The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-12

sumed practice, which he continued
until 1867. when he was unanimously
nominated by the Democratic conven-
ton for the offhfe Of governor His OBJ
ponent was Rutherford B. Hayes. and
the most exciting campaign in the his
| tory of the state followed, the result
being the election of Hayes by a ma
jerity of 5000, falling of Of nearly
10000 from the customary majority of
his party. The legislature elected AT
| the same time being Democratic. how
| ever. Thurman was chosen United
| States senator TO take the place OF
Benjamin F. Wade and he took his seat
March 4, 1863, there being At the time
| only seven Democrats in the body.
| His ability was at once recognized. his
| speeches on the Geneva award bill and
On the Pacific railway funding bin, es-
pecially attracting public notice and
applause. He served two terms in the
senate with great distinction and
honor closing the twelve years period
on March 4, 1881, with a reputation
which stood among the highest for
judicial fairness, dignity and strength
in debate. especially on questions of
constitutional law and for patriotism
and probity.
During his senatorial labers Judge
Thurman served on the judiciary COM
mittee, of which, he was for a time
chairman, and ON the committee of
private land claims and did splendid
work On both. He is the author of
the act to compel the Pacific railroad
corporations 10 fulfill their obligations
TO the government known as the Thur
man act" which he forced through the
senate in spite of the powerful in
fiuence of the companies concerned
Upon the accession of the Democratic
party to a majority in the body, he was
chosen as president pro tempore. and
flee achieved a reputatio for judicial
fairness and ability that added greatly
10 the confidence of the public.
AT the close of his service in the SEN
home in Columbus and resumed the
practice of law, though he pursued it in
a somewhat desultory fashion and gave
much attention to the qualification OF
his taste for literature Being constitu-
tionally opposed to monopoly he gave
a good deal of attention to the litiga-
ton then pending over the Bell tele-
phone patents as counsel for the oppO-
site interests In the Democratic ma
fional convention of 1888 he was nom
mated for vice president, much against
his inclination, accepted the burden
and made the fight which resulted in
defeat Since that he has been living
quietly at home with his family, at
tending to no business that he could
escape and indulging to the full mea-
sure his omniverous appetite for read
ing, not the ponderouS works of law
and philosophy. but the light literature |
OF the period including French novels, |
which he reads in the original
In 1914 Judge Thurman married Mrs. |
daughter of Water Dun, a |
merchant and land owner in
ChillicOthe, o., and 4 native OF the |
place, born in 1911. One of his nephews,
Edwin Dun, is now United States min
ster in Japan, and another, X. G. Dun,
IS the famous commercial agent in New
York. Mrs. Thurman died two years
ago, since which time the judge has
been very exclusive. The old people
we're greatly attached to each other and
Ter death was great loss 10 him.
Their only child is Allen W. Thurman.
| middle-aged lawyer of ability, with
whom and his wife and children the
jurist and statesman now
ives. The Humans are rich and
the young Mrs. Thurman
'eing the daughter Of prominent Bal
imore family and at the time OF her
marriage quite a famous belle and
eauty.