The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-13
THURMAN Is DEAD.
A Member of Congress More
Than Fifty Years Ago.
ONE Or The GREATEST JuRIsTs.
Candidate for Vice President In fsss
His Title of 1.-The Old Roman Dc
scrfbed His Character Wei.

came 10 & close TINS aiifftAo9A a. 80
O'Clock az his residence. corner q hlcn
street and Washington avenue TIE enc
.gas peaceful ia the extreme, and the Soul
left fl,e earthly hadfation without a FZn
Of physical distress. Al the instant ~ as
solution and for some hours before Judge
Thurman had been lying n an UNCONSCIOUS
condition He passed merely from sleep
temporal TO gleep eternal. and the enanse
vas hardly noticeable. even 70 the loved
ones who surrounded hts bedside. In the
midst OF the volumes Of kaoEfe1se hs
priced 90 dearly. and amid the scenes
where he had spent 50 many pleasant hours
Of happy old age. the vital spark took
wings from the image OF clay. SHORTY
after his fail several weeks ago Judge
Tburman's bed was removed from the ad-
Joining bedroom to his beloved library,
and ne remained there. Judge Thurman
had lived with his son, Allen w Thurman.
since the death Of lis wife several years
ago. and being unable to leave the house.
he occupied apartments in the second
story Of the residence. where he spe1t the
last days OF his life IN a remarkably
pleasant and agreeable manner.
The beginning Of Judge Tharman's fatal
Illness dates from November last. when
he fell heavily while walking across the
library floor few days after the fail
Judge ThurTnan's life was despaired Of.
bat he rallied from the shock and al times
seemed 70 have regained his oid-time vigor.
or November 70 Judge Thurman Vas ~
years OF age. and on that date several or
his old friends called on him and ne had a
pleasant chat. On that occasion he smoked
q cigar with his friends and seemed unu-
suaiiy cheerful and bright. Since the ae-
oident he has had his good days and his
bad Gnes. lie has been confined to rs bed
nearly al the time. and his physician, DR..
W. H. Whitaker called on him daily. That
he Ras steadily growing weaker was APP
parent 10 ALI and il has been known for
some time that his lease on l.fe could not
he protrscted much longer. on account or
his confinement 20 bed Judge Thurman
came 10 be afflicted with bed sores. and to
relieve this uupleasantness he at times
sat up and stood up, but he had not at
tempted to walk since his fall. Last Tues
day. when Dr. Whitaker called. he found
his patient sitting up In chair smoking
cigar and apparently enjoying II. He
shook hands with the doctor and said:
MY dear doctor. sit down and talk TO
me-" He seemed very buoyant, and crack
ed a Joke, and az was his habit. talked to
the doctor In French. II should be rasnars-
ed that recently IL seemed TO be one or
Judge Thurmans delights TO talk French,
showing the remarkable vigor or his mental
powers Last Tuesday DIR. Whitaker no.
decd that he did not continue his French
conversation "a long usual. and soon
tired of his cigar, and when he got back
into bed his Pulse was rather feeble.
When DR.. Whitaker saw Judge Thur
man on Wednesday about b. IA. he seem
ed lIstless. and rather heavy about his
eyes and in his mental operations. How
ever, he recognized the members OF the
family The change for the worse became
quite marked shortly after midnight
Wednesday, and at a. IN. Wednesday
the family became alarmed and sent for
pr. Whitaker. At that time Dr. Whit
faker found his venerable patient almost
unconscious. Mucus had filled the hron-
chial tubes, and his breathing was labori-
Gus. Dr. Whitaker aroused him suffic
iently 10 ask him If he was thirsty. and
Judge Thurman nodded his head In assent.
DIR. Whitaker gave him little water and
whisky. which he swallowed with diffi-
Guilty. lie seemed. however. to be par
TALLY conscious OF what he was doing He
then sank into a heavy stupor from which
he was never reused.
IL was known at a. m. that the begin
ming OF the end had set In. and the family
was so notified. At 10 O'Clock this morn
Ing DIR. Whitaker found the patient grad
ually sinking. lie gave him a little wa
ter and whisky. which was swallowed me-
chemically. Judge Thurman was perfect
" unconscious. and remained so until he
passed away at lis p. m. At the final
scene all the members OF the immediate
family were az his bedside. lie seemed
10 be free from all distress, and during
the morning hours all that the sorrowing
family could do was 10 moisten his par CHI
ell lips at intervals AZ the death scene
were Mr.. and Mrs. Allen W. Thurman
and the following grandchildren: Lee.
Miss Catherine. Allen O.. tr.. Daniel G.
and Sterling Thurman. all children OF
Allen W. Thurman.
Allen Granhery Thurman was born at
Lynchburg. Va. November r. 1873 His
father was Rev. Pleasant Thurman, n
minister Of the Methodist church. and his
mother tho only daughter OF Col. Nath-
aniel Allen. nephew and adopted son OF
Joseph Howes. one OF the siguers OF the
Declaration OF Independence. His parents
removed 20 Chllllcoths n 1915, and he
made that place Ms home until he settled
In Columbus IN IS55. where re ever after
resided. His education was In the Chill.-
oothe academy. and at the hands OF his
mother. ~ the age OF Is re assisted In
land surveying, and a. Il he vas private
secretary OF Gov. Lucas. studied law with
his uncle, Gov. William Allen, aftCrw0rd
was admitted 70 the bar IN 1875 and I'm a
few years was employed ia almost every
lawsuit IN Ross county. Ia 1874 ne was
elected by the Democrats 10 congress, and
he entered that body December :. 1915. as
Is youngest member. Prcfcrrsng the prac-
tice OF law, he declined a rCnominadou 70
congress. and remained az the bar until
1851. when he VAS elected 20 the supreme
bench OF Ohio. From December. 1854. ill
February, 1856. he served rs chief Justice
and at tho expiration OF that term ne re-
fused denomination. His opinions con-
tanned In the first FIVE volumes OF the state
reports are remarkable for the clear and
forceable expression OF HIS views and the
accuracy OF hts statements OF the law.
IN IS6I ne was the choice OF his party
FOR governor or Ohio. rutherford T.
Hayes. his opponent. was elected by 4
majority OF fewer than S.0c0 votes al
though the Republican majority IN 1855
Was more than tS,eo Mr. Thurman Was
shen elected 20 the senate % succeed Ben
tamln y Wade. lie took his seat Marca
4, 1859. and from the first was recognized
lie was member % the committee on fu-
dietary and on the accession az his party
20 power in the F0Tty-StXth congress. he
was made its chairman and also chosen
president PRO tenn. % the senate. owing
- the Illness of Vice President Wheeler
IN 1874 ne was elected 20 tho senate for "A
second term. and in his twelve years OF
service. ending March A. ISL he won a
reputation Tor judicial fairness and rcs De
ness. dignity ana power 81 debate. esoe-
cially upon questions 81 constitutional
law. Reside hts labor ga the judiciary
committee. he rendered valuable service
IN the committee on private land claims
lie was the author OF the act 70 compel
the Pacific railroad CORPORATIONS 20 fuiau
their otltgs lions 20 the government. since
known as The Thurman act" the passage
- which Dee forced I'm spite OF tac COM
b}nci influence ~ those companies his
arguments AGAINST the constftufjoaauty %
the civil rlsa.s Bills have since been sus-
tanned by the United States supreme court