San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-03-13
Gltr 9utlY Eight.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH Is, 1895
Written for the LIGHT.
JUDGE ALEX. FINLEY.

Few, IL any, cities can boast of
queerer resident than Alexander
Cooper Finley, OF Russellville, KY
Judge Alex. Finley, as he is COM
monty called, is probably the most
eccentric man that does now or
ever did live on this earth. He
was born in Logan county, Ken
lucky, February 3, 1929, and came
from a very intelligent, bu I &C.
centric family. His father died
when he was quite young, and left
the family consisting Of his mother
and two brothers, William, John
ston and Elihu Howard, in
moderate circumstances. Will
liam Johnston Finley was
born orator, and on finishing col
lege, took to the ministry. He is
at present the pastor OF Metho.
dist Protestant church at Morgan
town, Butler county, Kentucky.
He was once called and went to
Baltimore, Md, and took charge Of
large church; but like the rest
OF the family, eccentricity was his
curse, and he soon made his
way back to Kentucky. Eli
hu Howard, after finishing
his education, read law, and
wandered to Galveston, Texas,
where he died a few years ago.
Alex Finley, after completing his
education, also took to law. and in
1860 was elected county attorney
of Logan county, and filled the
place with honor. After retiring
from the attorneyship, he went to
work as compositor on the old
Russellville Herald, with which he
stayed but a short while before GO
ing to Louisville, at which place
he worked a short while on the
Catholic Advocate and Sunday
News.
About 1862 his mind is supposed
to nave become afflicted, for he re-
turned to Russellville, where he
built home for his mother, the
other two boys having left the city.
The house was queer looking log
structure, in which there was no
doors and only one window, and
that at such an elevation from
the ground as to make
ladder necessary to gain ac-
cess. There he and his mother
resided till her death, when he sold
the lot. During all these years his
mind was sound on all questions
save flying machine, which he
was endeavoring to construct. At
ter selling his old home, he select.
ed large sycamore tree near the
city, and built study among it's
branches. He lived in quiet man.
ner for some time, brooding over a
flying machine and writing a his
tory Of Russellville and Logan
county.
His history is perhaps, so far as
it goes, one Of the best histories
ever written Of any county. 1t
shows above all else, that its
author is we'll educated and a close
observer. In speaking OF the pro.
duCtiVeness Of the soil, he refers
to certain cuts he has made on
trees during the past twenty years,
and th" time it takes them to
heal over. In this book he also
claims to have found a tree which
is fOur-hundred years old, and still
grOwing, and many other things no
has learned by observation.
Aside from being a close Observ-
er, he is we'll read man and cap
able OF cOnVcrsing on any subject
relating to science, literature or
historical events. In spite OF his
age, he makes habit of reading
the daily papers which he does
without glasses, and walking at
least five miles each day re-
CARELESS Of the weather. lie
is Of medium stature and weight,
and with his long white hair and
piercing steel gray eyes, presents
quite a queer binatiOn, when
dressed in his rags, which is al.
ways. His clothing is apparently
as old, but not near so we'll pre-
served as its owner. His habits
are regular. He rises at the break
OF day, and takes a walk, after
which he purchases five cents
worth Of crackers and cheese fol-
his breakfast, which he eats on the
street. He goes to the coun
ty clerks Office every morn.
ing at nine o'clock, and read.
the daily papers and chats on any
subject that may present itself
He retiros to room he has in tn,
business portion OF the city, at ten
and spends an hour and a half il
study. After finishing his study
Ing he takes another walk, befor
procuring his crackers and chees
for dinner. He then keeps in hi