The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-11-10
Judge of the District Court for
Many Years.
Man of Integrity, Strong Char
acter;; Greatly Respected.

Ia. from 1917 10 1919, JuiiSI, Soiuiei,
writer and for thirty years continuously
holder of high public offices, died at ST..
Barnabas hospital, Minneapolis, at 1855
yesterday following MINOR surgical
operation. He was i'm his seventy fourth
wear. having celebrated his birthday
with his wife and children, who survive
him. at his home, at Mound Lake Min
netonka, Oct. ID. Former Governor Me-
Gill. who died few days ago, was his
private secretary during one term as
governor.
The passing of Governor Austin was
sudden. He was taken to the hospital
Friday afternoon, apparently in the
best of health. His condition was so
good that his relatives and physicians
deemed that success of the operation for
which he was preparing certain. The
operation was performed Saturday, and
Governor Austin rallied Immediately.
His progress was steady and very en-
couraging until Monday noon, when he
exhibited some weakness. Even then
his condition was not thought dangerous
and, though he sank steadily through
the afternoon, his physician was not
alarmed until late in the evening.
Though he retired from public life
some years ago, after active service of
over thirty years, Governor Austin had
not quit work. He was engaged in the
compilation of his memoirs at the time
of his death, having been working on
them in spare moments for several
years. He returned from trip to
Alaska last summer, intending to com
plete the memoirs this winter.
In addition to his memoirs he had done
other writing, and in the true sense of
the word did not retire from a civil life
until he entered the hospital Friday
afternoon.
Governor Austin had retained his resi-
dence in Minneapolis, though for ten
years he travelled extensively. 1t was
his custom to spend his winters in Cali
fornia, where he had country property.
With the exception of one daughter,
Ida, who died several years ago, Cover
nor Austin is survived by his entire
family. His daughters are Miss Alice,
photographer, residing in Boston;
Miss Mabel, doctor, also in Boston;
Miss Helen, q teacher in the st. Paul
tin Hamlin, formerly of st. Paul and
now living in Chicago. The son, H. M.
Austin, assistant purchasing agent of
the Northern Pacific, resides in st. Paul.
One brother, George Austin, of Everett,
Wash, and half brother, C. ID. Austin,
of Minneapolis, are also living.
The widow, Mrs. Austin, the Misses
Helen and Alice Austin, are at the home
of Mrs. Olga Haskell, ITO Third ave-
me south, Minneapolis. Mrs. Hamline
of Chicago and Miss Mabel Austin of
Boston, are on their way to the city to
attend the obsequies and will also re-
main with Mrs. Haskell.
The arrangements for the funeral
have not been completed. According to
present plans the funeral will be held
Thursday afternoon from the home of
c. D. Austin, 3245 Third avenue south.
Horace Austin, Minnesota's sixth gov
ernor, was born at Canterbury, Conn.,,
Oct. ID, 1881. He received a common
as a iourneyman mechanic. He studied
law at Augusta, Me-, and in the year
1854 moved to the west, where he was
among the early settlers at st. Peter,
MINI. Here he continued his study and
practice at law. In 1862 as captain of
cavalry, he took an active part in the
Sibley campaign on the Missouri. The
following year he became judge of the
sixth judicial district, which then COW
cred all of the southwestern part of the
state.
His six years of service. on the bench
gave him a wide reputation as fear
less, energetic, conscientious judge. His
connection with the prosecution of the
leaders of the mob which on Christmas
day of 1862, at New Ulm, in drunken
frenzy, lynched two young men of Man
kato, on account of a row arising from
a fatal accident in a saloon, won for
Judge Austin the sincerest respect
throughout his district, with the excep-
ton of the element at New Ulm, which
successfully shielded all the perpetrators
of the outrage but one, who spent some
years in the state prison.
In 1869 the opposition to the nomi-
nation of Ignatius Donnelly as candi-
date for governor on the republican
ticket succeeded in carrying the conven-
ton for Judge Austin. He was elected