The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-08
SENATOR BECK DEAD
He Drops Lifeless in 4 Wash
ingt0n Railroad Station.
PARALYSIS OF THE HEART.
Ds0oersss Lose Their Ablest Leader In
he uDDes nesss-A shsss Bic
graphical Sketch.

dead in the Baltimore 4 Potomac station
~ O'Clock this afternoon. He had Just
arrived from New York, accompanied by
his daughter. Mrs. Goodloe. wife OF Major
Goodioe, United States marine corps. He
got on Of the train with the rest Of the
passengers and walked with his daughter
the entire length OF the platform aud
through the gate leading TO the station
proper. He seeEed to walk with effort and
70 breathe with labor. bat those symptoms
had been the usual accompaniment Of ex-
ertson with him for some months past
After passing into the station the senator
and his daughter stopped and were joined
by his private secretary. who had brought
carriage TO take them home
few words we're exchanged with regard
to care OF the baggage. when the senator
suddenly turned pale, and With the remark
ifeel dizzy" fell into the arms of his COM
psnions. They could not support his
weight and he dropped to the floor. where
he swooned away. Willing hands were
numerous. and the 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 super
fciai examination only was possible at the
tiue, but SUFFICIENT to satisfy the physicians
that death resulted from paraly sis Of the
heart.
The news was teIegraphed TO the
capitol, and subsequently TO oil sections of
the city. Representatives Breckenridge,
Caruth. Stone and others, of the Ken
lucky congressional delegation, repaired to
the station at once and arranged for re-
movaI Of the remains to . more suitable
place.
The body OF Senator Beck was removed
from the station to the house OF Repre-
sentative Breckinridge, of Kentucky. No
arrangements have as yet been made for
the funeral Major and Mrs. Goodloe, SON.
in-law and daughter of Beck. expressed .
willingness 10 leave all the arrangements
for the funeral in the hands of the Ken
lucky delegation.
Beck left q son named George. who at
present is somewhere in Wyoming His
Goodloe.
James Burnie Beck was born in Dunn
friesshire, Scotland, February Is. 1922. He
received an academic education in his ma
tive country, and, coming TO the United
States with his parents. settled in Lexing-
ton, KY, and was graduated at the Law
school of Transylvania university in that
place in 1914. He then practiced law in
Lexington and in 1866 was elected TO con-
rrcss. serving four consecutive terms, from
1866 till 1875. In May. 1876, he was an
pointed q member OF the commission TO de-
tine the Virginia and Maryland boundary,
and In the same year was elected &c the
United States Senate. He took his seat
March L. 1871. was reelected in 1882 and
again ia 1859. He was the ablest speaker
in the Senate on the Democratic
side. His attack on the Wall street
financial policy of the Cleveland ad-
ministration gave him great prominence.
Senator Beck bad not been regular in
attendance upon sessions of 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 con.
nected was the ''undervaluation BILL"
which passed the Senate In March, 1885
He woi ked on that measure with constant
devotion " says Senator Allison, who was
associated with him. until il was disposed
Of. One morning. shortly afterwards. he
came into the room OF the committee say
ing he had been sick the night before. and
Was not then feeling well. That
was the first time he was ever
known 10 be sick, and from
that time forward he was never well man
again" During the debate on the Senate
substitute for the Mills bill he was not able
10 take part and his absence was q great
loss to the Democratic ranks. He was not
able Tn be present at the opening of the
special session in March. 1889, and was
sworn in by president pro tenn. Ingalls,
some days afterward. He had visited the
capitol occasionally since the opening of
the Fifty-first congress. but took no part In
the proceedings except 10 vote, and his last
appearance in the chamber was on the day
the case of the new Montana senators, San
ders and Power. was settled. Senator Beck
was greatly beloved by the employees of the
Senate for his uniform kindness and cour-
tesy, and his active interest in their well
fare