LITERATURE LOSES BRIGHT EXPONENT
Death of S. H. Kauffmann Generally Deplored.
HAD INTERESTING CAREER
Contributed Much to Success of City and Benefited Newspaper World in Many Ways
After a long illness Samuel Hay president of the Evening Star Newspaper Company and one of Washington's most prominent citizens died shortly before 2 o'clock this morning at his residence, 1421 Massachusetts avenue northwest. All the members of his family were at the bedside when the end came.
President of Evening Star Company, Who Died After a Long Illness.
Funeral services will be held at the home of Mr. Kauffmann, 1421 Massachusetts avenue at 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bishop Satterlee of the diocese of Washington will officiate. Interment will be made in the family lot in Rock Creek Cemetery. Active and honorary pallbearers will serve. They have not yet been selected but will be chosen from the old friends of Mr. Kauffmann.
The board of trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art of which Mr. Kauffmann was president will take appropriate action on his death and the gallery will be closed on the day of the funeral.
Had Traveled Extensively
Mr. Kauffmann had an exceptionally wide knowledge of the affairs of the world. He had traveled extensively and was thoroughly conversant with topics pertaining to Asia, Africa, China, Japan, and Hawaii.
He had toured these countries and made a study of the peculiarities and conditions of their people and their relations to the world's progress. As a writer on topics relating to these countries his biographers have said that he was forceful and gave to the country a clear exposition of the situations as he saw them.
Mr. Kauffman was not a college bred man. What he lacked in this early training, however, he acquired in after years by being an apt student and a close observer in travel. Born on a farm in Wayne county Ohio nears nearly seventy-seven years ago, he received his early education in the common schools practically the only school advantages then available.
He followed his father's vocation in his early years but being anxious to take a more prominent part in the world's affairs, he mastered the art of telegraphy.
Not to His Taste
This vocation, however, like farming did not suit his tastes and finally he became engaged in the printing business at Zanesville Ohio in the early fifties. He followed this trade except during the civil war when he was associated with Secretary of the Treasury Chase.
He resided in Washington since 1861. In 1867, two years after he severed his connection with the Treasury Department, he in company with Crosby S. Noyes, George W. Adams, Alexander R. Shepherd and Clarence B. Baker purchased the Evening Star, with which had been connected in various official capacities ever since. Of late he was president of the corporation.
In Washington's progress Mr. Kauffmann took a decided interest. He was closely identified with its growth both in a commercial and literary way. He was a lover of fine arts and for a quarter of a century was connected with the development of the Corcoran Art Gallery. He was elected president of that institution in 1899, which office he held ever since.
Memberships were also held by him in the Philosophical Society, Anthropological, Columbia, Historical Library and National Geographic Societies of Washington as well as the America Geographical Society, National Arts Club, National Sculptures Society, Shakespeare Society and the Grolier Club of New York. In each of these he took a deep interest and worked earnestly for their progress.
Preferred Home Life
In social club life he was not so well known. He retained memberships in two local clubs only, the Cosmos and Chevy Chase. He was fond of home life and preferred the society of his family and the pleasure of his books to the social environment of Capital City life. In fraternal affairs he was quite prominent.
In 1899 he served a term as president of the American Newspaper Publishers' Association. In 1901 Mr. Kauffmann prepared an Illustrated volume on equestrian statuary of the world.
In 1852 Mr. Kauffmann married Sarah Clark Fracker of Zanesville Ohio.