The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-24

uoASAcN VI buSSo MOulu NIodh SuCAl AnStlu =
evils upon the moral life OF the nation as
Morton with his doctrine of hate.
Ex-Governor rhOms 5, of Maryland.
The telegraph announces the death of ex-
Governor Francis Thomas, of Maryland,
who was accidentally killed by an engine on
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad on Saturday
evening last. There were ia Maryland two
Ex-Governor Thomas's. Oneis Philip Francis
Thomas, member of the present congress,
and the other the subject of this notice.
When men die who leave their impress
upon their state, and whose influence has
been felt throughout the country, it is emf
nently proper that their careers should be
sketched in order that the people may know
the loss they have sustained. Such a man
was Governor Thomas, and the Sentinel
will endeavor to give the main incidents of
his life, and sketch the most prominent
traits in his character.
Francis Thomas was born in a farm house
near PetersvilIe in Frederick county, Mary
land, on the third day of February, 1899
and had he lived few days longer,
would have been II years old. He studied
law and was admitted to the bar in 1921, on
reaching his majority. He located in Fred
erick, the capitel of his native county, and
there practiced his profession for many
years with great success. He entered public
life in 1922 as delegate from his county to
the state legislature, and with several inter
missions of few years each, was in the SER
vice of bis state and that of the United
States until he died. He was in the Mary
land legislature in 1922, ~ and '29; q menu
Der of congress in 1881 and 1871, and from
1861 to 1869; governor of Maryland from 1S41
to 1874; president of the Chesapeake 81 Ohio
canal in 1899; member of the state constitu-
tional convention in 1850; collector of internal
revenue in the Cumberland district for sew
eral years after he left congress, and re
Gently United States minister to Peru.
His opponent tor governor in 1S41 was
William Cort Johnson, man of decided
ability, and the author of the scheme for the
federal government TO assume the debts of
the states. Thomas and johnson canvassed
Maryland thoroughly and made speeches in
every county in the state. Mr.. Thomas had
been the president of the Chesapeake 81 Ohio
canal, which company had Issued alarge
was unable to redeem its issues, and the
scrip being in the hands of the people they
suffered great loss. This fact Mr.. Johnson
dwelt upon, and by it took many votes
away from his competitor. He was in the
habit, in his public speeches, of holding in
one hand a bill issued by the canal COM
pany and signed by Mr.. Thomas promising
to pay the bearer five dollars on demand,
and in the other a twenty-five cent piece.
He would read the first, and say, "This
is what my competitor promised to pay
you, and this is what he pays" (The bills
were worth but five cents on the dollar
Notwithstanding this strong point against
him, Mr.. Thomas was elected. At this time
he was bachelor, AZ years old, in vigorous
health, with dark complexion, black hair
and eyes, and weighed about los pounds.
His person was well knit, his face open and
frank and of a decided intellectual cast. He
the state, and brilliant future was pre-
dicted for him. After he was elected gov.
ernor and before he was inaugurated, be
married a daughter of James Mcdowell
then governor of Virginia. She was young,
pretty and gay, and he in middle life, studi-
GUS and sedate. They were i'll suited to each
other, and from the union came much
trouble and misery. Governor Thomas was
unressonably jealous of the attentions paid
his wife and became estranged from some OF
his nearest friends on this account. In a
short time be and his wife separated, and be
sent her to the home of her father
Several personal alterations between
him and the relatives of the wife grew
out of this separation, and none of them
redounded to his credit. While governor Of
the state, be assaulted the husband of his
wife's sister at public hotel. For this of
tense he was tried and fined by justice OF
the peace whom he had himself appointed
Being In stage coach one night which
Colonel Thomas Ii. Benton who was g
relative of his wife attempted to enter, he
struck him q severe blow with an umbrella
He seemed to have an sntipstby to all his
wife's family and let no opportunity pass
to show it. 1t is probable that this domes-
tic trouble affected his mind to certain ex
tent, for after he left the governors Office be
became dissipated and reckless. He played
often and for heavy stakes. Once, when or
his means and testified that he had lost s74,
600 in gambling. He thus wasted bis for
tune and with it bis character, to great ex
tent. At last he seemed to realize his situa
ton and determined to regain his character
and retrieve his fortunes. He borrowed
loroa sr,,r, Of raouau of his forfa ar low rorf