Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-06
The Late Thomas h, Florence.
HIS LAST HOURS-HIS LIFE AND PUBLIC
sERvICES-OBsEQUIEsT TODAY.

evenings STAR. passed away calmly and
peacefully at his residence, 42S It'll street,
South washington, at 40 p. m. on Sunday.
de remained conscious, apparently suffering
but little pain, until about an hour before
his death, and recognized and conversed with
many friends who called to see him During
the day, referring TO his baptism in the Cath
ollc faith, he said =" Whatever our vagaries
may be, when In health, about religion, we
all have TO come back at last to early teach.
ings. / could not be sustained on my dying
oed unless l had made my peace with Col
and felt reconciled to Jesus. MY soul is calm
and peaceful now, and do not dread death"
Col. Florence was born in Philadelphia in
1872, and was consequently i'm the 9th year
OF his age. His parents were poor, aud could
give him but common school education.
He applied himself diligently, however, anu
before entering his majority was made sec
rotary o. the board of controllers of public
schools of Pennsylvania, a position win, ch
he retained for nine years He served an APP
premiership at hat-making, and established
for himself profitable business. He was a
leading member of the Hope Hose Fire COM
pany noted organization of its time, be-
fore the invention of steam fire engines. He
was also captain of a leading military organi-
zation and during the riots of 1874 he was sta
TONED with his company 10 guard the church
OF st. Philip de Neri, which ne did with such
bravery that he was presented by the pastor
with prayer book taken from Off its altar.
He was also leading spirit in the Brother
hood of the Union" a secret society in the
interests of the wOrkingmen. He was also
Grand Worthy Patriarch of the Sons of Tenn
perance OF Pennsylvania, and i'm that capa-
city organized hundreds OF divisions. About
the year 1916 he established the Shirt of the
IdHss, which was subsequently merged in
the keystone about 1850, and as early as 1854
he vas the editor of the Philadelphia Arutse
all of them democratic newspapers. In 1916
he was defeated for Congress from the LIST
district OF Pennsylvania. He was nominated
and again defeated in 1913, but i'm 1850 he was
successful, and he served continuously until
1s5J. he was an active and influential mem
Der OF the Committee on Naval Affairs and
Invalid Pensions. He was also elected to the
Both Congress, and then he established the
democratic Quarterly Review" After this
the CONSTITUTIONAL Union, daily and weekly,
was established here, and as it's editor and
proprietor he made il very successful; but
the daily was suspended in 1861 or '6S and his
next venture in the newspaper world was the
Sunday Gdzettc, OF this city. In 1865 he was
The candidate of the democratic party in the
I'd Congressional district. running against
the Hon. Charles O'Neil, and though the dis
trict was overwhelmingly republican, he
reduced Mr.. ONeil's majority materially.
In 1872 he was again candidate, from the
LIST district, and was defeated by a small
majority. Had he retained his health he
would have contested the las election.
The loss Of Col. Florence will he keenly
felt, not only by his immediate relatives, but
by thousands of friends whom he made by
ms warm, genial manner and his natural
Kindness of heart. Always a democrat, he
was never partisan, and had the rare facuI-
ty not only of retaining the fullest confidence
OF his political friends, but the Sincerest es-
TEEN OF ms political opponents. An ener
getlc and Industrious public servant, he
made record unmarried by the slightest
stain affecting his personal or official integ-
rity. Perhaps the great secret of his personal
popularity was his untiring and unselfish
labor for his friends, and even for strangers
whom he believed TO be needy and desery-
Ing. His goodness of heart in this respect
won for him the title among many of 1.-The
WIDOWS friend" title which he richly
merited because of his kind offices in secur-
log them employment and contributing from
MS own private purse towards their relief.
Ii should be mentioned that during his long
and painful Illness he was most aSsiduously
and unfortunately attended by his niece,
Miss Lucy f. Norman.
THE FUNERAL.
The funeral of Col, Thomas Il. Florence, of
the Sunday Gazette, took place at noon to-day
from his late residence, on eth street, between
ID and + southwest. The remains, which
were clothed in suit OF black cloth, looked
very natural, and, Notwithstanding his long
illness. did not appear to have lost much in
hesh The body was placed in a handsome
metallic casket, of rosewood finish, with
glass top, and lined with satin throughout.
III was silver mounted, FURNISHED with ten
silver bar handles, and on the top was
silver plate, inscribed Thomas b. Florence,
born January 26th 1872; died July 18th, 1875 -
Around the edges of the casket loving hands
had placed wreath of beautiful white
flowers, and on the table at the head were
some rare flowers near the crucifix and
candles. During the morning large numbers
of the friends OF the deceased called TO take
last sad view of his face. At noon
Mr.. John Morris, with Miss Lucy +. Nor
man, Mrs. Spangler, nieces of the deceased,
ana other Immediate friends of the decea Sed .
entered the parlOr, and Rev. Father Powers
OF 81. DOminicks, conducted the burial ser
vices OF the church, in the course OF which he
made some feeling remarks as to the noble
life OF the deceased. The remains were then,
under the direction of Mr.. j. c. Lee, of Lee
BTothers, undertakes, removed TO the
hearse-Messrs. w. w. Warden, l.. A. Go
bright, John Beck, Michael X. Walsh, w. j.
Murtagh, Crosby S. Noyes, ID. {. FOrney and
VIM. Dickson acting as bearers Some
little delay was Occasioned by Miss Mormon
falnting as they were about to remove the
corpse, but through the prompt applicat ton
ofrestOrative she recovered shortly, aud the
cOrtege proceeded to the Baltimore and Po-
tomac depot, where the remains were
placed on the New York train for Philadel-
phia, and the interment will take place there
Tomorrow. Mr.. Morris, with the two nieces
of deceased, went on the train. There was
Florence present. and every journal in the
District was represented.
OFFICIAL VISIT TO THE CENTENNIAL
GRoUNDS.-Dr. III. A. Schumacher, consul
general OF the German empire, with several
attaches OF his office and number OF prOmi
nent persons representing interests In that
empire, yesterday visited the centennial eX-
ICslt.Op prOundS a phiIa1alnhia Tho