Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-06-05
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DIES
At HOME IN INDIANAPOLIS,
IND.
HAD BEEN CRITICALLY
ILL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS
Became Power In Indiana State
Politics and Later National Figure
Close Adviser Of P-es;sss. Nc
kiniey While Serving in Senate
Elected Vice President on Roossvelt
Ticket.

of the United States and former United
States senator for Indiana, died at his
home here at 1855 o'clock last night.
Death was due to nephritis, which has
been a chronic ailment with him but
not regarded as particularly serious
until recently.
All members of the former vice
presidents family. except Maj. Richard
Fairbanks, who is in France, were at
his bedside.
Born in Log Cabin.
The distinction of birth in log
cabin, which illustrious Americans of
an earlier day commonly had. was also
that of former Vice President Fair
banks. It is probable that he was the
last of American statesmen to have
been born in one of these humble
cabins.
The one where he was born on May
II, 1852. was at Unionville Center. o.
1t came dangerously near being the
funeral pyre for the future Statesman.
When Mr.. Fairbanks was a boy Of 4,
his father built new home, and the
one-room cabin was used as q car
penter shop. One day while the work
men were at lunch Charles wandered
into the shop and carelessly threw a
bunch Of sfavings into the open fire.
place The cabin caugh. Are ard when
the boy realized his danger he was
forced to scramble thru a window.
The Fairbanks home frequently was
the hiding place of runaway slaves and
no black man ever was turned away
ST, q v-es
old when Abraham Lincoln was elect
ed president. Then followed the civil
war. the stirring scenes Of which the
future vice president followed with
keen interest.
Enters Newspaper Work.
Fairbanks, at Is. entered Ohio Wes-
leyan College at Delaware, O.. sharing
an attic room with the son OF another
farmer, and the two cooked their own
meals. Fairbanks did carpenter work
TO earn his first law books.
Soon after he was graduated. Mr..
Fairbanks was appointed agent Of the
Associated Press at Pittsburgh. Pa
holding that position for one year. His
most important assignment was the
rally OF the democrats and liberal re-
publicans in 1879. This was one Of the
largest meetings Of the campaign and
was addressed by Horace Greeley.
Later in life he frequently referred with
keen delight to his work as a news
paper man.
From Pittsburgh, Mr.. Fairbanks went
to Cleveland and completed his law
course. In 1874 he married Miss Cor
nelia Cole, the elimination OF ro-
nance that began when both were
members Of the editorial staff OF their
college paper. To them were born
five children, one daughter and four
sons e
After marriage Mr.. Fairbanks moved
to Indianapolis and opened a law Of
fee. He took a deep interest in poll
tics and assisted In local, state and ma
tional campaigns, managed Walter Q.
Gresham's campaign for the republican
nomination for the presidency in 1888
and later labored industri0usly for
BENJAMIN Harrison's nomination.
1t has been stated many times that
Mr.. Fairbanks did more to commit the
republican party in Indiana to the gold
standard in 1896 than any other man
and that he wrote the money plank in
the national platform adopted at the
ST. louis convention, over which he
presided as temporary chairman. When
William Mckinley was nominated for
the presidency Mr.. Fairbanks toured
the country in his interests.
Elected 70 Senate.
In January 1897 Mr.. Fairbanks was
elected to the United States senate. He
took his seat ON March 4, the day on
which Mckinley became president. He
became close adviser Of the president
in the trying times before and during
the Spanish American war.
Among Mr.. Fairbanks greatest scr
wees to his country were those per-
formed while he was q member Of the
United States and British joint COM
mission, which dealt with the Alaskan
boundary. lake fishing and other ques-
tons.
Mr.. Fairbanks was recognized as one
OF the national leaders OF the republic
can party and az such was made chair
man OF the committee on resolutions at
the Philadelphia national convention in
q