Historian Bancroft Dead

'.V miin(,kn. D.C., Jan. 20. - Tbe commuuity was greatly shoi-ked by the news tha1 Utorge Bancroft, the venerable historian, was dead. lt had been realized that Mr. Bancroft could hardly survive mm-h longer the increasing iufirmities Incidí nt to his extremely oíd age, but iie had been in eheerful spirits and appareiitly better health this year since his return f rom Newport than for several seasons past. so that his death was snelden and unexpected to all except a few intímate Iriends who knew of the attack of illness which carried him off. The end was (jniet and peaceful and rame after a pcriod of unconsciousness lasling about twenty-four hours. Mr. Bancroft for some years past had heen in ;he habit of spenrling about five me M.tlis in Xewport and passing the winter and coldcr season of the year in Washington Two years ago he had a severe attack of sickness. which kept him in bed for four or five weeks, and as he was then in his 8dth year grave apprehensions were feit for his life. He recovered. however, but was never after that as strong as he had formerly been. He carne to tuis citv fiom Newport last October feeling better tban for some time past. He was in fine health and spirits, had a excellent appetite and a good faculty for sleep, until last week when he caught a slight cold. He bal always lived earefully but generously and had said repeatedl}' within the last six weeks that he had never slept better nor had a b.'tter appetite. Nol withstanding his cold he oontinued to seek out door exercise every day until Thursday, when he took to his bed as a matter of precaution. His whole illness was less than three days. He failed rapidly yesterday and beoame unoonscious in the afternoon, in which state he remained until the end. Hls son John C. Bancroft, who ith his wife kept housf for the historian, was with him in his last moments. Mr. Bancroft was also fond of outdoor exercise. to which in a large iueasure he attributed his sood health and prolonged lile, and after he discontinuad horseback ri'linK he resilarly walked about the city attcn 'e 1 by an oíd servant. He livedhere in an old-fashioned doublé house on H Street, in a fashionable neighborhood, and his garden, here as at Newport. was flUed with choice roses, in which flower he delighted. He regarded his life work as flnished two years ago, and of late had done no literary work. During the last decade he had revised his great work, the history of the United States, going over it in a severely critical style and elimiuating the flowers of rhetoric in the earlier work. His last production was a history of the formation of the Constitution. He undertook to write a history of President Polk's Administration, in whose Cabinet he served as Secretary of the Kavy, but was compelled to abandon it.