
correspondent for the Tribune This
brought him in close contact with the
White House and its famous occupant
and he and Mr.. Lincoln became close
friends
Helped Protect Washington.
Mr.. Byinston is one Of those who or
ganized the Washington-Clay Guard, an
organization mustered 10 protect Wash
ington when it was feared that the Con-
federates would march upon the Capital
soon after this he received an appoint
ment from Gov Buckingham, of Con-
necticut. as commissary general with the
Connecticut troops. During the battle Of
teeuth Connecticut Regiment gave out
The men We're worn out with constant
fighting, and the lack of food was very
serious matter 10 the half-starved men,
Mr.. Ryington went OF on a scouting eX-
peditiol. of his own Near the battle
field he came upon little bake shop, and
found that the owner of il had six bar
rels of flour left. He ordered him TO
bake an the bread that he could, inn
pressed an old wagon into service, and
drove hack TO his eager men. Standing
up in the wagon, Mr.. Byington tossed
out the bread 10 the cheering soldiers.
and was heartily blessed all along the
line. He received & gold medal for this
when the war was over.
But perhaps the thing that made Mr.
Byington best known among newspaper
men at the time of the war was the
Gettysburg.
The Tribune correspondent learned that
the wires that his colleagues intended to
use for the fling of their dispatches were
all down. He got on his horse and gall
Hoped 10 small town near Gettysburg,
where he found a man with a telegraph
OUTFIT. He used this 10 cut in on the
Washington and New York wires. and
his was the first story of the battle 10
reach Mr.. Lincoln at the White House
and get 10 the waiting public IN this
city. Mr.. Byingtons paper issued an
extra the morning after the battle. which
was a very unusual thing. i'm those days
Mr. Byington is Also credited with an
other coup. II was he who secured Gen.
Sherman's report OF the Atlanta march
before il went TO Washington
After the war he joined with the late
Charles A. Dana in the purchase of the
Sun. becoming publisher OF the sun.
Later he sold his interest
Mr. Byington was one of the big men in
Connecticut politics. He was a delegate
20 the conventions nominating Garfield
and Mckinley. He was a state senator
from his county in the legislature and
served as president OF the senate for one
term. He also represented Norwalk in the
lower house In 1852 the state senate ap-
pointed him ex Officio member and fell
low OF Yale College.
Consul for Twelve Years.
In 1887 he was appointed consul to
Naples by President Mckinley He oc-
cupied that position for twelve years.
While he was in Italy his wife. who be-
fore her marriage was Miss Harriet S.
Richmond, of St Andrews. New Bruins
wick died. and as Mr. Byington's health
was affected by the climate, he come
back to this country TO spend his last
days in visiting his sons and his many
Connecticut friends.
While nc was in Italy. Mr. Byington
learned some Italian members OF a Nea-
politan secret society had sailed for this
country with the avowed intention of
taking the life of President Roosevelt.
He cahled to thss authorities here. and the
Italians were stopped at Quarantine and
Immediately sent back to Italy.
Mr.. Byington is survived by three sons. !
George r. Byington. of this city; Stew
art W Byington, of Flushing, and Will
lam II. Byington, Of NorwaIk. Three
sisters survive hinn-Mrs. Mary F. Eakle
and Mrs. Celestia Talbot. of Washington
and Mrs. Elizabeth Quintard, Of Bethel.
Conn. He is also survived by two grand
sons-Homer NJ, Byington. United States
consul at Bristol, England. and George
K. Byington, of Flushing; one grand
daughter. Mrs. Benjamin F. Andrews, !
now in Porto Rico. and three great
grandchildren.