The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-24
BUCK" KILGORE DEAD
UNITED STATES JUDGE, SOUTHERN
DISTRICT, INDIAN TERRITORY,
And Ex-COngressman Who Gained No
tOriety by kicking Open a Door in
the House of Representatives.

ARDMORE, i. T., Sept. 23.-United States
Judge I<igore, ex-Congressman from Texas,
died here at 1:1O o'clock this afternoon after
short illness He began sinking this morn
ing. He regained consciousness at noon
and after calling his wife and children to
his bedside and kissing them died almost
Immediately. The funeral will take place
tomorrow, the remains being taken to
Wits Point, Texas, for burial
Constantine Buckley Kilgore was born in
Newman county, Georgia, Feb. 90 1s25,-- Ike
moved with his father to Rush county
Texas, in 1876. where they settled on a farm
The son left home at seventeen and worked
on another farm for his board, clothing and
schooling. He acquired a fair education in
Flower Institute, and during his leisure time
read law. He married in 1858. He was OPP
posed to secession, but when it became a
fact volunteered in the Tenth Texas Cav
airy as orderly sergeant, and later became
first lieutenant. He was adjutant general
of the Confederate Army of the Tennessee
He was wounded at Chickamauga and cap
tured. He was carried to Camp Morton at
Indianapolis, and thence taken to Camp
Chase and Fort Delaware. After the war
Mr.. Kigore worked on a farm and read
law. He began his public career in 1862
when he was elected justice of the peace. In
1915 he was chosen d member of the con-
stitutional convention. He defeated Webb
Flanagan for the State Senate, was an
elector in 1885, and in 1884 was again sent
to the State Senate, being elected president
pro tenn. He served in four Congresses. On
March II, 1895, he was appointed judge of
the United States Court of the Southern
district of Indian Territory
From the time Mr.. Kilgore took his seat
in the Fiftieth Congress he became known
as Kicker kilgore." From the very first
he attracted attention by his objection to a
private pension bill, and he kept up his rec
ord. KilgoRe was claimed to be the most
perfect type of physical man in the House.
being six feet two and straight as an In
dian. On July 20. 1885, Kilgore opposed a
bill for the maintenance of state homes for
veterans, and had fiery tilt with General
Spinola, of New York saying that the gem
eraI was too old to characterize as he de-
served, but if he had a henchman he would
denounce him as liar on the floor of the
House. A New York man offered himself,
but no duel ever resulted. Some of his con-
spicuouS objections were to the Sherman
state bill the Chinese exclusion act. and
to the bill pensioning the family of General
Sheridan.
Judge Kilgore was called Buck by his
intimates, AID attracted wide public atten-
ton in the Fifty-tirst Congress by kicking
in a green baize door which had been locked
by order of Speaker Reed during one of the
fiiibustering scenes that made the first
quorum counting Congress memorable.
He supported President Cleveland ardently,
and after he was retired from Congress the
President appointed him one of the judges
for the Indian Territory He was a man of
framed, and with kindly, good-humored
face He was well liked by his fellow
members notwithstanding he killed many of
their pet projects by his assumption of the
role of objector when it attempted to
push measures through rapidly by unani-
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