The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1890-05-17
SENATOR JAS. 8. eEcX.
A Brief Biographical Sketch Of the man
by the Gazette's Washington Corro-
SD ondent.

WAsH1NGToN, May 13,-S Senator
James b, Beck the Senior
Senator from Kentucky dropped
dead from heart paralysis IN the
Baltimore and Potomac Railway
Station. There has been no more
sudden and appalling death Of
prominent naa for years. He fell
aud died IN the depot in which
Gen. Garfield was assassinated
nearly ten years ago.
Senator Beck was born IN Sco,-
land 1922. He received an acade-
mic cdueationin his native country,
and came to the United States
with his parents when {. young
man Of seventeen OF eighteen.
They settled in Kentucky aud the
future Senator Immediately start
cd to work to earn a living. He
was employed IN various minor
capacities.
a story illustrating the innate
honesty of the man, even in his
carly days, was related last night
by u genteman who was thorough
" we'll acquainted with him. Mr..
Beck. tho gentleman, SAID was
employed in Cynthans Kv.,
/ about one Of the stables there
Here he came under the notice Of
Gen John q. Breckenridge, who
was attracted to him by his lntoi-
ligence, industry, and good ma
t1re. Gen. Breckenridge was one
of the leading lawyers Of his sec
ton at this time, aud ono day he
brought down u copy of Black
stone and gave it young Beck.
lie read il thoroughly and showed
such Il strong desIe to become a
lawyer that Gen. Breckenridge
took hlm into his Office at LeXing-
ton Ky. Here be entered tho iaw
school Of TransyIvanla University,
from wlicl he was graduated in
1916,
When General Breckenridge
went is,o the late wal, Mr.. Beck,
who was his law partner, took
charge of bis affairs and Of his
law practice. Gen. Breckinridge
at that time owned large tract
Of uudeyconed lards in the
| Northwest, Alr Beck mana ed the
law practice and interests COM
mlttod TO his care SO jud.ciously
and honestly that he was sobse-
qncntly able to turn over 10 Mrs.
Brecklnridgs $150.000. Tins IL.
! cldent, il is said, becoming known,
aided materially ii his first cleo
ton to Congress.
Mr.. Beck devoted himself in
| bis eIrly ycars to the law aad to
business affairs, amassing a fair
competence before beginning his
political career IN Congress. lie
Was q Wing 10 his early years, but
when his law partner Geueral
Breckinrldge went into the Dem
ocratic party he carried Mr.. Deck
who was deYotedly attached to his
interests, with him. In 1866 he
was first elected to Congress as a
representative in the EOrtieth
Congress from the Ashland Ky ]
district. He was re elected to the
! Forty-frst Congress in which body
he made an able reply 30 George
S. Boutwell,, arguing against the
: adoption Of the fifteenth amend
ment to the Constitution-declar.
ing that tho eright Of suffrage shoalc
not be abridged on account OF
race, color, or previous condition
of servitude-on the ground that
: the regulation Of suffrage shoulc
) be left TO the States.
Beng elected to the Forty-sec,
ond and Forty-third Congresses
Mr.. Beck served on the Ways
and Means Committee. He studiec
tariff questions with great assld
ulty, and became recognized
a authority on these matters. Ht
declined reelection 70 the House
and IN 1876, he was elected to the
Senate.
Among those who entered tn,
Senate at this time with HIM were
: Messrs Hoar, of Mass. Ben Hill
S of Ga; David Davis, Of Illinois
: Plumb, of Kane; Garland Of Ark
. Mcpherson, Coke and Harris auC
! ! ex-Secretary Kirkwood OF Iowa.
He took a prominent part In tn
1 Senate in the legislation which re
5 suited in the passage of the Blan'
i silver bill. He was always an al
e voeate of liberal silver policy
5 aud at this time offered a measur
g proposing the coinage Of not les
2 than SO, 100000 monthly. II
! = was assigned to the committees OF
Appropriations and Finance, prob
ably the two most important CON
mittees o. the Senate. 1t is yer