Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-08-08


Col. John O,Day, the well-known law
yer of Springfield. Mo-, at the Johns
Hopkins hospital, where he had been
since July II, under treatment by spe-
cialists. His son, John ODay, Jr., who
had been notified of his fathers crit
ical condition by telegraph, reached
Baltimore Monday, and was with his
father when he died. He left for st.
Louis Tuesday night, bringing his ia
Tiers body with him.
sketch of John O'Day's Career
John O'Day was one of the best
known Missourians, and his reputa-
ton was national. Being a dramatic
figure. he was never lost to the public.
He was an aggressive lawyer and po-
litical fighter, and was once recog-
nized as a power in the railroad
schemes of southern Missouri. His
wealth is estimated in millions. Al
ways master of his business and polit-
zeal interests. ne was a successful
politicians having carried Green coun-
ty for the democracy in the last COM
paign. He also figured in two divorce
suits which ended disastrously for
him.
He was born in Limerick, Ireland,
SO years ago. His parents were poor.
They moved to America when he vas
an infant, and lived in New York un-
til their son was IL years old, when
they moved to Juneau, Wis. About
this time his father died. The boy,
ambitious and wide-awake, worked on
a farm and supported his mother.
During his spare time he studied law.
In 1862 he was graduated from a law
school in Albany, n. Y. having made
his way through on his savings as a
farm hand. In 1865 he went to
Springfield, Mo, a poor young man.
But he had the will and the energy,
and he made acg~uaintances rapidly.
He was bright and strong, and in a
| short time had made a favorable inn
preston. Judge James Baker was, one
Of the foremost jurists OF the state.
O'Day made a friend of him. This
friendship led him into prominence
as a railroad MANN fact, later he
became known as the Railroad King
of Missouri.
He was made attorney for the roads
which are now the Missouri Pacific
and the ST. Louis & San Francisco
railroads. Judge Baker was at the
head of these roads, and he selected
O'Day for the position because of his
ability.
ODay was shrewd, and it was not
long before he supplanted his cid
friend as the head. of the railroads.
He was popular with every railroad
employee from the heads of divisions
down to the section hands, and they
would do anything for him. However,
he always had to be on the lookout,
and was forced to put up a most ag-
gressive fight to hold his position. At
ter years of this warfare came his re-
tirement in 1850.
In 1874 O'Day became interested in
politics, and for many years, it is
said, he held a dominant place, crack
ing the whip over the Missouri legis-
lature like a master. Phelps and Car
roll owe their introduction to the Sc
cret of success in politics TO him. For
several years he held places on the
democratic state committee, and in
1852 he was credited with having
helped the democracy to one of the
most sweeping victories that party
ever attained. Three times he was
elected delegate-at-large to national
conventions. He was known as Rail
road john in political circles. He had
been elected to the legislature, which
made his name prominent as a can
didate for governor in 1880, but he
preferred the rule he had over the
legislature. His ambition was for his
brother. E. C. O'Day. His enemies OBJ
jected and forced a fight. O'Day took
his entire force of clerks to Spring
field from st. Louis, transacted all
his business there, and made. Spring
field the center of the political fight.
He carried the day and elected his
brother.
O'Day was married three times. He
was divorced from his first two wives.
His present wife, who was a Miss Sue
Baldwin, vas his st~enographer when
he married her in St. Louis last June.
He married Miss Sarah Jane Camp
bell, of Milwaukee, in 1885. They
were divorced two years later, and by
agreement $4,000 alimony went to
hA1 - a. IL" yCd10 bl1 1O
married Mrs. Nary Vail. of SPRING
field. Two years ago the second Mrs.
OsDay applied for a divorce. She Sc
cured $250,000 alimony. While in st.
Louis, at the Lindel hotel, in July,
1900, the second Mrs. O,Day tried to
kill herself, firing a bullet into her
breast.
Mr.. O'Day's prefix of Colonel was
not his by right of military achieve
ment. He won it by his commanding
presence, the military spirit which he
sxerted in his civil and political
lights, the title being bestowed upon
him as a compliment when elected
chairman of the Democratic state GEN.
trail committee in 1876. His only mill
tary service was that of private in
the Forty-seventh New York infantry
during the civil war.