The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-12
.EX- GOV. FILE ETCHER
DIED IN ROOM IN
RUTLAND HOTEL
Former Executive Passed Away
Some Time during Night
RETIRED IN USUAL HEALTH
Was In His 69th Year and Was
Born in Indianapolis,
Indiana


er Of Proctorsville, governor of Yer
mont l912.1915. died suddenly in his
room at Hotel Berwick some time dur
ing Wednesday night Of cerebral hem
orrhage
His death was not discovered until
next morning when Frank e. Howe OF
Bennington. lieutenant governor dur
Ing the same term, became alarmed,
and on going to Governor Fletchers
room, discovered that he had been
dead for several hop-s.
Death had apparently overtaken the
former executive in his sleep. as he
lay in a natural position. He had
evidently gone to bed soon after he
went to hiss room and fallen asleep
From that transition into the deeper
coma OF apoplexy was apparently quiet
and painless
Mr.. Fletcher and Mr. Howe had
been in Middlebury the night before
where, with Rev l. c. Smart Of Bur
lignton he had been one OF the judges
for the sophomore prize speaking at
M.ddlebury college. The judges had
asked Governor Fletcher to award the
prizes, which he did In a brief speech.
He and the former lieutenant govern
or then drove TO Rutland, where they
parted at the Berwick. Mr. Howe sug
gested visit 10 the newspaper office.
but the ex-governor excused himself
saying he was a little tired and would
see him at breakfast at O'Clock in
the morning.
Some time after O'Clock came.
Mr.. Howe, remembering Governor
Fletcher's strictly punctual habits,
looked him up, fearing that all might
not be well. When he saw that life
had passed, he notified the health
officer, DR.. Bern D. Colby. who pro
nounced Ire cause Of death cerebral
hemorrhage.
The family was notified, and his
son, Allen NJ. Fletcher, jr, accom-
panied by Frank w Agan, arrived
during the forenoon and took charge
of the body 1t was removed to
Spencer's undertaking rooms and later
in the day taken TO the former resi-
dence of deceased in Proctorsyille,
town of Cavendish
Mrs. Fletcher and the governors
younger daughter, Miss Fanny b.
Fletcher. were in indianapolis when
the death occurred and Immediately
started East. An elder daughter, Mrs
Mary Fletcher Charlton, was also sum
moned and kilograms were sent out
to members of Governor Fletcher's ad.
ministratlon and other associates OF
his public life.
The funeral will be held from his
late residence at $3.50 Saturday after
noon, and n accordance with Govern
or Fletcher's oft expressed wish, the
family asks that no flowers be sent
Allen Miller Fletcher was born in
Indianapolis. Ind, Sept. IS, 1853, the
son OF Stoughton A. and Julia (Bul'
lard) Fletcher. He was descended
from TIE Fletcher family OF Windsor
county which had been prominent in
Vermont affairs for long time.
He was educated in WilIiston semi
nary. Easthampton, Mass and re-
turned TO Indianapolis, where he en-
gagged in banking, a profession, which
he followed many years. He was
married April 26, 1876, to Mary H.
Benee OF Indianapolis.
On retiring from active business
life he decided to return to the an
cestral home in the town OF Cayen'
dish. where he has resided ever
since. Tie still owned considerable
property in Indianapolis.
Soon after returning to Vermont
he entered political life, being first
elected to the legislature as repre-
sentative from the town OF Cavendish
in 1902. In 1904 he was elected a
state senator and in 1906, 1908 and
1910 he was reelected to the House,
serving on several Of the important
committees and being one of the in
fuential men Of that body. lie also
was a member OF the commission ap'
pointed to propose amendments to
the state const tuition in 1910, He
had been delegate to the Republican
national convention and had served
as president of the Vermont Forestry
association.
In the nomination for Republican
candidate for governor MIR. Fletcher
defeated Joseph A, De}oer of Mont
pelier, t;le vote standing iiO to $50,
The state election came in the year
of the disruption Of the national nar.
ty over the presidential nomination.
Theodore Roosevelt opposing William
II. TAFT. The state party was also
split and Fletcher, the Republican
candidate for governor failed of elec
tlon by the people, receiving 26,237
votes to 20,00l for Harland B. Howe
the Democratic nominee, and 15,629
for Rev. Fraser Metzger, the Progress
sive candidate In the legislature,
where the election was thrown, Flet.
cher received 163 votes, Howe 76 and
Metzger 80.
Since retiring from the governor
ship, Mr.. Fletcher had been frequent.
ly mentioned for other office. notably
that OF United States Senate, and It