The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-10

Major Malcolm c. Burke. at one time State Auditor and prominent In the Confederate service during the war between the States died yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock at St. Margar- cts Hospital after several months or illness.
 His death was not altogether un- expected as Major Burke has been an invalid for upwards of year. The remains were sent last night to rus caloosa. his birthplace and for many years his home. The interment will take place there today.
 Major Burke is survived by a host of friends and relatives all over the State. His sons living are Mr Ed ward C.. Burke and Mir. William Burke, of Montgomery; Professor M c. Burke. Jr., of the faculty of the University of Alabama and MT. Robert I. Burke, who was Tuesday elected Probate Judge of Cullman County. His only daughter, Miss Mary Burke. is a teacher in the Montgomery public schools. Other relatives are the well known Greene family of Montgomery, Dr. Thomas M. owen, director Of the State Department of Archives and Ills tory; Miss Dollie Owen and Miss Dol lie Kirk. The first wife of Hon. Rich ard H. Clarke. of Mobile, was his sis ter.
 Major Burke's administration of the Auditors office was of such a char acter as to receive the notice of the leading newspapers of almost every State in the Union. In 1884, the first year of his incumbency, the delinquent tax at the end of the tax year amount ed to but $2, 300 and at the end of the tax year of 1885. there was due his office from the entire State only the sum of $49.76. This remarkable record was commented upon as being unpreceden- ted In the history of any State in the union. The delinquent or unpaid tax due the ofice when he took charge of it aggregated $3O.000. and in 1881 the books show that there was over $100,- 900 of delinquent taxes. The laws of the State. regarding the collection of taxes were changed somewhat through his suggestion. He was closely asso- ciated with the provision of the sta ute which gives the Governor the power to suspend for cause any delin- quent Tax Collector in the State.
 The birth-of Major Burke was on July IA. 1886 at Tuscaloosa. He was educated at the University of Ala bama. He was teaching school at Tuscaloosa when the war broke out. He entered the service of the Confed- crate government in December, 1862. as a first lieutenant of artillery. He was assigned to duty at Fort Morgan, having previously been examined by the authorized board for ordnance du- ty. In 1863 he was assigned to the stan of General Cantey as ordnance officer. With Cantey's Brigade he went to Johnson's army in Northern Georgia and served through the campaign.
 At the close of the war, Major Burke returned to Tuscaloosa County, farmed one year and removed to Marengo County where he devoted three years to agriculture. He established at De- mopolis in 1872 what was called the Marengo News. He conducted this paper for twelve years. During the period of reconstruction his editorials were forceful, causing his patrons to denominate it a "red-hot paper" De- mopolis being near the center of the black belt. this paper had ample op- portunity in those days to distinguish itself in the opposition to the radical rule of the arrogant and oppressive Republicans
 In 1872 he was appointed superin- tendent of Education of Maren1o County. resigning the office at the end of eighteen months. He was mavor of Demopolis from 1881 to 1884. He was elected to the office of State Auditor in the latter year Then it was that his sensational connection with the Ma rengo News ceased.
 At the beginning of his period of