Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1890-05-10
SENATOR BECK DEAD.
Stricken Down While Conversing IN
a Railroad Depot.
He Had Just Returned from New York
ana His Daughter Was With Him

He Had Just Returned from New York
and His Daughter Was With Him
His Long sickness.
Senator James L. Beck, of Kentucky, drop
ped dead in the Baltimore and Potomac Rail-
road station, at Washington at o'clock Sat
urtlay afternoon. He had just arrived on the
limited express from New York, and was nc
companicd by his daughter, Mrs. Goodloe, wife
of Maj Goodloc, of the United States Marine
Corps. He got oil the train with the rest OF
the passengers and walked with his daughter
the entire length of the platform and through
the gate leading to the station proper lie
seemed to walk with an effort and to breathe
with labor, but these symptomswere thcuSual
accomplishments ofeXcrtion with himfor some
months past.
After pussing into the station, the Senator
and his daughter stopped and were joined by
his private secretary, who had brought car
rage to take him home. 4 few words were en-
changed with regard to the care of baggage
when the Senator suddenly turned pale and
with the remark, 81 feel dizzy" fell into the
arms of his companions. They could not sup
port his weight and he dropped Ia the iloor,
where he swooncd away. His daughter was
naturally alarmed and screamed for help.
was crowded nj the time, and the limp ana
helpless body VAS borne into The office OF the
station master about twenty feet away.
Great excitement ensued. and, although II
was apparent that the Senator was dead, halt
a dozen messengers were Immediately dis
patched for physicians and all the remedies at
hand were applied. but all TO no effect. pr.
Chamberlain was the first physician To arrive
and he was socn followed by DIR. Wells and
Il. L., fn In
except TO examine the body and determine tho
cause Of death.
4 superficial examination only was possible
at the time, but this was sufficient TO satisfy
the physicians that death resulted from pa
ralvSis of the heart and Immediately followed
the attack The news was telegraphed 10 The
Capitol and subsequently spread like wildiirc
to all sections Of the city Representatives
Breckinridgc, Caruth, Stone and othors OF the
Kentucky Congressional delegation, repaired
10 the station at once and arranged for the re-
moyal of the remains TO the house of :.epre-
sentative breckenridge. of Kentucky, Oh Cap.
itol Hill.
HIS ILLNESS.
Senator Ecck had not been regular in hisnt-
tendance in the Senate for Two years. and was
in his seat but few times this Congress. The
last legislation OF general importance with
which he was connected was the "undcrval.
uations bill" which passed the Senate IN
March, 1888 He worked OH that measure with
constant devotion. One morning shortly after
wards, he came into the room of the appfoprla.
tions committee saying he had been sick the
night before. That was the first time lie had
ever been known TO be sick and from that time
forward he was never we'll man. During the
debate on the tariff bill, reported TO the SEN
ate as a substitute for the Mills BILL he was
moi able to take part, and his absence was
great loss 10 the Democrats. lie visited the
Capital occasionally this winter but took no
part except to vote. His last appearance was
the day the case ofthe new Montana Senators
Sanders and PowerS-was settled.
SKETCH OF SENATOR BECK.
Senator james 3. Beck was born in Scot
land February IS. 1899, and came to this
country early in life aud having determined
to be 4 lawyer. read and was admitted 10 the
bar He entered politics and served with dis
tinction four terms in the House of Repre-
scntatives. lie was on number Of impor-
tant committees, including that OIL reconstruc-
lion, aud that on appropriations. He de,
clined further denomination and was elected
United States Senator from Kentucky for
the term of six years from March j. 1871, was
reelected for Il second term OF six years. In
politics he was Democrat, but was highly
respected by members OF both parties for his
craftsmanship and ready skill and power III
debate.
Among the notable measures with which his
name was connected was the bill to prevent
the certiiication by banks Of stockholders
checks unless these represented cash actually
deposited with them. lie also opposed the
assessment Of government employees Tor po-
]itical purposes.