Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-01
Lieutenant Governor Thomas.
From the Richmond Enquirer.

cord sketch of his lite and of his services to
his State. Judge Thomas was born 10 the
county of Loudoun, and is now about e. years
of age After acquiring the best education
that could be afforded by the schools and acad-
envy Of his native county, he became law stu.
dent in the office of the late Burr w. Harri
son, one of the ablest lawyers 10 that section of
Virginia ProGtiDg by habits of the strictest
application aud the advantages OF Mr. Hcrrl-
sons ripe experience and extensive legal re-
search, it was not long before he obtained Ii
cense to practice, and removing to the adjoln-
ing county of Fairfax, where he has resided
ever since, he rose rapidly to leading position
at the bar and was soon elected to represent
the county 10 the House of Delegates. Since
that time he has beer almost continually IN
public life, occupying positions of trust and
honor and discharging the duties devolvng
upon him with fidelity that to say the least,
has built up ior him an envlable reputation for
purity. After remaining In the House Tor scve-
raj years be was elected to the Senate from The
district composed of the counties OF Lnudoun,
Fairfax and Alexandria, but his term OF service
was rendered short by the adoption Of the con-
stitution of 1852, and the consequent rear
rangcment Of the district He was iu,medi-
ately returned TO the body, however, from the
of Fairfax, his new district, aud continued to
represent it until some time during the war,
when. being cut off from his district by the
Federal occupation of that section, be was elect
ed by the General Assembly to the office OF
Second Auditor Of the State. This position
he held at the close of the War and the over
throw of our State government. During the
trials aud confusion incident TO the destruction
of our civil system, he was appointed by the
military authorities, 10 conjunction with Judge
John A. Meredith and the late amented Judge
William II. Lyons, one OF the judges OF the
Court of Cancellation. He continued to dis
charge the duties Of this position until the
court gave place to different judicial organl-
cation, when he returned to his home in the
county of Fairfax, and resumed the practice OF
law, but was very soon elected by the General
Assembly to the judgsbip of the Loudouo cir
cult, and was only superseded BY military
judge. Upon the reorganization OF the State
government, under the present constitution, he
was elected to the Senate from the district COM
posed of the counties Of Loudouu, Fairfax,
Prince William aud the city OF Alexandria,
Among the measures OF public interest and lm :.
portance With which the name OF Judge Inom-
as is prominently identified is :he building OF
the Washington Monument on the Capitol
umental structure, and to comblnd more ar
tistic merit than any work of the character Cd
the American continent. Though an appro-
priation for it had been made many years be-
fore Judge Thomas entered public life, it Was
through resolution Of his that the work took
shape and form, and was pushed to couple
ton. :.
Throughout his entire political career Judge
Thomas has been eminen.y Conservative. He
was the author of the resolution 10 the Vlr-
gDia Senate 10 1861, which called into exls-
tence the celebrated Peace Congress, and
though thoroughly Virglnian IN every sentl-
meut, and true to the letter tothe traditions OF
his State and people, his policy has ever been
conciliatory. H. is brilliant parliauentarlan,
and will adorn the char he has been called 10
fill.
DEATH OF A GIANT. The Baltimore SUI
says:
keeping u restaurant at Isl south Chester street.
on Fell's Point in this city, for Il year or two
past died early Friday morning. of 4 bron-
chial affection or consumption. Mr.. Murphy
was born in Waterford, Ireland, and was there
fore full. blooded Irish giant, and large one,
standing nearly eight feet in his stockings. He
WAS thrty-three years of age and unmarried.
Some months ago when he was in comparative
ly good hoalth, he weighed SOL pounds. He mad
weighed more wnen his health was better He
had been in this country tWenty-four years, nav
ing b. en- brought here by his father and mother,
who still live at the house on Chester 81. The
giant travelled three years with Barnum as one
of the great Living curlosltles OF the world In
his protes" ional career he visited every part OF
this country, from Maine to California and the
extreme South After terminating his engage
ment with Barnuul, the giant travelled with a
circus where he contracted the bronchial d.
sesse which finally ended his life. When IL
good health he hao fresh, pleasant face, and,
like all large men, and partlcu larly all giants,
except those of the story books and nursery
tales, was a, amiable as he was great in stature
He had very youthful expression of colnten-
snce, al-black hair, and his hands were so
large that one Of them cou cover the largest
head Of IN ordinary man, just as an ordinary
hand would cover an orange. bis feet were not
so large proportionately as the hands, but be-
side an ordinary shoe one of his shoes would
seem to be sufficient habitation for the old
woman Of the story book, who had so many
children she did not know what TO do When
the undertaken came to measure the dead giant
full eight feet long The coffin was nearly 81
feet long. The body was visited By hundreds of
people, the giant being we'll known on Felts
Point, where he was justly esteemed for his
smisbility. especially by the children, who,
after the first shrinking generally. liked to be
4e
heads of their parents as he could conveniently
hold them Some of the little boys in the neigh
borLood knew him only by the name of The
Clint The body lay in a small room, about
twelve feet square, against the, south wall, feet
towards the west stretching almost across the
apartment from side to side. Candles were
burning at the head, and foot, and sides of the
corpse, which was covered with 3 black pail;
with large white cross on the breast, and
crosses in the corners of the cloth. The father
of the giant, who is sixty-fve years of age prob
ably older, is large man When at his best
he stood over six feet in his stockings, though he
is now little bont The mother is not a large
woman, being not above the medium size for
the sex She is nearly her husband age. Both
abe old people are in good health, and seem Wig
orous for their years. Including the giant they
daughters. One son only is alive. Some Of the
children were understood. Only one "a SOM at
tanned the size of the father except the giant,
who exceeded the growth of the parent by near