The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-13
ALLEN c. THURMAN
The Noble Democratic Statesman Dies
at the Age Of 82.
AN HONORABLE GENTLEMAN
He Never Recovered From the Ef-
feots of Recent Acoident-Oov-
ernor Mckiniey's EuIogy OF
the Famous Politician.

Columbus. Dec. 12.-The long and
useful career of Judge Allen @. Thur
man came to a close this afternoon at
lis o'clock. The end was peaceful In
the extreme. and the soul of a great
man left its earthly habitation without
sign of physical distress. At the in
stant of dissolution and for some hours
before Judge Thurman had been ly-
ing in an unconscious condition. He
passed merely from sleep temporal to
sleep eternal and the change was
hardly noticeable even to the loved
ones who surrounded his bedside.
When DR.. Whitaker saw Judge
Thurman Wednesday about o'clock
D. m. he seemed listless and rather
heavy about the eyes. The change for
worse became quite marked shortly
after midnight Wednesday. and at 2
o'clock g. m. Wednesday the family
became alarmed and sent for DR..
Whitaker. At that time the doctor
found his venerable patient almost un-
conscious. DR.. Whitaker aroused
him sufficiently to ask him II he was
thirsty. and Judge Thurman nodded
his head In assent. He was given a
little water and whisky. which he
swallowed with diniculty. He seemed,
what he was doing. He then sank in
to a heavy stupor. from which he new
er reused.
taker found the patient gradually
sinking. He gave him a little water
and whiskey which was swallowed me-
TN.
fectly unconscious and remained so
until he passed away at lis o'clock p.
m. At the final scene all members Of
the immediate family were at the bed
side.
The death of Thurman was a painful
shock to the general public here. Lat
est reports from him before to-day
were to the effect that he was doing
finely. The Thurman residence is
about a mile from the center of the
town. Absolutely no other informa-
ton came with the announcement Of
the death. save that 1t occurred at 1:15
| D. m.
The immediate cause of death was
the fall he sustained some weeks ago
from the effects of which IL was
thought he had. partially. at least, re-
covered. He was S2 years old the 30th
day of last November. Had 1t not been
for the accident a month ago he might
have lived q number of years. He has
not been able to leave home for over
year. but he could walk about the
house without assistance, could read,
and retained much of the power of his
once vigorous mind. The shock of the
accident. more than the actual physi-
cal injuries seemed to impair his hold
upon life.
Allen Cranberry Thurman was born in
Lynchburg, Va, Nov. 13, 1913. His father
was the Rev. Pleasant Thurman, a min
ister of the Methodist church. and his
mother the only daughter of Col. Nathan
iei nephew and adopted son of Joseph
Hewes, one of the signers of the Declare
hion of Independence. His parents re-
moved to Chilicothe in 1919. and he made
that place his home until he settled In
Columbus, in 1853. where he has since
resided. His education was In the Chilli
cothe academy and at the hands of his
mother. At the age of IS he assisted in
land surveying and at q he was private
secretary to Governor Lucas; studied law
with his uncle. Gov. William Allen. after
wards was admitted to the bar In 1885.
and IN a few years was employed In
county. In 1874 he was elected by the
democrats TO congress and he entered
that body Dec. !, 1s45. as It's youngest
member. Preferring the practice of law.
he declined the denomination Tor congress.
and remained at the bar until 1851, when
ne was elected to the supreme bench In
Ohio. From December. 1854. TIL Febru-
ary 1856, he served as chief justice. and
on the expiration of his term he refused
a denomination. His opinions. contained
in the first five volumes of the state re-
ports. are remarkable for the clear and
forcibie expression OF his views and his
statements of the laws. In 1867 he was
the choice Of his party for governor Of
Ohio Rutherford b. Hayes. mis- oppon-
ent, was elected by a majority of fewer
than 5000 votes though the republican ma
jority in 1866 was more than 5000. Mr..
Thurman was then elected to the senate
TO succeed Benjamin F. Wade. He took
his seat March 4. 1869. and from the first
was recognized as the leader OF the DEM
ocratic minority. He was a member of
the committee ON judiciary. and on the
accession of his party TO power In the
Forty-sixth congress ne was made its
chairman. and also chosen president, pro
tenn, of the senate owing to the illness OF
Vice President Wheeler. In 1874 he was
elected to the senate for a second term
and IN his - years of service. ending
March 4. 1881. he won a reputation for
judicial fairness and readiness. dignity
and power In debate. especially upon
questions of constitutional law. Besides
his labor in the judiciary committee. he
rendered valuable service In the COM
mittee on private land claims. He was
the author of the act 90 compel the Pa
cific railroad corporations to fulfill their
obligations 10 the government, since
known as the Thurman act" the pas
of r-rff ffsh tn
combined influence of those companies
His arguments against the constitution
ality OF the civil rights bills have since
been sustained by the United States su-
preme court IN language that Is almost
Identical with thak OF his speeches. Eff
forts 10 secure for the rebelious states
the most favorable reconstruction leggs-
iation- in which he vigorously pres.s;ed
while in the senate. led TO a charge that
ne had disapDroved Of war for the integ-
rity OF the union
His true position Is thus defined In a