The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-07

Bright's disease The body was re-
moved to the home of Frank II. Platt.
son, and VIII be taken on Tuesday
to Oswego, N Y, the senator's birth
place, where It will be buried. Fu-
neral services will be held Wednesday
at the Presbyterian church in Oswego.
The end was -startliDgly sudden. An
hour before he senator died his two
sons. Frank and Edward, with their
families, and his son Harry, with the
latter's daughter, Charlotte. and son,
Sherman, had left the house after
their usual Sunday visit. The senator
said at that time that he felt very
we'll and thought he would read the
Sunday papers. At o'clock he was
taken with a fainting fit and DIR. Auter-
bridge was hurriedly called. The fam
lily was notified and returned in haste.
Mr.. Platt recovered from his first lapse
but sank into inconsistencies again at
$3.50 o'clock and died fifteen minutes
later. Relatives were all at the bed
side.
Ill Long Time.
Only last Wednesday Senator Platt
was at his office downtown. For sew
eral years he nGd been in feeble health
and latterly the use of his legs had
almost deserted him, but his condition
was not looked upon as more serious
than usual, although the physician
called on him daily. Thursday at
breakfast the senator had a momentary
fainting spell but rallied quickly. A
year ago his feebleness was markedly
accentuatef anC his life was despaired
of for a period, but with remarkable
vitality he recovered and went about
his business as usual.
DR.. Auterbridge said that the vitality
of his patient was truly unusual. In
spite of his faebleness he took an ac-
tive interest in his affairs and refused
to neglect his business until the die
tates of nature imposed a rest. He was
out of bed at o'clock in the morning
and always early at his office.
" -s~~,o I'll 1ae
Boss of earlier and brighter days was
for many years not only the Republi-
can leader of his state, but a figure in
national politics, shoulder to shoulder
as the late Matthew Stanley Quay OF
Pennsylvania. Both were men of ex-
ceptional intellectual atainments and
both turned them, with signal success.
a power: Platt outlived his time and
felt himself ,c late years out of touch
with the moving spirit of events.
BIaine's Estimate.
In Twenty Years in Congress" Jas.
c. Blaine described Platt as "a busi-
He has an aptitude for public affairs
and is a man of strong influence in his
state. He Is no debater. but has strong
common sens@ and a quick judgment
of men,"
With all his native Judgment. wide
experience and skill as an organizer,
it became thu fate of Platt to win re-
membrance more for his association
with others than for anything he did
of his own initiative.
Twice in his life Platt was the center
of the national stage-once when he re-
signed with Roscoe Conkling from the
United States senate and was instantly
nicknamed "Me-too' Plat and once
when he induced Theodore Roosevelt
to run for vice president with McKin-
ley very much against Roosevelt's bet
ter judgment and in the face of his re-
peated declarations that nothing could
induce him to accept the nomination.
There could not be a better instanc9
of Platt's skill in persuasion and ma
or of the irony of fate that
Knocked his ripest wisdom. Mckinley
was 81 t, Roosevelt became president
and the days of Platt's domination in
the senate lapsed into senility. His
bodily strength declined rapidly. He
made a second marriage which ended
in the courts and he was sued by Mae
-