Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-06-26
JUDGE M'CRARY.
Death of an Eminent Jurist and
Legislator.
SKETCH OF THE DECEASED'S CAREER.
His Services in Congress, Secretary of
War and on the Iench-Also in Settling
the TiIden and Hayes
Dispute.

ST. JOSEPH Mo-, June 24.-Ex-Secre-
tary of War George w. McCrary died at
the residence Of his son-in-law, Dr. w.
c. Boetcler, at ten o'clock yesterday
morning. He had been i'll for a long
time and had been confined to his bed
for a month, being taken down shortly
after his arrival here to visit his daugh-
ter, Mrs. BOeteler His complaint was
tumOr of the stomach. He leaves wife
and children. The remains will be
taken to KeOkuk, Iowa, for burial on
special train.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
George w. McCrary was born in Indiana.
near Evansville, August 20, 1895. In the
same year his Irents removed to McDO-
nough County. Illinois, and in 1897 journeyed
sill furth west and settled in what is now
Van Buren County, Iowa. Here amidst the
privations and dangers of a settlers life
George McCrary grew to maturity, the toll
IN Lardships having no little influence in
developing the sterling qualities which ap
pcared in his life.
His education was such as could be gained
by the eaIn'st study to which he devoted
II time at the new V formed schools of that
region and at an academy near his home.
Arr wing at the age of nineteen, his habits
of close and Systematic reading had gained
him the re -utation of being the best In
formed man in the community. 1t was at
this age that he determined to enter the
legal profession, and to that end he became
student in til" Law Office of Rankin & Mil
Ter as student. In 1855 re passed a perfect
examination and was admitted to the bar
and soon became "A member of the firm with
ich he had studied
In politics Mr.. McCrary was Republican.
in
his election as n member of the popular
branch OF the Iowa Legislature in 1857.
'henccforward his history as a public ser
want Is one constant record of upward steps;
in 1851 he was elected a State Senator; in
l g. he was sent to Congress from the First
low district and here he served eight years.
long before the end of which time he was
universally considered one of the leaders
OF the House, and his unswerving de-
votion to justice, thorough knowledge
oi tue rules and precedents of the House, an
nvariable assumption of a dignifled and
manly position on all questions, were the
elements which conduced to tlis leadership
which was never misused. For perhaps the
first time in the hist Dry of the House he pre-
vailed upon its members TO vote upon
election cases without regard to party affil-
iatlons. He was also the first to propose a
lawful and peaceabie solution of the dis
puted election OF President Hayes by advo-
eating the Joint Congressional Committee of
which he was leading member,
In lSd1 MIR. McCr Iry received the appoint
ment of Secretary of War; Here he distin-
guished himself by valuable services in CON
nection with the p:inting of the Union and
confederate archives, by his prompt action
IN handling the army forces and suppress
ing the threatened destruction of life and
property during the great railway strike of
1871, and by his humane efforts in behalf of
the Southern yellow fever sufferers of 1873.
In the latter part o. 1873 Mr.. McCrary re-
signed his Cabinet position to enter upon a
new field of usefulness, becoming Judge of
the United States Cir nit Court for the
Eighth judicial CIRCUIT an immense terri
tory stretching from Missouri to Colora 10,
from Arkansas to Minnesota. Here again
his love of truth and Justice. his EXTENSIVE
legal knowledge and his capacity for dis
posing of the mass of work thrown upon
him, won him fresh Iaurels, and when he
resigned in 1854 il was an occasion of deep
regret to ALI with wh ni Re had been brought
into contact.
In ths year last mentioned he locs1ed in
Kansas City aad accepted the important
position of general eosnsel for the Atchison,
Topeka X Santa Fe railrnad which position
he held until the time of his death He also
enjoyed large private practice and had as
sociated with him therein Messrs. Wallace
Pratt and Frank Hagerman.
Judge McCrary has been for thirty years
an active isaessaaer of the Unitarian Church
and was prominent sn.on z the conservatives
OF that denomination in all discussions on
its religious standing and has published
series of letters advocating a distinctively
Christian basis for church work
In the year 1851 he was united in matri-
mony to Miss Helen 9eiatt, of Van Buren
Coanty, Iowa, who with five children sur-
wives nina. The union was one OF dnalloyed
happiness, each icing eminently fitted in
temperament to aid and assist the other.