The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-15
GEORGE R. SHELDON
DIES OF INJURIES
Financier Was Crushed by
Coal Car While Inspect
ing Mine.
BIG RANGE OF INTERESTS
Friend Of Col. Roosevelt and
L. c. Platt-Urged for
acknowledgements.

CARBoNrALB, ILL.,, Jan. 14--George n.
Sheldon, the New York fnancier. died
here to-day. His death was the result
OF Injuries suffered a week ago when he
was crushed by coal car in mine
which he was inspecting.
George Rumsey Sheldon, for Amos,
forty years a notable figure In New
York finance, and since 1900 prominent
in the councils OF the Republican party
was born in Brooklyn sixty-one years
ago and was the son Of William C. and
Mary De Forest Sheldon.
After course with private tutors he
spent three years at st. Paul's School,
and from there went to Harvard. from
which he was graduated in 1879. Fol-
lowing his graduation he held a clerk
ship In banking house for a few
months and then, with tho help Of his
father. set up in business for himself.
He had all the instincts and necessary
gifts OF the born financ!er and in a few
years was a person of consequence In
the banking district. Increasing always
the business and influence of his own
firm he branched out rapidly in n score
OF profitable directions. associated him
self with men In large way OF bus
ness and by the time ne was 35 was
master Of a fortune.
Wide Range of Interests.
His interests were OF a wide range and
his speciality was industrial and traction
enterprises At the time Of his death he
was president and chairman Of the board
OF the North American Company. treas
urer and chairman of the executive COM
nlttee Of the Milwaukee Electric Rail-
ways Company. president OF the Electric
Sacnrittca cnnnany 20 nf tho
Detroit Edison Company and director
Of the American Locomotive Company,
the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the
Mechanics and Metals National Bank.
the Union Electric Light Company of
St. Louis. the Cincinnati Northern Rail-
way Company. the West Kentucky Coal
Company and the Wisconsin Edison
Company.
These enterprises, with tho activities
OF the banking house of which he was
the head, occupied the greater part OF
his energies. but he had interests as
well In corporations OF all kinds in
every section of the United States.
For many years he took an interest
in Republican politics but never par
ticipated actively until 1900. when he
was made a delegate TO the Republican
national convention. He was treasurer
of the New York Republican county
committee from 1900 TO 1908 and Of
the New York State committee in 1908
and of the Republican National Com
mittee between 1908 and 1915.
He was n warm friend OF Thomas C.
Plat and Col. Roosevelt and In 1902.
when Plat and the other Republican
leaders selected Benjamin B. Odell Al
the party's candidate for Governor they
picked Mr.. Sheldon as his running mate
for the office Of Lieutenant-Governo
He did not want the Office and urged
that his name be not put in nomination.
but finally at the instance Of Col. Roose-
welt and Senator Plat agreed to make
the run.
Just before the convention OF that year
assembled at Saratoga one or two OF the
New York newspapers launched a CAM
paign against the predatory plutocracy"
and tho "tntrenched interests" car
toons. editorials and news stories OF tho
n Vaccinations OF tho octopus" filled COL
umns. and the men associated with Sem
ator Plat concluded that Mr.. Sheldon
was not the man for the second highest
place on the party ticket.
Refusal to Seek once.
They were certain that as a banker
and corporation director his candidacy
would defeat the whole ticket Mr.. Shell
don was quick to grasp the point him
self and urged Senator Plat to release
him from his promise TO run. Platt
however. had determined on his candi-
dacy and election and was Of the opin-
ion that the whole ticket would go
through whether the press inveighed
against II or not
Finally there was a meeting In a Sar-
atoga hotel just before the convention
Sheldon insisted on step
ping out Plstt's fellow councillors
overborc him and Frank Higgins. who
later succeeded Ode!i as Governor, re-
ceived the nomination instead
Mr.. Sheldon was married in 1881 to
Miss Mary Il. Seney and made his home
n. 20 East Forty-seventh street HIS
recreation he found principally among
his many friends at the various clubs
OF which he was a member. He was one
Of the most active members of the Union
League Club and WAS It's president fro;T,
1907 to 1911. He was a member also OF
the Union, University. Harvard. Racquet
and Tennis the New York Yacht. the
Brook and the Metropolitan clubs OF this
city and of the Metropolitan Club OF
Washington.