New-York tribune., 1911-12-20
JOHN B|GEL0W DEAD
End Comes Peacefully to Aged
PubIiCist at Minety-four.
ACTIVE ALMOST TO LAST
Funeral To Be Here Friday
Morning-His Long and
Distinguished Career.


Iohn Bigelow. the aged author. journalist
.rd diplomat. died at his home. No A
c-amercy Park at o'clock yesterday
,,orning. He was in his ninety-ifth year.
,rhough the members Of the family who
were with him during the last hours of his
ufe had given up hope, the end came SOON
er than they had expected. Major Johh
Tieelow. his son. said yesterday lie haa
recognized and talked with members OF the
family up 70 within few hours OF MS
death. lie sank into Inconsistencies siN
hours before he died without leaving fare
vcn message for those at the bedside
The flags in Gramercy Park and on all
the club buildings in that neighoorhooo'
were at halfmast yesterday in honor OF
the venerable pubhcist. great many
friends called or left messages during the
dav at the old-fashioned dwelling where
Mr. Rigclow had spent the latter years o.
lis life Major Bigelow did not make pun
JIG any Of these messages, many Of which
were from men prominent I'm public me-
saving his father would have desired ~
little publicity possible
4 recurrent attack Of an old deep-seated
trouble. which was due perhaps TO old age
ss much as 10 anything else, confined Mr.
pizelow TO his bed week ago. The hnai
cause of death was an acute affection OF
Tho bladder. His last illness dated hack 70
last summer. his son said when Mt. bige-
low suffered = similarly severe attack after
300. return from Europe. He thought ne
as going TO die az that time and oade al
the members ~ the family who we're pres
ert Foodby. His participation last summer
.- tho ouenins exercises # the new public
nbrsrv. of which he was president OF the
hoard Of trustees, had proved to be great
train upon him and he failed perceptoE
ftar that time He continued active IN
mind and body. however, almost mp 20 the
last, and celebrated his ninety-fourth birth
Gav on November - with remarkable 5es'
FOR a man Of his age.
Nator Bigelow. Miss Grace Bigelow,
daughter. and Mrs. Charlotte Harding,
granddaughter. were present Al the bed
side when Mr.. Bgelow died. Mrs. A. b.
Harding and Mrs 7. b. Tracy. also daugh-
,ers who were az the Bigelow country
home al Highland Falls. n. Y. came down
,esterdav. Mrs. Lionel Guest, another
dauet .er. is in Europe Poultney BiEeloW,
was said, but not Al the home when his
father died. Following family conference
Yesterday afternoon the funeral arrange
1rents We're announced.
Funeral Here on Friday.
public funeral will he held in st.
Georges Episcopal Church, in Stuyvesant
SQUARE. Al $50 4. m. Friday. The body Will
ho taken on the r:1O train 10 Highland
rails and buried in the family plot. where
Mrs Bigelov's BODY lies. The list Of pail
bearers was not announced Yesterday
NJ Bigelow had pursued his literary
work up 10 within = short time prior 10 his
death He left enough material for several
more volumes of his recollections, Major
Eieclov declared. These would not be add
ed 70 the three volumes Of "Rctrospecuons
~ an Active Life" already published, but
would be brought ont separately some time
r.i~ winter. it was said.
among the callers at tho house Yesterday
afternoon were J. g. Morgan. Howard r.
putiar. chairman Of the art committee ot
.ne Century Association, Mrs. Douglas
Robinson and Mrs. Henry Osborn Taylor.
.Dre of the graudest old men Of In" age.
Thus did President Taft characterize John
salow last spring when. as president or
tho board Of trustees OF the New YORK
Public Library ne presided at the dedica-
-Ion of the new building.
10 few men have there been granted so
many years Of active service as 20 MI
t:celoW. lawyer diplomat journalist ana
:uthor. Scventy-two years ago ne was ad-
Ie.tted 10 the bar. SiNty-two years ago he
-.as editor Of q metropolitan newspaper
Forty-scven years ago he was American
Minister 10 France. lie marked the COM
...,ion Of his ninety-socond year by the
fublicatiCu Of a new book and al the time
a his death Was writing another. lie was
,rlv eight years the Junior of Abraham
Lincoln and William +. Gladstone
Afr b cDlow was born on a farm near
ratskiH. y. Y. i'm 1917. His father was
leader iu his community. prosperous
f.riu.. stor,kccrer and sawmll owner
Tie boy had q thorough preparation for
coucga az schools i'm Connecticut and at
Troy. ~ r.. Iut his college course at Union
va, 81 brCkcl one He was graduated
ther, lu Is35. though through msunder-
standing with the faculty he was deprived
o. th, nooory his high standard Of scholar
ship mad won him. llo was then only
eighteen wears old.
coming to New York city he took up the
study Of Jaw and in 1899 was admitted TO
the bar Buy during this period Of study.
like many another hedging lawyer, ne be-
came Interested in newspaper work.
Though ho practised law IN New York for
-sve-aI years. he gradually drifted into
Journalism and literature and soon aoan-
doncd his original profession altogether.
lie became a contributor 90 THE Plebeian.'
The Democratic Review ''The New
World" THE New York Evening Post
ard "The Daily News
In 1876 and 1876 he first attracted attention
10 himself by a series OF articles on con-
stituuonal reform published in The Demo
cratic Review" They were reprinted in
pamphlet form and circulated widely. Gov
ernor slas Wright appointed him state
prison inspector in ls44, and he was largely
Instrumental I'm putting Sing Sing Prison
on a paying basis. lie held that office until
70 became elective in b. The following
year. when the anti-slavery contest resulted
!n Martin Van Buren's nomination Tor
President by the Free Soil Democracy, Mr..
BIgelow became his ardent supporter. His
journalistic activity In this direction won
from William Cullen Bryant an invitation
10 become with him one Of the proprietors
o. The Evening Post Mr.. BigeloW pur-
chased a One-third interest largely ON credit
and began his work as an editor OF that
Journal I'm 1919 Eleven years later he sold his
interest 70 Parke Goodwin. In that time he
had made not only enough money 10 pay
for his holdings but was able to buy two
comfortable houses. one al Highland Falls
and one i'm New York CITY. and assure him.