Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-03-05
Special to the Inter Mountain.

Courtney, the sage and wit of the senate
chamber. the Silver Bow Chesterfield and
Independent gentleman, has gone to that
bourne from which no traveller ever re-
turns.
There is vacant seat in that senate
chamber today, a seat shrouded in the
sable emblem of mortality, and in the
presence of that dread emblem the legis-
lators move about with softened foot
steps and manner grave and subdued.
In life they loved and admired their
brave and talented cOmpatriot, and in
death they revere his memory.
The summons of the death angel came
last night at $3.50 o'clock The sufferer
was delirious during his last moments on
earth and crossed the great divide with
out recognizing those grouped about his
bedside.
The world is better because Thomas F.
Courtney lived. and in death he will
never be forgotten SO long as true friend
ship, honest principles, integrity Of char
acter and optimism are regarded as ad-
mirable traits the name of Courtney will
never be erased from the tablets of
memory
And now that he is gone, his friends
gather together in groups and talk of
ILLS Iuduy IlOUle Qualities, WIlle the tears
struggle for freedom in their eyes.
Hardly a week ago was it that Courtney
had H. L. Frank procure him a copy of
j. M. Vinton's beautiful poem IF 1
Should Die Tonight The sentiment of
the touching lines seemed strangely to
impress him and on many occasions he
drew forth the copy and read the poem
to his associates.
"Ie shou ! Gle tonight, n: friends
would look upon my quiet face.
Before they laid it in it's resting place.
And deem that reath had left it almost
fair:
And, laying snow white flowers against
my hair,
Would smooth it down with tearful
tenderness
And fold my hands with lingering ca
ress,
Poor hands. so empty and so cold to-
night"
That is the Introductory etanza of the
poem, and as he read it the silver
tongued orator from Silver Bow would
look at his friends and say: Boys, I
don't know why, but that affects me as
nothing ever seemed to before"
Could he have had a premonition of his
fate? There are many who believe so,
and an incident occurring shortly after
ward in the senate chamber would tend
to show that such were true.
Senator Mahon gave notice of bill
to change the name of Silver Bow county
to Courtney county. While it was con-
sidered a Josh" even by Courtney him.
self, and few there be that appreciated
a joke better than he, his demeanor was
unusually grave as he answered.:
Gentlemen: That honor would be too
great for me in life. but when have
passed away II might be said that such a
change would be an excellent way of per-
petuating my memory"
Courtney was loved by his friends and
admired by his enemies for his open
manner of attacking what he did not
like. In this respect his ideal was An
plea for his bill granting free peddlers'
and auctioneers' licenses to old soldiers
and mariners. can ever forget it?
'They say this bill is a bit Of class
legislation, and therefore unconstitu-
tional," he declared. II tell you, gentle
men, that the only constitution 1t will
affect is constitution embittered by
gall. 1t Is measure intended for the
relief of those who fought and bled that
the constitution might live. Vote for
it. I say, and tonight your dreams
will be as untroubled as at any period
of your lives. In the morning the rising
sun will again tinge those snow capped
mountain peaks crimson. The day will
be just as bright and cheerful and the
birds will sing just as weetly."
The heart of the man simply overflow
ed with the milk Of human kindness. He
was man who could be trusted any
where. and the tale of his honesty and
integrity was written in full on his frank
and open countenance. But he was an
opponent not to be despised and went
after his antagonists with a smiling face
but ungloved hand.
1t was Friday morning that Senator
Courtney was first taken i'll. DIR. Rid
dell was summoned and by his advice
the sick man was taken to St. Johns
hospital. where he sank rapidly unti,
his death. With him during his final