The sun., 1902-09-07
WAS INGALLS'S RIVAL ONCE.
Unique Place OF the Late thief Justice
Horton IN Kansas Politics.

Albert Howell Horton, once Chief Justice
Of the Kansas Supreme Court, who died at
Topeka few days ago, was born in Orange
county, New York He was almost the last
of a group that made Kansas politics pict-
uresque.
He was contemporary Of Ingalls,. Col.
D. X. Anthony, George Anthony, Pomeroy,
Click. Sol Miller and Marsh Murdock. He
went TO Kansas after David Atchson had
left his impress upon the Territory and
about the time when Gen. B. F. String
fellow, brilliant lawyer and wit, was getting z
ready to retire,
Notwithstanding his long contact with
Kansas politics and customs Horizons
personality always had an air Of lonel-
ness He would have been picked out as
a student in any assemblage. His I'M
varying courtesy was proverbial.
He was one OF the very first men in Kansas
TO exhibit there the culture and dignity Of
the best school of New York State men.
It was not strange that he was noticeable
figure when. in 1880, he took up his residence
at Atchison. His faultless speech his
attractive manners and correct dress,
unusual in that country at that time. made
him unique and almost isolated
when young Horton first went to Kan
sss," said an old friend. who is retired
lawyer. -he rather startled the town because
he wore gold-rimmed spectacles, a silk
hat, a black broadcloth coat, trousers that
fitted him and boots that were always
polished"
MIR Horton was preceded in Atchison by
John j. ingalls, by two years The two
came together in the early politics Of the
State.
Horton was a lawyer before he was any
thing else and his success at the bar carried
him to the city attorneyship Of his town
without effort. ingalls,, meanwhile, mad
gone TO the State Senate and was the storm
centre of that Legislature. In the same
year he was candidate for Lieutenant
Governor and was defeated. u was no
first check he had met in his met teoric career.
This defeat as taken 10 mean that Ingalls,
had had his day. Horizons friends took
advantage Of il TO push him for the United
! States Senate. That was tho goal OF
Ingalls's politca! aspirations, also. i,
There Ia no chapter in the politics oil
Kansas that will compare with the contest
betv cen these two men. Horton was 'in-
, a,iestionably the favoritc. Not only that,
but he almost succeeded, only 10 he de.
feated at the last moment and 10 be laid
out in the political graveyard. >.
He was the choice Of the caucus. IL
| caucus nominee. Certain II Is that he went
| TO bed with the positive assurance that ne
! would be elected on the following day by
| Joint ballot.
But the caucus reversed itself during the
night and ingalls, was elected. Such an
| incident. even IN Kansas, had never before
/ occurred How the sudden change vas
! % ected became deeper mystery the more
| il was probed. But the act waS done
| and all TIE political skill of Horizons Teti-
J tenants could not undo it,
| Horton had II in his power afterward TO
| defeat Ingalls,, but always refused TO do 80
and kept his friends to his idea OF the right:
! Some years after he was appointed United
| States Dist riot Attorney OF his state,
! ingalls,, of course, favored his appointment
| II got Horton still farther out OF lngalls's
! orrlt. Later, in 1877. the Republicans
| elected him Chief Justice Of the Supreme
| Court OF tho State, which of1cu he held
| until s95, when he resigned.
| 10 Was Chief Justice Horton who, when
| the Populist craze Was added 70 the other
| plaques which visited Kansas. by his firm
ness lifted the judiciary OF the state soove
| the diotc measures adopted by the Popu-
| list Legislature. The decisions OF Justice
| Horton are models. Lot only on account OF
their legal perspicuity, but ESQ Tor the
| English in which they ar written. They
have rarely been appealed from and. II II
said have never been reversed. In all the
evil DAYS which befel Kansas its Supreme
Bench remained unsinirched, and much o.
| its high reputation was due to Albert AoweiI
Horton