New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-27
GEO. F. BAER DIES
WITHOUT RALLYINC
pailroad Magnate, Stricken
on Street, SuCCumbS
to GaStritis.
MORGAN DISCOVERY
AT HEAD OF READING
Mas Arti.Labor Chief in Coal
Strike of l902-Known as
Eminent Lawyer.
rRv Telegraph 20 The Tribune. !

Eminent Lawyer.
nv Telegraph % The Tribunel
Philadelphia. April Ss.--George f. Baer,
..,s,sent o. the Philadelphia 4 Reading
p,ovsy. died at hts home here at $50
o'clock tonight.
n, Raer Was stricken on the street
s,,urday morning. while walking TO his
-. Hts physicians pronounced the at
- a. acute gastritis. He failed to
~ and little hope was held out to the
srly. which hurried TO his bedside.
NJ Baers wife. who is nearly seventy
s.,- cid. never left his side during the
..,,,v.four and half hours re lay un-
,o,.c,ous Others in the sick room at the
s-. OF death were Mr.. Baers daughters,
W. william Griscom Coke. of Whining
=, Del: Mrs. William n. Appel. Of Ian
,.s,,r. Penn. and Mrs. Hebel J.. Smith,
We Isaac Heister and Mrs. Frank l..
ronnard, OF Reading; his sons-in-law.
,ru- physicians and Walter Douglas, who
has been employed by him as a coachman
,o- th,rty-two years.
Found by Morgan.
n. personal storm centre for many
,.srs OF anthracite coal strikes, trust
ru,ts and similar complications was one
n the late J. Pierpont Morgan's dis
,cvs1es. He had been successfully
winters devil. editor. surveyor, soldier
and lawyer, and he became the greatest
,.rscnsl force IN the anthracite coal In
turry and In the management OF the So
called anthracite railroads.
ceorgs Frederick Baer was born, OF
German ancestry. in Somerset County.
Penn, on September %. 1912, and was
Svcated at Franklin and Marshall Col
sre Years before entering that insttu-
ton, however. he worked as a boy, lust
IA his teens. in the printing Office OF THE
somerset Democrat" Of which paper he
and his brother afterward became the
owners and editors. In 1862 he organized
4 volunteer company, OF which he was
made captain. and with II he fought with
re Army OF the Potomac. at the second
hattie OF Manassas, at Charlottesville
and elsewhere. rising 20 the rank OF ad-
uiant general of brigade.
In 1874 he was admitted 10 the bar and
K.iled at Reading, Penn, 10 devote him
,sf 10 legal practice. chiefly for the rail
roads There he became counsel for the
Reading Railroad Company and was
crsred a dictatorship, but declined II be-
rsuss o. disagreement with President Nc
Lods policy.
~
gar. who wanted some work done. Baer
-roertook TO do IL. and succeeded, and in
~ Morgan made him president OF the
reading Railroad. He was also made
resident OF the Reading Coal and Iron
Company and OF the Central Railroad OF
New Jersey, thus giving him direct con-
troll OF the chief anthracite coal produo-
Ing and shipping corporations OF the
country. He was also president Of the
Temple Iron Company. which was the
nine owning corporation controlled by
the coal roads.
"Divine Rights" Baer.
In the anthracite coal strike OF 1902 he
was the spokesman for all the coal roads.
ard was practically the dictator on that
side o. the controversy. II was then
that he made the remark that "the rights
ard interests OF the laboring men will be
boxed after and cared for. not by agi-
aiors. but by the Christian men TO whom
God in His infinite wisdom has given
eon,rol OF the property interests OF the
country"
Sot even Vanderbilts much misquoted
rlblic be damned" remark made moro OF
sensation than this. and II gave the head
d the Reading the sobriquet divine
Rights Baer Baer stuck to IL. and I'M
1orbiedly meant Il.
re was strong opponent OF Mark
hsnnas Civic Federation idea. saying
"a only result would be TO align labor and
7pltal in hostile camps. causing a con-
r-rsl armed truce.
Cain he said, was the first striker.
H killed Abel because Abel was the
hore prosperous"
Personally Nr. Baer was intensely re-
sous. charitable and almost ascetio in
aaei's. He had a fine home in the out
A1rts Of Reading, where he interested
himself IN farming and gardening. His
>'or;e exercise was walking, and his
N diversion was at the chess board
In the winter he made his home In
rhAadelphia, where his wife and five
's9zhters were popular members OF so
esty
NJ Basr was a member Of the German
Hs'o'rned Church. lie was interested In
~ersturs and historical research and
vas The author Of papers on the early
.s'ory Of the Pennsylvania Germans.
rFsfal years ago he gave 5000 TO
rankin and Marshall College.
A'though he seldom appeared in public.
vas good speaker. Probably the
"sstsst speech he ever made war be-
S's the Anthracite Coal Strike Com
~-'sion IN iJe. when he pleaded the
N-ss Of the anthracite coal railroads
~>iSi the demands OF the United Mine
''fSefs Of America.