New-York tribune., 1891-05-26
DEATH OF CONGRESSMAN HOUK
HE TAKES DOSE OF ARSENIC BY MISTAKE
APPARENTLY DOING WELL HE SUDDENLY
PASSES AWAY OWING TO THE EFFECT
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rkIBUsE.i


PASSES AWAY OWING TO THE EFFECT
OF THE POISON ON HIS HEART.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rxrBusE.l
Knoxville, Tenn, May 25.-L. q. Houk, the
Republican Representative in Congress from this
district for the last eleven years. died this morn
ing shortly after 6 o'clock Yesterday he drank
a glass of arsenic which be thought was ice-water
in Depew's drug store in North Knoxville. Anti
dotes were promptly administered, and by 10
O'Clock last night he was so we'll that nothing was
said about the circumstance except to o few
friends. He slept through the night and died
this morning suddenly. He had heart disease,
and the poison and excitement following the in
cident affected that organ and was the cause OF
death.
His death was deplored by all, and the courts
and number of business offices and houses have
been closed as a token of respect for the dead.
The dead Representative has always been a stanch
Republican, and has represented this district
in Congress in faithful and satisfactory man
ner. He leaves wife and seven children, with
thousands Of friends throughout the South. The
funeral will take place in the Church Street
Methodist Church Wednesday afternoon at
o'clock The burial will be in Gray Cemetery
the same hour on Sunday. kilograms from all
over the country rendering condolences have been
reaching the bereaved family all day.
Leonidas G. Houk born on June 9, 1885, IN
Sewer County, Tennessee. His life in youth was one
of labor and hardship Three months in country
school the limit Of his training before he set to
work to educate himself. lie apprentced 10
cabinet maker and after working all day devoted his
evenings TO study. Finally he read law In this way,
and admitted TO the bar in 1882 His previous
struggles and his kindly soon gained for him
considerable practice. But when the Civil War
broke out he dropped everything and enlisted IN the
first Tennessee regiment that mustered into the
Union service At first private soldier he was soon
promoted to a neutensncy. On February Q, 1852, he
received a commission colonel Of the 81 Tennessee
Infantry and served until April, 1ee3 when he re-
signed broken In health He then turned his atten-
ton to Journalism for a. year. He was delegate 10
the Loyal East Tennessee Convention, and 10 the con
ventton which met IN 1865 to reorganize the state
and to amend its constitution In 1865 no was elected
Judge Of the XVIIth Judicial District OF Tennessee,
and after serving IN that capacity four years removed
TO Knoxville and resumed the practice of law. In
1872 he held place under the Southern Claims Com
mission. His more intimate connection with National
politics began in 1ses when he was delegate 10 the
Republican Convention In Chicago, which nominated
Grant and Wilson. He was also candioate tor
eectoratlarge the Republican ticket In Tennessee.
He was in the same year member OF the House OF
Representatives in the State Legislature and such was
his personal popularity that he lost the speakership
BY only one vote, though the Democratic majority In
the House was a large one. He was an elector on
the Hayes and Wheeler ticket in 1875. In 1880 ne
chairman Of the Tennessee delegation to the Re
publican National Convention, and was one OF the
famous "three hundred and six" who voted throughout
to nominate General Grant for the Presidency third
time. His service In Washington began with his
election to the XLVIth Congress. Al his reelectlon
BY the fact that he received 5000 majority nearly
1000 more than had ever been given Republican In
the I'D District Of Tennessee He has represented
the district continuously since that time. He was
thoroughly familiar with Southern affairs, and was de-
voted to the true interests OF the South.