The Washington herald., 1912-10-31
1412.14 III Street N. w.

lied to his support In the Chicago con-
vention Of 1903 and made his nomination
for Vice President q certainty. No
nomination ever made for that ONCE was
so directly due to personal friendship
Of the candidate. Mr.. Sherman enjoyed
life at the Capital. He was fond Of
at social gatherings
His friendship included men Of all
classes, from the select few who mingled
with him at the Metropolitan and Chevy
Chase clubs to the messengers and en-
ployes at the Capitol. He seemed
equally at home in any company he
found himself. AZ Vice President he
shattered many traditions associated
with that ONCE. His predecessor had al
ways appeared in a frock coat and OBJ
served great dignity and formality in
the chair.
Fond of Baseball.
Mr. Sherman usually wore a business
suit, and took his Official responsibilities
without very much seriousness. When
he found the chamber uncomfortable
from the heat, he ordered an electric fan
placed on the desk in front Of him. and
when he thought the occasion required 1t
he employed the retor courteous in deal
ing with refractory Senators. The Vice
President was very fond Of baseball, and
when the season was on II was his Gus
tom to call a Senator to the Chair for
the afternoon session ana. with few
companions. 60 away to the game. His
friends in Washington trace his illness to
an attack that overlook him just four
years ago. At that time he was COM
PEELED to go under treatment on account
of a serious attack Of gallstones. and
while he secured relief from the attack
at the time. there have been occurrences
since. His official associates learned
early last summer that the Vice Presi-
dents health was bad.
He suffered greatly from the long and
tedious session and early in the summer
he was warned by his physician that he
would have to give up work and rest
for the remainder Of the session. When
his name was first mentioned for renom-
nation he expressed his entire willing
ness either to accept the nomination or
to allow 1t to go to some other party
leader who might seem more available.
His friends in New York. led by Will
lam Barnes. jr., were insistent that the
Vice President be renominated. They
pointed out to the President that his
name on the ticket would give strength
in New York. and the President adopted
this view. There never was any talk OF
any other candidate except Gov. Her
bert s. Hadley Of Missouri. and he be-
came an impossibility when he came out
for Roosevelt in advance Of the Chicago
convention.
Asked Loriner to Resign.
One of the last important services
which the Vice President sought to rem
der to his political friends was when
he quietly went to Chicago on a mis-
sion to pursuade William Lorimer to
resign from the Senate and save Mr..
Lorimer and his friends in the Senate
the embarrassment of having the seat
declared vacant. The Vice President
that his visit should be secret
unless the mission was success. He
undertook the trip after some relpc-
tance. Friends Of Lorimer came on
from Chicago to persuade Mr.. Sherman
to make the appeal. They represented
that Mr.. Lorimer's legal counsel. his
political friends. and even his family
had pleaded with him unsuccessfully to
resign and they believed that Vice Presi-
dent Sherman might succeed where they
had failed.
the object Of his visit there was known
in Washington and it was promptly
published. He was embarrassed and
saddened by this experience. for he was
even then In poor health. From time to
time during the summer and early fall
reports came to Washington of the Vice
Alness and many men in pub
lie life here were not unprepared to
hear the announcement Of his fatal ILL
ness when it was made a few days ago
Father . Newspaper Man.
James schoolcraft Sherman was born
In Utica. N. T., on October "A. lS55. His
parents were Richard U. and Mary Fran
ces Sherman. both Of English descent.
Richard U. Sherman was a journalist by
profession. He established the Utica
Morning Herald and later. when politics
and public ONCE became his principal
he wrote Washington letters for
New York papers. IN which he praised
Roscoe Conkling. who lived In Utica
Vice President Sherman attended the
public schools OF Utica and In 1873 was
graduated from Hamilton College, which
ID in a suburb Of that city. Two years
continued to practice law until the be-
yinning Of the year Of 1906.
Although his father had been q strong
Democrat, Mr.. Sherman allied himself |
ii the age Of twenty-five with the Re-
publican party. His rise In its ranks was
aeady.. In 18D he became Oneida County |
and one year later he was
llected Mayor. At the age Of twenty. |
tine. He was the youngest Mayor Utica |
'yer had.
His Congfsssional career began In Inn |
nd Astsd. with one years except1ou. l