The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-05-06
Colonel Norris
G. Osborn Dead
CONTINUED from Page -


1907 when he became editor of the
Journal-Courier. He gained his
military title when he was appoint
ed q colonel on the STAFF Of Gov
ernor Thomas M. Waller In 1885.
He Is reputed to have been
largely instrumental in organizing
sentiment In behalf Of his friend
since college days, Dean Wilbur L.
Cross, for governor Of Connecticut.
For almost O year he had sui.
fered falling health, although his
leading editorials continued to
strike out with the vigor of previ-
Gus years. A few weeks ago he
was compelled to retire to his bed,
from which he continued to guide
the editorial policies Of his news
paper.
He had been in q coma for about
48 hours when death came at 7:l5
a. m. to-day. He left three sons,
fnnis, Minott and Gardner and two
daughters, Mrs Chandler Bennett
Of Stamford and Mrs Richard Bris-
tol OF East Orange, N. J. His wife
died recently.
Norris Galpin Osborn was born
in 1858, the son Of Minott Augur
Osborn and Catherine Sophia Gil
bert Osborn. His family traced It's
ancestry directly to the colonial
settlers and through them to mem.
bers Of the English aristocracy.
Robert Augur founded the line
in New Haven In 1910. His grand
son fought under Captain Benedict
Arnold with the Governors Foot
Guard In the Revolutionary war.
Colonel Osborn attended Hop.
kins grammar school in New Ha.
ven, one of the Oldest preparatory
schools in the United States, and
Yale college. Upon graduation he
became an editor Of the New Ha.
ven Register, owned by his father
ana edited by Thomas Parsons. He
succeeded Parsons after five years.
Writing secretly under the pen
name "Trumbull" Colonel Osborn
contributed reports on Connecticut
politics to the old New York Her.
aid when that paper was under the
BENEFITS.
Throughout his career he re.
fused to run for elective Office, al
though the democratic party
sought him in 1925 and 1880 as
candidate for the United States
senate.
He was a delegate to the nation
al convention which nominated
Grover Cleveland and was close
friend Of the president.
For IS years he strove for civil
service reform as an officer of the
Connecticut Civil Service Reform
association. In 1895 he headed the
Connecticut Sound Money league
and was chief among the demo.
Gratis opposed to William Jennings
Bryan.
He became president Of the state
prison board In 1912 after II
years on the board.
At the opening of the war
Colonel Osborn was IN Europe and
assisted Herbert Hoover In res.
cuing Americans from the belliger.
ent countries.
He was prominent In recruiting
and liberty loan activities through
out the war.
In 1929 an infection made am.
New Haven, May e.-tJp)-
President James Rowland Angel
Of Yale, In commenting upon the
death Of Colonel Norris q. Osborn.
uusus AhO uVoth AOhCab0b u
brave sould from long and grievous
suffering. He will always be grate-
fully remembered for his devotion
to the public welfare, for his in
domitable courage and for his
trenchant and remorseless attacks
on whatever he thought evil >"
Hartford, Conn, May 6.-(UP)-
Governor Wilbur L. Cross said TO.
day Connecticut has lost one Of
her first citizens In the death OF
Colonel Norris G.. Osborn. "In his
long career as editor he has
exerted an immense influence on
the minds Of the people Of his city
and Of his state In fearless discus.
sion Of innumerable public ques-
tons narrow partlsanshlp was
allen to his character"