The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-07-27
JOHN HANCOCK,
THE ONCE DISTINGUISHED JURIsT,
PASSES QUIETLY AWAY.
Judge John Hancock, After Years Of Promi
hence at Home and Abroad, Quietly
Dies at His Country Home
Yesterday Noon.


with sorrow Wednesday afternoon of
the death of the Hon. John Hancock,
at his country residence Tuesday
about noon.
The judge has been in i'll health for
several years, resultant from perv-
Gus disease that unbalanced his mind
about two years ago, and his death
yesterday comes as relief to the
weary, storm tossed mind that has
been a blank for many a weary
month.
Judge Hancock was born in Jack
son county, Alabama, on the Oath of
October, 1924, whittier his father,
John Allen Hancock, native of V r.
ginia and planter, had emigrated in
1919. He began the study of law in
1S43 under the supervision OF Judge
William Toul, an eminent lawyer
of Winchester, and in 1916 was
admitted to the bar of his native
county. But possessed of an enter
prise, an ambition alert fer grandest
possibilities, he determined to seek
his fortune in Texas, and having spent
several months in prospecting for q
suitable locality he settled in 1847 q
}Austin, where he formed co-partner-
+ ship with Hon. A. ]. Hamilton, aud
which has since been his constant res.
! idence. His close application and
fidelity gained him friends and
patronage. He soon acquired distinc.
tion and large practice at the bar,
and in 1851, when but 26 years of age,
was elected judge of the Second judic
al district. Ills career upon the bench
was characterized by honor and effic-
iency. His searching Investigations
gave soundness of his decisions. His
promptness and dispatch, attended by
a dignity and gravity of manner,
rarely found in one of his age, COM
manded confidence and respect, and
he had the reputation of being a just,
impartial and able judge. In 1866 he
resigned the judgeship and formed
partnership with Hon. Charles s.
West. Later he became associated
with Gen. N. G. Shelley in 1883. In
politics the judge was always Demo
crat of the Jacksonian school. He
was opposed to the doctrines of multi
fication and secession, and in 1860 was
elected to the legislature on the Union
ticket, but in 1861, declined to take
the required oath to the Confederate
government, and was deprived of his
seat. During the war he maintained
neutral attitude until he was threat
ened in 1864 with compulsory military
service in cause, the policy and
character of which were against his
convictions. He then repaired to
Mexico, and having resided several
1 months in that country he made his
way to the United States and re-
1 manned in the North until the close of
ithe war. At the termination of hos
Utilities Judge Hancock returned to
lTexas and devoted his efforts to the
1Iamelioration of the condition of the
people, and had his advice at that
period been needed and the position
he assumed been adopted, it would no
doubt have greatly paralyzed the re.
vengeful designs of The dominant
party at the North, which were pro-
NOTED by the reluctance of the South
ern people to accept the full results of
the issue. He was q member of the
state convention in of 1866, and used
his best efforts in the interest of con-
ciliation and the. immediate restora.
tion of harmonious relations between
the state and federal government as
the only means of restoring the peace
and prosperity of the people. Time,
the great monitor of events, has vindi.
Gated his sagacity and established the
correctness of his views, and he is
considered a wise counselor both as a
lawyer and statesman.
~ In 1870 he was rendered the nomina-
tion for congress by convention held
at Seguin, but he declined in obedi-
ence to the demands of large law
practice, which he was not disposed
to exchange for political honors; but
in 1871 he yielded to the popular
wishes and accepted the nomination
as the Democratic candidate. He was
easily elected and served by re-elec-
ton until 1877, when having been de-
feated for denomination, he resumed
the practice of law. In 1882 he was
again elected to the 49th congress
In 1883 he declined reelection, and
after participating in the proceedings
preliminary to the glorious Inaugural.
tion of President Cleveland, he once
more returned to Austin and the prac-
tice of law.
The Judge made a brilliant record
in congress and his speech on "count-
ing the electoral votes" delivered in
the house of representatives on Jan.
uary 25, 1877, was pronounced by all
authors gem.
In 1876 he was assailed by Col. d. @.
Giddings, the Democratic nominee for
congress, for having failed as a
Southern Union Democrat to keep hi
promise to defend the southern peo'
pie against the violent attacks which
were then being made by radical par
tisans in congress and it was charged
by Col. George FlournOy, an orator of
Galveston, that he had been elected
to congress by the Texan Democracy
for the sole purpose OF modifying the
asperity of the North toward the
South, and that Galveston Democrats
rejected him because he did not de-
fend them when Blaine, Morton
and others were heaping calumy
and SANDER and falsehood upon them
on the floor of congress. To these