The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-04-01
EXCITEMENT MAY
HAVE FASTENED DEATH
H. B. Brooks, Clerk In Fred Kings Store,
and Prominent In Affairs of the
Union, Dropped Dead Sat
urday Night.

The death Of Henry b. Brooks, for
eighteen years a resident of Barre, Il
well known matchmaker and for the
past twelve years one Of the prominent
members in the Barre retail clerks I'M
ion, occurred suddenly in Fred Kings
jewelry store Saturday night at 7:l5
o'clock. Apparently enjoying his usual
good health, Mr.. Brooks had just re-
turned to the store from supper when
death overlook him. Mr. King, the pro-
prietor of the business. was in the store
at the time nnd he saw his longtime
employe sink to the floor on the OPP
posite side Of the room. He quickly
carried the stricken man to the rear
of the store and called for assistance.
Others attempted to revive the man
with restoratives at hand while a physi-
elan was summoned by Mr.. King.
Drs John f. Woodruff and L. l.. Leon
ard came to the store at once but failed
to find any signs OF life in Mr. Brooks.
They thought he must have expired al
most instantly Death was due to heart
failure and cerebral hemorrhage and Mr..
King SAYS that the man breathed with
difficulty only few times after falling
to the floor. The remains were taken
to A. W. Badger & Co.'S undertaking
rooms nearby, where preparation for bur
ial took place. Yesterday afternoon the
body was taken to the home Of the d.,
ceased at 10 Washington street.
Henry Bartlett Brooks was born in
Brighton, Mass. September p, 1854.
The early years of his boyhood were
spent in his native town and it was
there that he obtained his education.
Later Mr.. Brooks went to Waltham,
where he learned the matchmaker
trade. Sometime after becoming
matchmaker. he moved to Rockford. H.,
where he was employed in watch fac
tory. Before returning east he passed
several years in Elgin and Aurora, Ill.,,
following his occupation. He was mar
ried in Elgin, March Z 1883, to Miss
Carrie T. Mayo, who survives.
In 1867 Mr.. Brooks returned to Wal
than, where he remained for seven
years He moved to Barre in 1894 and
entered the employ of Fred King in the
lGtters jewelrv store. In point of serv-
ice he was among the oldest jewelry
store employees in the city. As early
as 1900. when the idea OF establishing
II union of retail clerks had its first in
ception. Mr.. Brooks was one of the
men to espouse the cause of the move
ment. He was charter member of the
present organization and had served
in many of its capacities. At
one time or another he had belonged to
Important committees in the local
throughout its existence. In the pres
nut difficulty with the merchants as
he had maintained an active
interest in the effort, to reach a settle
mcnt and it is beliesed the anxiety over
the outcome might have been one of the
causes of his death He
ilso belonged to the Waltham Mass,
odge of Ancient Order of United Work
men and was an attendant at the Uni-
tersalist church in this city.
Besides his wife. Mr.. Brooks leaves
, daughter, Miss Stella NJ Brooks, who
5 a teacher in the Lincoln school \ /
lister living in Quebec is also left.
Funeral services will be held at the |
louse on Washington street Fuesday I
morning at 9;30 o'clock, Rev, Frances /
limbal officiating. The remains will I
,c taken on the ll:40 train over the
'entral Vermont road to Wal 0am. /
,Iass., where burial will take place in
he family lot. At its meeting Satur
law night. members of the local clerks
lhion voted to attend the funeral in
body. The family requests that flow
RS be omitted.