The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-15
OBITUARY.
Ex-senator John A. Stein, of the Lafayett
Bar.
oil 20 fba J,Si


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LAFAYETTE, Ind. Aug. l--,John A. Stein,
one Of the most prominent attorneys in the
State, died at his home in this city at 545 this
morning, after lingering illness. This morn
ing meeting of the bar was held, at which
Samuel P. Saird, John r. Coftroth, Frank
Everett, Jay Il. Adams and John l.. Miller were
appointed committee to propose suitable reso
lutions The meeting reassembled this after
noon, and adopted the memorial proposed by the
committee The bar will attend the funeral in
a body, as will, Also the members of the Grand
Army and the survivors of the Tenth Regiment
John A. Stein was born March 3, 1882, in
Dauphin county, Pennsylvania His father was
a farmer, and his early days were spent OF a
farm At the age Of thirteen young Stein pushed
out for himself, and engaged as a clerk in the
house Of VIM. A. Horstmann & Sons, in Phila-
delphia. a house which survives to the present
In 1849 he entered on the study of law at Leba-
non, Pa, in the Office of Hon. T. M. Bibighous
Two years later he was induced by his
friend, Col G. 0. Benin, to remove to La
fayette, where he entered as a student
under Behms uncle Hon. Godlove S. Ortiz On
his twenty first birthday he was admitted by
Judge Bryant to the bar, and soon after he be-
came a junior member In the law firm with
whom he had been studying, the firm becoming
Orth, Bracket q Stein. These were the days of
the anti slavery agitation, the forerunner of the
outbreak Of the civil war. The Republican
party was organized at Philadelphia in 1854, and
in 1856 it made its first national campaign, under
the lead of Col. John c. Fremont. In this cam
paign Mr.. Stein was a candidate upon State
ticket for Reporter of the Supreme Court Soon
after this the war broke out, and Mr. Stein vol
untered in the three months service in Company
e, Tenth Indiana Regiment of which he was
elected lieutenant. Afterwards he promoted
to be Adiutant- rannnal Nnnn tho oteff of Con.
Thomas 4. Morris. and in that capacity served
through the West Virginia campaign and to the
end of his time of service. He did
not re enlist, but returned home and resumed
his law practice. In 1866 he was elected to the
State Senate. Mr. Stein was of an outspoken
and impetuous disposition-not the BEST to win
success in practical life, and though usually
active in politics, he never afterwards filled any
elective Office. His last political candidacy was
for mayor of Lafayette, the Republican
ticket, in 1883, when he made creditable race,
but was defeated. In recognition of his early
services to the institution, he has been retained
as secretary of the board Of trustees of Purdue
University up to the present time. He also
city attorney for many years, and has always
occupied quite a prominent place in the public
affairs of the city.
John A. Stein was a man of clear and incisive
intellect, and very bright abilities. He was
man of that positive cast who are sure to inspire
either devoted friendship or bitter anmosity.
His aggressive character was stranger to
makeshitt or compromise. For months he has
been gradually sinking, from general giving out
by his overtaXed physical system; and the an
nouncement of his death was by no means unex-
pected. Mr. Stein leaves a wife and two
children-a son and daughter.