The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-05
Lived Out Better Portion of
94th Year; Expected
to Reach 100.
STRICKEN IN FIVE DAYS
Veteran Rail and Political
Leader Is Victim of
Pneumonia.
BY EARL JOHNSON
United Press staff Correspondent

NEW YORK, April 5.-Chaun-
cey Mitchell Depew, who lived out
the better portion of his oath year
without growing Old died of pneu-
monia today after an illness of only
five days.
The chairman of the New York
Central railroad and most famous
of all American after dinner speak
ers, returned from Florida only
week and a half ago in the best of
health and spirits Detraining in
New York on a raw March day he
contracted a cold and physicians
advised him to go to bed.
Monday it was announced DepeW
had slight cold, but that it was not
serious. Tuesday he seemed to be
much improved. Wednesday his
condition was said to be unchanged.
Wednesday night doctors said his
condition had changed to bronchial
pneumonia, but at o'clock said
they did not believe his condition
was alarming.
His condition gradually became
weaker and at 4 a. m. members of
the family we're called. to the beds
side
Within an hour Depew was dead.
Optimistic Toward Life
Mrs. Depew; a son, Chauncey M.
kDepew, Jr., and niece, Miss Ann
Paulding, we're at the bedside when
SOepeW died.
He had been in semi-conscious-
ness throughout the night, doctors
said.
Chauncey Depew and his opti-
Pmistic views towards life had be-
4 Acome one Of the nations institu-
Rtions.
Y He would have been "a, April "a.
lie was looking forward eagerly to
Ill % when he would again meeI
paper men-an annual occasion
ID give his now famous version
how to attain longevity.
FDo everything and anything you
want, but do it in moderation. In
&Ehis way you ease yourself mentally
and do not hurt yourself physically"
He looked forward to attaining an
age of 100.
Member of Old Family
Depew was born at PeekSkill, N.
Y, in 1884, at a homestead that had
been in possession of the family 200
years. On his fathers side he was
! of Huguenot stock and his mother
was a descendant of Roger Sher-
man, one of the signers of the De-
jclaration of Independence.
He entered Yale when he was
1a, and he graduated with the class
of 1856. Immediately he entered
politics. 1t was the first year the
newly formed Republican party en-
tered a candidate for the presidency.
~ In the meantime, Depew studied
Flaw and in 1853 was admitted to the
bar
h 1t was during a series of speeches
for Abraham Lincoln in 1860 that
sDepew's ability as a humoriSt first
became noticed.
He was elected to the New York
State Assembly in 1862 and in 1863
ecretary of State. offered an am
assadorship to Japan, he declined
h order to consider Commodore
kanderbilt's offer to be counsel for
the New York Central & Hudson
River Railroad.
Became Railroad President
In 1872, he backed Horace Greeley
for Lieutenant Governor OF New
York. Greeley was badly defeated.
Roscoe Conkling and Thomas G.
lPlatt shortly afterwards resigned as
united States Senators from New
kork and Depew became a candi-
3 bte to succeed Platt. A deadlock
br several months was not broken
Ctil Depew withdrew.
n 1899, the State Assembly
ted Depew a Senator for six
RS and did the same again in
1904.
Depew, in the meantime, was ris-
ing in the railroad world. In 1882,
he was elected second vice president
of the New York Central railroad,
in 1885 he assumed the reSidency.
Me served until 1898 when he be-
came chairman of the board.
Had Happy Marriage
Probably the highest point in De-
q w's political life came in 1888
"a IN Depew was contender for
Republican presidential nomi-
ion. He finally withdrew to sup
1t Harrison.
Marriage to Chauncey Depew was
\: mething wonderful. He had been
Varied since 1871. He once said:
81 Many young people regard mar
a riage as a joke; they enter upon it
without understanding of the ad-
&1ustments that must be made.
Gentlemen, go back to the simple
ke of a country village of ninety
years ago. left such village
n I was 30 years old.
A.| There had not been a divorce IN
lis village of $500 persons in years
s Ind years. I think that if a divorce
ssAlad been obtained the principals
,S Fould have been boycotted.
'sf For all this talk Of divorce, there
1 Aes been a tremendous increase in
happiness Of home life" -.