Obituary of William Brookfield

AN ANTI-PLATT

LEADER IS DEAD.

William Brookfield Died at His

Home To-Day, Surrounded

by the Members of His Family.

LONG ACTIVE IN POLITICS.

Had Been Chairman of Republican

State and Republican County Committees

and a Member of Many Clubs.

William Brookfield, Republican politician and leader, died to-day after a short illness at his home, No. 516 Madison avenue. His family and his physician, Dr. S. K. Bremner, were at his bedside when the end came.

Mr. Brookfield was brought home from Florida five weeks ago. He was suffering from heart disease and that caused his death.

Mr. Brookfield held public office less than a year during his life. He was trade Commissioner of Public Works by Mayor Strong in 1895, but the duties interfered with his private business, and he resigned.

He was, however, always active in city and State politics.

For four terms he was chairman of the Republican State Committee and three times president of the Republican County Committee. When the Republican County Committee was reorganized under the Committee of Thirty's plan a few years ago, Mr. Brookfield took a prominent part in the committee's work. He was a candidate of the anti-Platt Republicans for the presidency of the committee, but was defeated by Edward Lauterbach.

Held Aloof for Awhile

For some years thereafter Mr. Brookfield held himself aloof from the regular machine dominated by Senator Platt, but during that last reform campaign was for Mayor Low and the Reform ticket, and again allied himself with the Republican party.

Early in life he started in the glassware business and later became connected with some large corporations. He was President of the Brookfield Glass Company, The Bushwick Glass Company, the Sheldon Axle Company and the Franklin Loan and Improvement Company of New Jersey.

He held membership in the Produce and Mining exchanges and several clubs and societies, and was at one time President of the Republican Club.

Mr. Brookfield was educated at Cayuga Lake Academy, Aurora, N. Y., and shortly after graduation married Kate, the daughter of Henry Morgan of Aurora.

He leaves a widow and four sons. One son is a graduate of Yale, and another of Princeton. One of his sons was killed in an accident several years ago. He was fifty-nine years of age.