News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-05-17

Found Dead in Bed at Berwick
Hotel, Rutland, Morning of May IL

Allen M. Fletcher of Cavendish
former governor of Vermont, was
found dead in room at the Berwick
Hotel, Rutland, Thursday morning
May IL. Death was declared due tc
cerebral hemorrhage.
Mr.. Fletcher was one of Vermont's
richest men, largely because of his
real estate holdings in Indianapolis.
Former Governor Fletcher hao
presided Wednesday night as chair
man of board of judges at prize
speaking contest at Middlebury Col
lege, after which he drove to Rut-
land in his auto with former Lieut.
Gov. Frank E. Howe of Bennington
a fellow-judge and his associate in
office while governor. Except that he
said he was a 'little tired" before
retiring, Mr.. Fletcher gave no indi-
cation of weakness. When he failed
to keep a breakfast appointment
with Mr.. Howe, the latter went to his
room and found him dead
When Mr.. Howe and Manager
Boynton Of the hotel entered ex-Gov-
ernor Fletcher's room they found
him Understanding died in his sleep.
Apparently he had been dead for a
number of hours. The body was
found at eight o'clock Thursday
morning He had retired at about II
o'clock Wednesday night
4
Allen Miller Fletcher was born in
Indianapolis, Ind, September 25,
1858, the son of Stoughton A. and
Julia (Bullard) Fletcher. He was de-
scended from the Fletcher family of
Windsor county, which had been
prominent in Vermont affairs for a
long time,
He was educated in Williston
Seminary, Easthampton, Mass, and
returned to Indianapolis, where he
engaged in banking, profession
which he followed many years. He
was married April 26, 1876, to Mary
E. Bence of Indianapolis.
On retiring from active business
life he decided to return to the ances-
trail home in the town of Cavendish,
where he had resided ever since. He
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. He also
was a member of the commission
appointed to propose amendments to
the State Constitution in 1910 He
had been a delegate to the republican
national convention and had served
as president of the Vermont Forestry
Association.
In the nomination for republican
candidate for governor, Mr.. Fletcher
defeated Joseph A. DeBoer of Mont
pelier, the vote standing 440 to 800
The state election came in the year
of the disruption of the national
party over the presidential nomina-
ton, Theodore Roosevelt opposing
William H. Taft The state party
was also split and Fletcher, the re-
publican candidate for governor,
failed of election by the people, re-
ceiving 26,237 votes to 2O,6O1 for
Harland B. Howe, the democratic
liOIHllee, anu IO,OZJ LOT heV. fraser
Metzger, the progressive candidate.
In the Legislature, where the cleo
ton was thrown, Fletcher received
1913 votes, Howe 76 and Metzger 80. !
Since retiring from the governor
ship, Mr.. Fletcher had been fire.
quently mentioned for other office, |
notably that of United States sena- |
tor, and it was considered by some |
that he was making a campaign at |
the present time for that office. BY |!
others it was held that he was seek |
ing reelection as governor of the
state.
He carried on quite extensive farm
ing operations at the Fletcher home
in Cavendish, the farm being known
as "Chuckle HILL"
Ex-Governor Fletcher is survived
by his wife, who was in the
West for her health, and three chill
lren, Mary c., Fanny B., and Allen
VI. Fletcher, Jr. He was a member
If the Grange, the Masonic and Odd
Ta1lowc ordpfs