The record-union., 1892-02-15
HENRY OSCAR BEATTY.
His Death at the Advanced Age of
Eighty Years.
A Long Life of Usefulness. Marked
by Industry, Temperance and
Ability of High Order.

Judge Henry Oscar Beatty died at his
home in this city yesterday after an ILL
ness of several weeks. Deceased was 50
years of age, having been born at Wash
ington, KY, on the 31st of May. 1872. Be-
fore he was twenty years of age he was
seized with a desire to try his fortune in
the Lone Star State. He remained in
Texas but two or three years, however,
returning to his Kentucky home. He
then removed to Ohio, where he was adj
mitted to the bar, and was married in
1896, at Monclover, to Miss Runyon.
Two years later he returned to Kentucky
and practiced law until 1851, when he
started for California, arriving in Sacra-
mento in February, 1852.
Here he resumed his profession, but in
1868 joined in the rush to the Washoe
country and settled in Virginia City,
where he soon had an excellent law prac-
tice. In 1864 he was elected Chief Justice
of the Supreme Court of Nevada, his son,
w. Ii. Beatty (now Chief Justice Of Cali
formal, being at the same time elected as
one of the District Judges there.
In 1868 Justice Beatty resigned his Office
and returned to Sacramento, where he
continued TO practice law until about ten
give it up, owing to partial loss of hear
ing. He preceded Selden Hetzel one
term as Register of the United States
Land Office. In 1872 Judge Beatty con-
ceived the idea of starting the Funded
Debt Commission, to hanGle the city $
debt, aud drafted a bill to that effect
which the Legislature passed. From
that day until his death, except for a
brief interval, Judge Beatty was an ac-
tive member of the commission; indeed,
he was almost the commission itself, and
has fought for it through good and evil
report. 1t is safe TO say that, but for
Judge Beattys able defense of the COM
mission against all attacks. it would have
been abolished years ago.
From 1874 to 1876 Judge Beatty was q
Director of the smelling works at Twelfth
street and the north levee. and personally
looked after the interests of The enter
prise, frequently spending more hours
per day at the works than any of the en-
ployes, About the time Judge Beatty
became a member of the Funded Debt
Commission he owned some four hun
dred eighty foot building lots in this city,
but they have been mostly disposed Of
Deceased leaves, besides his wife, one
son tthe present Chief Justice w. ii.
Beatty and three daughters-Mrs. Judge
benson, Mrs. Kew. Ward Willis and
Mrs. George f.. Bates.
Judge Beatty was a man of remarkable
mental and physical activity. Although
81 years OF age, his mind was rs clear and
strong as al any time in his life. The
ablest hnanciers among those who took
issue with the Bond Commissioners
found in Judge Beatty, even up to the
last, a foeman who never admitted de-
feat, but was always ready with puz-
ZlIng array of figures TO SubStantiate all
the claims that he made for the sound
ness of the commissions plans for ex-
tinguishing the city debt. He was man
OF purity OF character, positive and earnest
in support of his opinions, but always
courteous and refined in his bearing to-
ward others. He was practical temper
ance man, good citizen, tender, aiIec-
tionate husband and father, and was
loved and respected by the entire COM
munity.
At the request of the deceased. only
relatives and a few very intimate friends
will be expected TO attend the funeral,
which will be private.