Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-04
DROPPED DEAD.
Sudden Demise of Senator
Beck.
Paralysis of the Heart Strikes
Him Down.
He Expires at the Railway Station
at Washington.
Eminent Public Services of the Dead
Statesman-His Death Universally
Lamented.
Associated Press Dispatches. |

WASHINGTON, May 3.-Senator James
r. Beck, of Kentucky, dropped dead at
the Baltimore and Potomac station at 4
O'Clock this afternoon. He had just
arrived from New York, accompanied by
his daughter, Mrs. Goodloe, the wife of
Major Goodloe, of the United States
Marine Corps. He got off 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. He
seemed to walk with effort and to
breathe with labor, but the symptoms
were the usual accompaniments of eX-
ertion with him for some months past.
After passing into the station the Sena-
tor and daughter stopped and were
joined by his private secretary, who had
brought carriage to take them home.
A few words were exchanged with re-
gard to the care of their baggage, when
the Senator suddenly turned pale, and
with the remark, II feel dizzy" fell into
the arms of his companions. They could
not support his weight, and he dropped
to the floor, where he swooned
away. Willing hands were num-
erous, and his limp and helpless
body was borne into the office of
the station-master, about twenty feet
away. When physicians arrived there
was nothing for them to do, except to
examine the body and determine the
cause of death. A superficial examina-
ton only was possible at the time, but
it was sufficient to satisfy the physicians
that death resulted from paralysis of the
heart.
The news was telegraphed to the cap
itol, and subsequently spread to all sec
tions OF the city. Representatives
Breckenridge, Caruth, Stone and others
of the Kentucky Congressional delega-
ton repaired to the station at once and
arranged for the removal of the remains
to more suitable place.
His Last Public Services.
Senator Beck had not been in regular
attendance upon the sessions of the SEN
ate for two years, and was in his seat
but a few times this Congress. The
last legislation Of general import
ance with which he was con-
nected was the Under Valuation
bill, which passed the Senate in March,
1888. He worked on that measure with
constant devotion, says Senator Allison,
who was associated with him, until it
was disposed of. One morning shortly
afterwards be came into the room of the
committee saying he had been sick the
night before, and was not feeling well
then. That was the first time he had
ever been known to be sick, and from
that time forward he was never a well
man again. During the debate of the
Senate substitute for the Mills bill, he
was not able to take part, and his alb
sence was a great loss to the Demo-
Gratis ranks. He was not able
to be present at the opening of the
1889, and was sworn in by President
pro tenn Ingalls, some days afterwards.
He visited the capitol occasionally since
the opening of the 51st Congress, but
took no part in the proceedings, except
to vote. His last appearance in the
chamber was on the day the case of the
new Montana Senators, Sanders and
Power, was seated.
Senator Beck was greatly beloved by
the employees of the Senate for his uni
form kindness and courtesy, and his
active interest in their welfare.
Biographical Sketch.
James Burnie Beck was born in Dunn
friesshire, Scotland, February 13, 1922.
He received an academic education in
his native country, and coming to the
United States with his parents, settled
in Lexington, Kentucky, and was grad
uated at the law school of Transvlvania
University in that place in 1916. He
then practiced law in Lexington, and in
1866 was elected to Congress, serving
four consecutive terms, from 1867 till
1875. In May, 1876, he was appointed
a member of the commission to define
the boundary between West Virginia
and Maryland, and in the same year was
elected to the United States Senate. He
took his seat on the 4th of March, 1877,
and was reelected in 1882 and again in
1888. During his Congressional career
Mr.. Beck served on important commit
tees, and was often prominent in i'm
portant debates. He was specially in
tereested in questions relating to tariff
md 1