The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-12-11
TOM REED ISDEAD
EX-SPEAkER PASSES AWAv -
TER BRIEF ILLNESS.
Uraemic Poisoning Immed,.
Cause---By His Death Apo,h
of the Strong Figures of ANA.
can Political Life Is Removaa
Brief Sketch of His Life.


EFT Reed died at few minutes past y
O'Clock Sunday morning. He to
decided turn for the worse abor, Q
O'Clock, and DR.. Goodnow, the snecio,
ist in uraemic poisoning, was summon
ed from Philadelphia. With the o.
operation of DIR. Gardner and DR.. Nc.
Donald, who were hurriedly sent for q,
& o'clock, every means of proloppino
life was exerted, but Mr.. Reed became
unconscious at IL O'Clock and died an
hour later.
Mrs. Reed and her daughter Kitty
with the doctors and nurses, were with
him when the end. came. His last
words were to one of the doctors. but
they were hardly rational.
The cause of death was given as urae.
mic poisoning or acute Bright's disease
DR.. Gardner said Mr.. Reed had suffered
from Bright's disease for some time and
that the trouble had been aggravated
by the threatened appendicitis. His
kidneys refused to perform their func.
tions and the end became evident.
Thomas Bracket Reed was born
October IS, 1889, In Portland, Me-. in
the common schools of which CITY he
received his early education. In 1850
he was graduated from Bowdoin college
winning one of the highest honors of
the college, the prize for excellence in
English composition. The next four
years were spent by Mr.. Reed in teach.
ing school and in the study of law.
which he had chosen for a profession.
Before his admission to the bar. how.
ever, he was appointed acting assistant
paymaster in the navy, serving on the
"tin-clad" Sybil, which did partol duty
on the Tennessee, Columbia and Missis-
sippi rivers during the civil war.
After his discharge from the navy in
1865 he returned to Portland, was ad-
mltted to the bar and entered upon the
practice of his profession. His politi-
cal life began in 1868, when he was
elected as Republican to the lower
house of the state legislature, being re-
turned in 1869, and advanced to the
state senate in 1870. From this Office
he went to that of attorney general Of
the state in the same year. Retiring
from that position in 1873 he served
the following four years as solicitor Of
the city of Portland.
His first entry into national affairs
was made in 1875, when he was elected
to the Forty-ffth congress. During
this congress he first came into promi-
hence through speech, one of the few
formal ones ever delivered by him, in
which he argued against the payment
of damages by the United States for in
juries received by William and Mary
college at the hands of Union soldiers
during hue war. He also took conspic-
uous part in the proceedings of the
committee appointed to investigate the
Hayes-Tilden election, he being one OF
the minority members of the commit
tee.
He was successfully elected to con-
gress thereafter until his voluntary re-
tirement at the close of the Fifty-hfth
congress. His influence in that body
steadily increased and he soon became
a recognized leader of his party. In
the Folty-ninth and Fiftieth congresses
he received the complimentary nomina'
ton for speaker, the Democrats being
in a majority in the house. In the
Fifty-first congress, however, the he.
publiacns were in control and Mr.. Reed
WAS chosen for that position.
1t was in the early days of that con-
gress when Mr.. Reed startled and en-
ragged the Democratic opposition by his
famous action in counting members
who were present at roll call, whether
or not they exercised the privilege OF
voting. Mr.. Reed was bittrely de-
nounced by the Democratic members
and there were numerous stormy scenes
on the floor of the house. 1t was De-
cause of his course in this matter that
he was termed Gear" Reed by bis OPP
ponents.
The soundness OF his position in that
matter has since been. generally recog-
nized, and was followed by Mr.. Crisp
his Democratic successor as speaker IN
the Fifty-second congress. The Repup-
licans returned to power again IN the
Fifty-third congress, and during tnat
and the Fifty-fourth and Fifty-hfth
congresses Mr.. Reed served as speaker.
He was reelected to the Fifty-sixtn
congress, bat concluded to retire, anu
resigned before the first session began;
After leaving congress Mr.. keeu
moved to New York to take up the az
-, looop,ino q