Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-01-25
the LATE FRANK LAWYER.

Few Chicagoans who have passed
away died more generally regretted
than Frank LAWYER.
He was pre.eminently man Of the
people.
He was the champion of the poor and
Of the downtrotlden. His last net In
life was an act Of charity. and his last
public appearance was mt ball gotten
mp by himself for the benefit Of the
poor families Of his ward.
Frank Lawler was born In ROches.
ter. y. ". June %. 1912. He lived there
until he was ten years old. and then.
with his family. came to Chicago IN
1853. After he came to Chicago, he.
with other children Of the family. went
to school at the old SangamOn School,
which was situated ut Indiana and
SangamOn streets. He attended school
six months when an accident disabled
his father. ana he was forced to 70 to
work to help the family. He worked
In a brickyard on the south bank Of
the river u short time. but soon started
In to sell papers. At the time he had
but two competitors In the business.
John Il. Wash and Michael Kennedy.
He peddled papers for Ave years. and
In 1853 his father apprenticed him to
ship carpenter and young I.awler
worked ut this trade until 1868. He
was scarcely out OF his apprenticeship
before he was elected president of the
Ship Carpenters and Calkers' Union,
and held this and other positions In
that organization for number Of
years.
In his capacity as president Of the
union he took deep interest IN labor
questions. and was the promoter and
one Of the organizers Of the first Trades
Assembly. He was at his death an
honorary member Of this organizat ion.
In 1888 he entered the service Of the
pOstefiice AZ carrier and became an
advocate Of an eighth hour working day,
He began his work under Postmaster
John Macarthur. and worked In differ.
ent capacities In the postal service fOi
twelve years. In 1870 he was elected
to the City Council from the Eighth
Ward, and served from 1876 to 1884.
While In the Council he was elected
to Congress from the Second District
and served In the FOrty.ninth, Fiftietl
and Fifty-first Congresses. Eleven
years ago he defeated Hon. John +
Finerty for Congress In close fight.
In 1890 he ran for sheriff. but was
defeated by J. II. Gilbert. He came 10
the front after this defeat In his con-
test with Mr.. Hesing for the appoint
ment Of postmaster under Cleveland
but he was defeated. For the last few
years he has been engaged In the real
estate and insurance business In part.
nership with j. J. Brown. He was again
elected to the City Council last fall on
an independent ticket by a large major
ity.
While In the City Council he present
ed many measures which he was gen
orally successful In having passed
Among them were the prohibiting oil
the employment of children under /:
years OF age in factories, the abolish
ment Of convict labor contracts, thu
closing Of bridges for one hour morn
Ing and evening, the provision of seati
for employees Of large stores, and nun
erous other beneficial measures.
Many people all over the country wer'
recipients of his benefits during hi,
service In Congress. He worked hare
to secure the Worlds Fair for Chicago
and afterward did good service In Sc
curing the appropriation OF S?,5OO,OOG
making a special trip to Washington a
the request Of the Directory Of the Elk
position. One Of the greatest OF hi
undertakings was his efforts to Obtain
help for the suffering miners OF North
ern Illinois In 1859. He devoted fv'
months Of constant work In securing
supplies OF food and money to relieve