The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-21
HENRY ]. HORN DEAD
DISTINGUISHED ATTORNEY CAR
RIED AWAY BY DISEASED
AND OLD AGE
FIGURED IN FAMOUS CASES
Had Lived In ST. Paul Since 1875,
and Was Leading Light in
the Minnesota
Bar.

Henry J. Horn, one Of the best known
and ablest lawyers of the state, died at st.
Luke's hospital last night from the eff
fects of an operation performed week
ago. He was eighty years old
Mr.. Horn was moved from his resi-
dence, SO Irvine place, to the hospital a
week ago for the purpose of being operat-
ed upon. He was suffering acutely and
the physicians decided that an operation
might relieve him and perhaps prolong
his life For the first three days after
the operation his chances of recovery
were considered to be exceptionally good,
but he began failing and for the past
four days it was only a question of time
until he would pass away
To his many friends and particularly to
the members Of the bar his death will
come in the nature Of shock, as there
was no lawyer more universally hOnored
and respected than he. During his long
life in ST. Paul he was NEST active in his
practice and gained an enyiable reputa-
ton for his strict fidelity to the interests
of his clients. His answering honesty
and uprightness of character, together
with his courtly manner Of the old school
Of lawyers made him dear to all.
In the history of ST. Paul his name
stands out pre-eminently for the part he
took in the famous Levee' case which he
fought for ten years, and finally won the
disputed property for the city, after the
case had been argued and reargued five
times before the supreme court.
He was also counsel for the plaintiff in
the Pearsall case, and in this, too, he
was successful, the supreme court of the
United States reversing the decision of
the circuit court of Minnesota in his
favor.
Mr. Horn was born in Philadelphia,
March %, 1921, and was eighty years cf
age at the time of his death. He grew
to manhood and studied law in the Of
fee of Henry D. Gilpin then attorney
general under the Van Buren, administra-
ton. Mr.. Horn, through his uncle, who
was was a member of congress during
the Jackson administration, was a great
admirer of the sturdy champion of de-
mocracy and he was perhaps the best
authority on the life of Jackson in the
Northwest.
He came to st. Paul in 1855 and began
the practice of lew, with success from
the start. He was here only two years
when he was chosen city attorney, which
pos..-on he held for three years. In this
year he married Miss Fannie Banning,
sister of William Banning, the pioneer
banker of ST. Paul, and the protector of
the st. Paul & Duluth railroad.
In 1864 he was elected county attorney
for Ramsey county, remaining in TINS
office for three years. He was then
chosen as corporation counsel for one
year.
He was counsel for the street railway
company from the time of its organization
until 1892, when he resigned owing to
the advance of years. In this capacity
he proved himself TO be one of the most
interchangeable lawyers of the city. He was
in the court day after day and week after
week looking after the interests of this
corporation.
While thus engaged, the famous Levee
case came up in which there was dis
pute between the city of st. Paul and
the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul road
as to the ownership of the leVeeS. Mr..
Horn carried on this case for the city,
and at the same time looked after the
street railway interests. Lawyers, in
speaking Of the levee case, say that it
was one of the grandest legal battles ever
won, and that it is an enduring tablet TO
the memory of Mr.. Horn.
In public enterprises Mr.. Horn was
sought after as a man whose judgment
could be implicitly relied upon at all
times, and no undertaking of the earlier
days of the city was considered complete
until his advice had been taken.
For many years he was an elder in the
House of Hope Presbyterian church, both
he and Mrs Horn always being prominent
in church affairs. The Christian side OF
his character was as strong as his mental
acutenesS and to the cOmbina ton of the
two his friends and admirers attribute the
i1i sc anu keIHu-cidliNe pTdcllCe he Quit
up.
While he never actually retired from the
practice of law, for the past five years
he had not been actively engaged. He
made practice of coming down town
to his office for three or four hours every
day, and even when he was not strong
enough to walk down he would be brought
down in his carriage.
A widow and five children survive him
Harry j. Horn Jr. is division superintend-
ent of the Northern Pacific. He was at
Livingstone, Mont, where he was delayed
by the snow blockade when he received
the news of his fathers illness. He man
aged to get to st. Paul in time by coming
around by way of Omaha. Alexander E.
Horn was his fathers law partner The
three daughters are Mrs. John w Adams
Mrs. Mcneil V. Seymour and Miss Mabel
Horn.
The funeral services will be held at
day afternoon at $50 The interment
will be at Oakland cemetery.