Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-12
Lawyer, Soldier, Jurist and
Statesman Prominent in the
Public Eye for More Than Six
ty Years Dies, Aged 81.
HAD VERSATILE CAREER
Helped Horace Greeley Organ
ize the Republican Party in
New York State-Gen. Tracy
Has Been Styled the Father
of the Fighting Navy.

vi tHV IISIttItS navy.
New York, Aug. G-Gcncral BENJAMIN
T.. Tracy. who was President Harrison's
secretary of the navy. died of paralysis
here to-day in his S5th ytqr otter a pc
riod of unconsciousness lasting nine days.
General Tpacy's death occurred shortl.,
after $3.50 p. IN. and followed a fight for life
that has amazed the physician at his
bedside.
General Benjamin franklin Tracy. law
yer, soldier. iurist and statesman. stood
prominent in the, public eye for more
than 60 years. At the age of 81. he ar,
gued a case before the supreme court of
New York with brilliance undimmcd by
years.
Some people have called me the father
If the fighting navy he hadsaid recent
lv. II won't deny it. believe am. |
tried to take the navy department ont Of
politics and I believe I succeeded"
He referred to the DAYS when he served
IS secretary of the navy under President
benjamin Harrison.
AT that time" said General Tracy.
the cruiser Baltimore was the largest
and strongest ship we had, and she was
only n protected cruiser. | saw the ncces-
sity Of building ships which could fight If
they had to-"
WHAT the use of building a ship tina.
can't run away. from a ship 1t cant
whip?' demanded the secretary in his APP
reals. The phrase has become historic.
lie won the public. AS n conse-
1uence there appeared three new
types of naval vessels: the armored
cruiser. the armored battlcship and
the scout cruiser. He also replaced
all-stcel arnor with thu prcsent-day
n~ickelsteel. This aroused England
and literally stripped the armor from
the British navy" All naval powers
We're compelled to adopt the new meth
cd of protection.
Cen. Tracy led a versatile and bril-
liam career. Born in Owego. X. Y.
in 1880, he was a play and achoolmate
of senator Thomas Platt. He was ad-
mitted to the bar at the age of p.
when %, he was elected district at
orucy at Tioga county.
II" helped Horace Greeley organize
tho Republican party in New York
state at - years Of age. Nj the out
bleak of the civil War. he was serving
in the New York LEGISLATURE as an
assemblYman. 1t is said that here he
mad the first Legislative speech in the
United Staes in favor or paper money
for war expenses. Like many of his
colleagues. Assomblyman Tracy went
to the front. after organizing two rcgi-
mcpts. lie served first as colonel Of
the l09th New York.
At the battle of the Wilderness he
won the Congressional Medal of Honor
and was brevetcd brigadier-gcneral of
volunteers at the close of the war.
our times in the wilderness. he rallied
/ his regiment to finally sweep over the
Confederate ramparts. \ the mo-
ment of victory he fell desperately
wounded upon his battle flag. His
torians say his deed made possible
Sherman's march to the sea. He
| closed his war record as commander
Of the military post and prison at FL.
mira. n. Y.
General Tracy met most of the great
Americans OF the last half century.
The greatest man with whom | ever
anne in contact was Abraham Lincoln"
he said. Il did not know him intimately.
but the strength Of the man fingers in
my mind.
The greatest President since the civil
War" h" continued, Il think. was Nc
Ninley, He could maxi a man feel happy
while refusing to appoint him to office"
General Tracy was made United States
district attorney for the eastern district
f New York after the war. The whiskey
-raft scandal of 1866 was at is height
The general fought the Illicit distillers
and g~rafters mercilessly. Mobs threatened
him, hut he continued his prosecutions
4 and convictions.