Evening star., 1909-06-29
Had Taken Long Walk.

thence along the Boardwalk to the Dun
lop, where he had talk with David II.
Lane Upon Lanes suggestion he rode
to his cottage in carriage.
The drive refreshed him. ane when he
reached his home his sister was awaiting
him.
Senator Durham walked leisurely up
stairs to dress for luncheon. and In
few minutes he was in the dining room IN
his accustomed seat at the table.
With him were Mrs. Johnson and Wll-
son and Katharine Durham, the children
of Thomas F. Durham. a brother. Dur
ham laughed and talked, teasing the chll-
dren and warning them, In joking way,
of what would happen If they waded too
far into the ocean.
He arose from the table and walked
few feet in the direction OF the front
porch. He had not gone far when ne
pressed his hand to his breast and com
planned of pains near his heart. He asked
Mrs. Johnson to help him to a couch.
Falls Unconscious.
Before his sister could reach him. how
ever, he tottered and fell against the
table unconscious. James Hickman, a
negro, who had been Senator Durhams
servant for years. was sitting on the
back porch. He ran into the house to
see Mrs Johnson sobbing and leaning
over the body of her brother.
Run for a doctor as quickly as you
can called Mrs. johnson.
When DR.. Walter A. Hickman arrived
he made hasty examination and pro-
nounced the leader dead.
A Popular Leader.
"Is' Durham, as he was familiarly
called. was widely popular with all classes
In Philadelphia, irrespective of politics.
His leadership of the republican organi-
zation was SO powerful that he was as
prominent in politics as most national
figures. He was q follower of the late
Senator Quay and owed much to that as
tute politician. Senator Boies PenrOse
was his friend and neighbor and was
ship by which many political battles were
won for him. When advised at Washing
ton Of the death of his old friend, Sena-
tor Penrose said:
twenty-five years and have been in many
political fights with him I have always
found him honorable in his dealings and
political fighter of courage and saga
city,
From Bricklayer to Boss.
Early in life Durham became brick
layer, then went into the feed business,
and next became a highway contractor
When Dave" Martin, republican boss
of Philadelphia, broke away from Quay
over mayoralty contest in 1895. Dur
ham challenged him to fight for city
leadership. For mayor Durham support
ed Boies Penrose. Martin won, but a
year later Durham Wrested from him
the leadership. The great size of the
republican majority in Philadelphia made
him practically dictator Of the organiza-
tion throughout the state.
In 1905 Durham quarreled with Mayor
Weaver, whom he had put into office,
and when the famous Pennsylvania gas
agaisnt him and cast the whole Durham
organization out of the city hall. Dur
ham was forced to abandon his bargain
with the United Gas Improvement Com
pany for a seventy-five-year lease of the
city gas properties. and the defeat broke
his power.
McNichol Becomes Leader.
The republican leadership fell to Nc
Nichol, and he has since welded the
whip, though Durham remained the
leader of a powerful faction. Both the
forces of McNichol and his rival. Ed
ward Ware, wanted to eliminate Durham
completely: but as he held the balance
of power they were always obliged to
make some concessions to him. Now that
Durham is dead 1t will be straight-out
fight between the McNichol and Ware
forces for the possession of Philadelphia.
McNichol and Ware are city contractors,
but McNichol has heretofore gotten the
lions share.
Durham was q bachelor, and through
his interest with McNichol in the filtra-
ton contracts, over which there was a
great scandal some years ago. is be-
lieved to have amassed considerable
wealth. This will probably go to his sis