New-York tribune., 1921-02-23
w. McConnI,s.
Ex-DenOcratic
Chairman, Dies
Former Head of National
Committee Succumbs to
Heart Disease After am
Illness of Several Years
Led Wilson 'l2 Campaign
Body Brought Here for III
A. M. Service Tomorrow;
Burial in Little Rock, Ark.


man Of the Democratic National Com
mittee, who had been in failing health
for several years, died yesterday morn
ing at Z o'clock at Greenwich, Conn.
The body was brought to this city
yesterday afternoon and taken to the
Campbell Funeral Church. The funeral
service will be held at il o'clock to-
morrow morning at the Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church. Interment will
be in the family plot at Little Rock,
The death of Mr.. McCombs was re-
ported by Frederick r. Ryan, his busi-
ness partner. 1t was caused by heart
disease. During the last few months
Mr. McCombs had grown gradually
weaker and his death was expected at
any time. He was forty-six years old.
Managed Wilson'S Campaign
1t was as manager Of Woodrow Will
sons first campaign for the Presi .
dency, in 1919, that William Frank
McCombs became a nationally con-
spicuoVs figure in politics. But for
years before he had been prominent
and successful in the legal profession
in this city and had been active in
many civic sad social interests.
He was born at Hamburg, Ark, on
December 26, 1876, the son of William
Faulkner and Mary Frances Pugh Nc
Combs, his father being Kentuckian
and hos mother from Alabama. He
was educated at Princeton University,
where he was q pupil and became a
warm, personal friend OF woodrow
Wilson, who was then a professor
there's He was graduated from Prince
ton in 1898 and went to Harvard to
study law and was graduated there in
1901. From that time TO the end of
his life he was engaged in professional
work in New York City, though fre-
quently his cases were Of far more than
locai import.
Forms Partnership
In 1904 he formed partnership with
Gilbert E. Roe under the name of Roe
d McCombs, which lasted until 1910,
After that date he practiced alone,
with large staff Of assistants While
his practice was general, he paid chief
attention, perhaps, to the legal inter-
ests OF building construction COM
panles. lie was counsel to big Bill''
edwards when the latter was Street
Cleaning Commissioner and success
fully prosecuted several cases Of fraud
IN snow removal work.
In 1911 Mayor Gaynor appointed Mr.
McCombs a member of tne board OF
trustees of the College of the City OF
New York to succeed the late Edward
M. Shapard. In 1904 he was Demo.
cratic candidate for the Assembly in
the 25th District, which was a Re.
publican stronghold, and, although de,
1eated, ne ran far ahead of the regu,
lsr ticket. For four years Mr.. Nc.
Combs was secretary of the Princeton
of the Southern Society He was q
member of the Harvard, Princeton
Manhattan, Railroad and Democratic
clubs of New York, the Bar Association
Of New York City, and the Nationa
bar Association, as vel! as the Sleep,
Hollow Club, of Tarrytown.
Mr.. McCombs was an enthusiast.
worker for the general good and die
much charitable work. He was espe
cially interested in young college mer
and assisted many of them to make
their way through college and to en-,
ter business or professional life af
terward.
In the campaign Of 1912 Mr. Nc
Combs was one of the original Wilson
men," He spent thousands of his owr
n oney to further the preliminary cam.
palgn for his former preceptor's nonai
nation; renting headquarters on Broad
way and announcing them as the. vii
son National Headquarters and nimseli
as chairman of the Woodrow Wilson
National Committee.
Conducted Campaign
These activities were continued un-
til Mr.. Wilson was nominated at the
Baltimore convention. Then, IS chair
man of the Democratic National Com
niittee, ne organized the campaign for
his candidates election. He had an
elaborate card index system, classified
and made briefs of all letters about
Mr.. Wilson, organized field force,
started a publicity bureau at Washing
ton and, in brief, directed the whole
campaign until it was crowned with
success at the polls.
In 1913 President Wilson offered
him an appointment as Ambassador to
France, which he declined. He re-
NAMED at the head Of the Democratic
National Committee until 1916. In 1914
ne was chairman of the platform COM
mittee which drafted the New York
State Democratic platform.
Mr.. McCombs was married on No
vember 7, 1918, to Miss Dorothy Will
liams, of Washington, from whom, four
years later, he was divorced.