Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-18
I. GERRY
DIES WHILE ASLEEP
Father of Senator Was Noted
as Financier and Yachts
man; Was SO.

BY the Associated Press
NEW YORK, February 1s.-El-
bridge r. Gerry, lawyer. yachtsman,
financier and active for many years
as the guiding spirit in the Society
for the Prevention Of Cruelty to Chill
dren, died at his home here today in
his ninetieth year.
His son. Robert l.. Gerry. said that
death occurred in his sleep at $3.50
am. He was able to sit up In
chair for several hours yesterday
morning, but in. the afternoon his
heart action began to fail and his
death was not unexpected. His four
children were at his bedside.
Mr. Gerry, who was perhaps best
known by his title of Commodore, :"
as former head of the New York
Yacht Club, had been invaded at
in which he suffered a broken hip.
His physicians pronounced him out of
danger, but said he would never be
able to walk again.
Worked for Children.
The grandson Of a signer Of the
Declaration Of independence and the
father of a United States Senator.
Elbridge Thomas Gerry. ssta blished
his own fame along lines outside ma
tional politics. Much of his long life.
however, was devoted to public serv-
ice. Besides becoming widely known
as lawyer, banker and yachtsman. he
served on many important commits
sions in the State of New York and
worked energetically TO improve the
condition Of the children of New York
City.
Mr.. Gerry. born In New York City
on Christmas day. 1887, was q grand
son of Elbridge Gerry of Massa-
chusetts who was q signer Of the
Declaration of Independence and the
Nth Vice President of the United
States. He was graduated from Co
lumbia University In 1857 and was
admitted to the New York bar In 1850
He held his first public position in
1857 when he was a member of the
New York constitutional convention.
He was chairman Of the New York
commission on capital punishment
which in 1886 substituted the electric
chair for hanging as the penalty for
murderers in that State.
Noted as Yachtsman.
Ever since 1886 he had been known
TO his friends as Commodore Gerry
He had been interested in yachting
for some time and in that year he
was elected commodore of the New
York Yacht Club, a position which he
held for seven years. His flagship,
the steam yacht Electra. became
familiar to residents Of the leading
ports Of this country and Europe.
Early in life Mr.. Gerry became in
terested in the welfare Of the children
in New York He worked, wrote and
gave in their behalf and from 1875 to
1901 he was vice president Of the New
York Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to Children. For many years
he served as vice president of the
American Society for the Prevention
Of Cruelty to Animals.
He had served as a director OF the
Fifth Avenue Trust Co. of New York,
the Newport Trust Co. of Newport. r.
l., and the Industrial Trust Co. of
Providence. He accumulated a law
library containing 10000 volumes.
In the later years of his life he made
his home in Newport. He was a mem
Der Of the Reading Room Of New
port, the Hope Club of Providence.
the Somerset Club of Boston, the Met
ropolitan and Knickerbocker Clubs of
New York. the Fort Orange Club of
Albany and the Metropolitan Club of
Washington.
He was married in 1887 to Louisa
NJ Livingston, who died some years
ago. They had two sons. United States
Senator Peter Goelet Gerry of Rhode
Island and Robert Livingston Gerry
and two daughters, Miss Angelica
Gerry and Mrs. Francis Saxham Elves
Drury.