Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-05-10
WASHINGTON.
Death of Senator Beck---A Running
Sketch of his Life.

NhO NANJ NAAeNN '~NN-e'NS~
Jas. B. Beck, the Senior Senator from
Kentucky, had dropped dead from
heart paralysis in the Baltimore and
Potomac Railway Station. There has
been no more sudden and appalling
death of a prominent man for years.
He fell and died in the depot in
which Gen. Garfield was assinated
nearly ten years ago.
Senator Beck was born in Scotland
in 1922. He received an academic |
education in his native country, and
came to the United States with his |
parents when young man OF seven
teen or eighteen. They settled in
Kentucky and the future Senator
Immediately started to work to earn
a living. He was employed in va
rious minor capacities.
A story illustrating the innate hon
esty of the man, even in his early
days was related last night by gen.
tleman who was thoroughly well &C
quainted with him. Mr.. Beck, the
gentleman said, was employed in
Cynthiana, KY, about one of the sta
bles there. Here he came under the
notice of Gen. John G. Breckenridge,
who was attracted to him by his in
telligence, industry, and good nature.
Gen. Breckenridge was one of the
leading lawyers of his section at this
time, and one day he brought down
copy of Blackstone and gave it
to young Beck. He read it thorough
ly and showed such q strong de-
sire to become lawyer that Gen.
Breckenridge took him into his Office
at Lexington, Ky. Here he entered
the law school of Pennsylvania Uni
versity, from which he was gradua~
ted in 1916.
When General Breckenridge went
into the late war, Mr.. Beck, who was
his law partner, took charge of his
affairs and of his law practice. Gen.
Breckenridge at that time owned
large tract of undeveloped lands in
the Northwest. Mr.. Beck managed
the law practice and interests COM
mitteed to his care so judiciously and
honestly that he was subsequently
able to turn over to Mrs. Breckin-
ridge $l50,000. This incident, it is
said, becoming known, aided mate
rally In his first election to Congress.
Mr.. Beck devoted himself in his
early years to the law and to business
affairs, amassing a fair competence
before beginning his political career
in Congress. He was a Wing in his
early years, but when his law partner
General Breckenridge went into the
Democratic party he carried Mr..
Beck, who was devotedly attached to
his interests, with him. In 1866 he
was first elected to Congress as a rep
resentative in the Fortieth Congress
from the Ashland (Ky) district. He
was reelected to the Forty~frst Con
gres, in which body he made an able
reply to George S. Boutwell, arguing
against the adoption Of the fifteenth
amendment to the Constituencies
claring that the right of suffrage
should not be abridged on account O
race, color, or previous condition o
} servitude-on the ground that thu
, regulation of suffrage should be lef
to the States.
Being elected to the Forty-seconC
/ and Forty-third Congresses, Mr.
Beck served on the Ways and Means
. Committee. He studied tariff ques
tions with great assiduity and becam
a recognized authority on these mat
, tiers. He declined a reelection t
the House in 1876, and was elected t
the Senate.
I Among those who entered the Sen
, ate at this time with him were
MessrS. Hoar, of Mass Ben Hill, @
r Ga. David Davis, of Illinois
| Plumb, of Kans; Garland of Ark
Mcpherson, Coke and Harris, an
eXeSecretary Kirkwood of Iowa.
{ He took a prominent part in tn
t Senate in the legislation which resul
e ted in the passage of the Bland silve
e bill. He was always an advocate {
t a liberal silver policy and at thi
e time offered measure proposing tn
J, coinage of not less than 100000
e monthly. He was assigned to tn
4 committees on Appropriations an
: Finance, probably the two most i'm
[ portant committees of the Senate
e 1t is a very rare honor for Senate
t to be on both committees, and Sens
tor Beck was chosen because of hi
o.I-VNu,IOJrroI nI,;lsf,