December 3 - Billy Midwinter, Australian cricketer (b. 1851)
December 26 - Heinrich Schliemann, German archaeologist (b. 1822)
December 31 - Pancha Carrasco, Costa Rican war heroine (b. 1826)
Events
January 1 - Eritrea is consolidated into a colony by the Italian government.
January 22 - The United Mine Workers of America was founded in Columbus, Ohio.
January 25 - Nellie Bly completes her round-the-world journey in 72 days.
February 24 - Chicago is selected to host the Columbian Exposition
March 4 - The longest bridge in the Great Britain, the Forth Bridge (railway) (1,710 ft) in Scotland is opened by the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII.
March 27 - A tornado strikes Louisville, Kentucky, killing 76 and injuring 200.
April 7 - Completion of the first Lake Biwa Canal.
April 14 - The Pan-American Union is founded by the First International Conference of American States in Washington, D.C.
May 12 - The first-ever official County Championship match begins. Yorkshire beats Gloucestershire by eight wickets at Bristol. George Ulyett scores the first century in the competition.
June 1 - The United States Census Bureau begins using Herman Hollerith's tabulating machine to count census returns.
July 1 - Canada and Bermuda are linked by telegraph cable.
July 2 - The U.S. Congress passes the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
July 3 - Idaho is admitted as the 43rd U.S. state.
July 10 - Wyoming is admitted as the 44th U.S. state.
August 6 - At Auburn Prison in New York murderer William Kemmler becomes the first person to be executed by electric chair.
November 29 - The Meiji Constitution goes into effect in Japan and the first Diet convenes.
November 29 - At West Point, New York, the United States Naval Academy defeats the United States Military Academy 24-0 in the first Army-Navy football game.
December 22 - Cornwallis Valley Railway begins operation between Kingsport and Kentville, Nova Scotia.
December 29 - United States soldiers clash with members of the Great Sioux Nation in the Wounded Knee Massacre.
