The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-30
Heart Disease Attacks
Captain Frank w.
Cunningham
WAS POPULAR
PUBLIC OFFICER
Had Sung at Thousands of Fune-
rails, and Was Widely Known
for Generosity and Good
Fellowship Many Soci-
cites VIII Attend His
Funeral.

Captain Frank w. Cunningham for
many years Collector OF City Taxes.
died yesterday morning about o'clock
at his home. oo0e West Grace Street.
from heart failure superinduced by
kidney trouble. He had been In bad
health for more than year past. and
II is believed that worry over the tam
gled affairs OF his Office hRstenco his
end Members of his family except
living IN Macon. Ca. were with him
when he died
Few men in Richmond were so wide
Is known and loved in every strata OF
society. and few Richmonders were
SO we'll known elsewhere. Gifted with
a tenor voice. Captain Cunningham
had suns his way into the hearts or
the people By being ever ready anG
sympathetic. His voice in tender
strains had been heard at thousands
of funerals. in churches of all crceds.
For many years he was the tenor In
the quartet at the First Baptist Church.
Funeral on Mondny.
Arrangements for the funeral have
not been completed, awaiting the ar
rival of DR.. Cunningham to-day, II
will probably take place tomorrow
afternoon al o'clock. Delegations
from many secret orders in which he
held membership will be in attend
ance. Company b. First Virginia Reg
iment, of which he was once captain,
will attend in a body.
The lnterment Will he made with
Masonic honors in Hollywood Gene
terry. H
AT the City Hall and among public
men generally. there was universally
expressed regret yesterday at his sud
den death. While he had been recently
in trouble over reported Irregularities
in the conduct of his Office his friends
had always commended that there was
no Intentional wrong dolng-that he
had merely done what many county
treasurers throughout Virginia have
done, and what he seems to have
thought no had a right to do--borrow
from public funds for his private uses.
always with the intention of replacing
the amounts SO borrowed, and always
securing the city BY ample bond
His trial before Mayor Richardson
on the charge of shortage, amounting
to 1882 was called last Tuesday, and
continued to "Wednesday OF this week,
on account of his illness, his physi-
clan. DR.. Manfred Call. reporting at
that time that he was unable to say
when Captain Cunningham would be
able to appear though a fatal termi-
nation was not then anticipated.
Predicted His Death.
More than two years ago at m
annual memorial service. held in the
Academy of Music. members of the
Order OF Elks We're grieved and as
tonished at an announcement from
Captain Cunningham that the next an
M tat
name in the list OF the dead II was
the nrst announcement TO his friends
that he was suffering from chronic
disease. Since then his health had i'm
proved. and II was believed that he
was In better condition than for many
years.
1t became known to the Collector
on the afternoon of Monday. April Il,
that report showing the shortage
would be made TO the Mayor An an
parent collapse followed, and when
the renort was made to the Mayor on
the following morning, the Collector
was sick at his home.
The facts of the alleged shortage
first became public in The Times
Disnatch of Wednesday, April 10, fol-
lowing n meeting of the Council FL
nance Committee on the preceding
night, and on receipt of that report.
Cunningham from office, the papers
being served on him in his room at
home by SerGeant-at-Arm G. C. Rus
kcll. The total shortage amounted to
SS.H2., and was made good on tho fol-
lowing Friday by w. S. Forbes, w.
$. Copeland and other friends, all
though he Mayor declined TO allow
the original tax bills to go out of the
Office regarding them az evidence In
the pending trial.
IT was the boast OF Collector Gun
bingham that during the TWENTY-FIVE
years he had been in office. he had
handled many millions Of dollars of
the city's money. and that the CITY
had never lost through him In any
way.
Horn in Hampton.
CAPTAIN Cunningham was born Jan
vary "a, 1872 the son of CAPTAIN
Thomas G. Cunningham, SIR. OF liar
ton, nnd his father moved to Rich
mond IN his boyhood. iIe engaged
with his father in the tugboat bus
mess and succeeded him MS captain Of
the city tug. 4 position which he re-
tanned until he was elected CITY Col
icctor In 1883, which position he had
retained ever since. y mere hoy M
tho time Of the war. he saw some
service In the last two years, enlist
Ing first I'm the Home Guard OF Rich
mond II is said that Ito took part in
the defensive force which went out OF
Richmond to repel Dnhlgren's raid
lie always retained his interest I'm
military matters. and was Mt one time
captain OF the Walker Light Guard.
which was organized In 1871, with