All through Sunday night anxious watchers were at his bedside, taking note of every incident and praying that the end would be delayed for a little while. In the gray of the morning the change for the worst came and the pallor of death began to gather on his face. For a while longer he lingered, breathing regularly, but each breath harder until finally the end came amid the sobs of the relatives who were by his bedside.

A Good Citizen

     Henry Mueller was one of Butte’s best citizens and all of Montana might well proclaim him the same.  He had a diversity of interests and there are many cities in the state in which he was interested.  Since his first arrival in Butte, in 1885, he had taken an active interest in the welfare of the city and in all Montana as well. During his first years in town he was a bookkeeper for Schmidt & Gamer, the founders of the Centennial brewery, and after a while he purchased the Gamer interests and became the moving factor in the greatness to which the brewery has grown in recent years. Now it is one of the greatest plants in the Northwest—the biggest in Montana—and it has many branches in other parts of the state, which were all conducted from the parent house in Butte, under Mr. Mueller’s guidance.

     Mr. Mueller always took an active interest in the welfare of the city. He served as mayor of Butte between 1891 and 1895 and made one of the most efficient chief magistrates the city has ever had. Some years later he was prevailed upon to accept the nomination of the republican and the democratic parties for mayor, but the antitrust movement made such a strong fight that he was defeated by a small majority. Mr. Mueller served also as chairman of the board of school trustees, efficiently; was a member of the city council and at one time was a candidate for the state senate as a nominee of the democratic party of Silver Bow County.

General Breaking Down

     Mr. Mueller’s death was occasioned by a general breaking down of the system. He was three times stricken by paralysis and in addition suffered from kidney, stomach and liver troubles. For a considerable time during the past few years he was traveling in search of health and he spent many days in health resorts and hot springs in the hope that his health could be coaxed back. Finally he recovered to a considerable extent and returned to Butte, resuming the cares of business as far as he was able to do so. But this false security passed away and for weeks he knew that the end was not so very far away. Still he was always cheerful, always looking on the brighter side of things and he was always an optimist, thinking that conditions would someday be brighter, and he never at any time lost his faith in humanity or his God. He was a man of lovable character, a friend to the poor and those who had a grievance. Never would he turn a deaf ear to any appeal made to him and his private charities were countless. All the city loved him and there is sincere sorrow everywhere.

     Those of his family who survive him are his wife, his mother, three sons, Arthur, Walter and Harry; two daughters, Mrs. Florence West and Mrs. Eugenie Rochester; five brothers—Matthew and Joseph Mueller of Menasha, Wis.; William Mueller of Billings, Paul Mueller of Vancouver, B.C., and Andrew Mueller of Butte; and one sister, Mrs. Phil Gardiner of Menasha, Wis.

     The elder Mrs. Mueller, who is 81 old, arrived in Butte from Menasha last Saturday, accompanied by her son Joseph. Mr. Mueller’s father died in the 80’s.

Biographical Sketch

     Joaquin Miller’s history of Montana published in 1894, has the following biographical sketch of Mr. Mueller.

     “Henry Mueller, ex-mayor of Butte, and one of its most energetic business men, was a native of Germany, being born April 23, 1851, in the city of Cologne, Prussia.

     “He was brought to America in 1855 by his parents, who settled on a farm near Milwaukee, Wis. Here he received a common school education. In the 1865 the family removed to Menasha, a manufacturing town of the same state. The son, Henry at the age of 14 began work in the factories in order to help maintain the family, consisting of the father, mother, six brothers and one sister, of who Henry was the oldest. At the age of 16, to better his condition and those depending upon him, he left his home for the lumber woods and sawmills of Michigan; also worked in the iron mines of that state for one year as a common miner; also running one season on the great lakes as a sailor between Chicago and Ogdensburg, N.Y.  At the age of 21 he again returned to his home for good, accepting a clerkship in a general merchandise store, which position he held for three years, when he married the daughter of Henry Trilling, a prominent merchant of the town. He continued in the mercantile business, taking charge of his father-in-law’s business. When removing to Chicago, he entered into the commission and produce business.

Arrival in Montana

     “In the year 1885 he sold out his interests in the commission business and came to Montana, where he entered into the employ of Schmidt & Gamer, owners of the Centennial Brewery in Butte, as a bookkeeper. After acting in this capacity for two years he purchased the interests of Daniel Gamer in the business and the new firm was then incorporated under the name of the Centennial Brewing company, whose business under the present management assumed large proportions, necessitating the erection of a large plant, placing the Centennial Brewing company in the lead of all of its competitors in the state. In addition to the business Mr. Mueller is also to some extent interested in mines and mining, as most western men are. He is a thorough business man of broad views, liberal personality and public spirited, taking a great interest in all questions of a public nature and the welfare of his city, county and state.

     “Mr. Mueller is an enthusiastic believer in the principles of democracy. While residing in Wisconsin he filled the position of town clerk, chairman of his town and also chairman of the county board of supervisors; and while here in Butte he has been chosen by his fellow citizens as a member of the city council, in which position he served two years, from 1889 to 1891, when he was elected mayor of the city, in which capacity he did credit to himself as a municipal executive; and he is at this writing the democratic nominee for state senator, having received the nomination by acclamation.

National Guard Officer

     “When the National Guard of Montana was in process of organization he took a lively interest in its formation; and when Company F of the First regiment at Butte was being organized he joined as a private in its ranks, and such was the interest which he manifested in the company that in 1889 they elected him captain, which office he still retains. He is now the senior captain of the First regiment and takes great pride in the fact, being in line for the majorate. He is also a member of different lodges, such as the A.O.U.W, the Select Knights of the A.O.U.W., the National Union and the Royal Arcanum.

     “Captain Mueller has five children, three boys and two girls, and he takes great pride in his family.

     “Being a business man of push and enterprise he never does things by halves; what he thinks is worth doing at all, he does with all of his might, and of course is very popular and has hosts of friends in the state.”

Difficult Problem

     During the time Mr. Mueller was mayor of Butte he had many difficult problem to face, for there were many matters unsettled and there were strenuous conditions to face occasionally. One of the most important of these was during the 90’s, when the question of the smoke which filled the streets from the heap roasting in vogue at that time among the smelters of Butte, was up for hearing and was a burning issue of the day with many people. At that time the smoke hung like a pall over the business section of Butte for days at a time and there was great dissatisfaction among the resident of town. People could not see half way across the streets and the smoke was stifling. There were rumors and threats that the smelters would be blown up and for a while it looked dangerous for peace and order, but Mayor Mueller took a firm stand in the matter and the only one that could have been taken under these circumstances. He stationed himself at the head of 100 men, all representative citizens, and they went to the offending smelters with pick and shovel and covered up the “stink heaps” so that they were no longer a menace to health. Then legislation was adopted prohibiting outside roasting and the smoke was no longer a menace to the county and the city.

Regret His Death

     There were many citizens, who, when told of the death of Mr. Mueller yesterday, eulogized him in unstinted terms.

     Mr. Mueller’s most recent trip in search of better health was to Southern California and on his return he was caught in the washouts and compelled to go a long distance out of his way in order to reach Butte. However, he met a number of Butte men while on the train and they all helped to make the tedious journey as pleasant as possible and robbed it of many of its discomforts.

     Mr. Mueller was a member of the Butte Lodge of Elks, the Sons of Hermann and an honorary member of the Kreitzverein.

     It has been decided that the funeral services will be held Thursday morning at 9:30 o’clock, at the home, the body being taken to St. Patrick’s church, where a high mass of requiem will be celebrated. All of the lodges in which Mr. Mueller had membership will assist in the services. Friends are requested to omit flowers.