Norwich bulletin., 1911-04-11
Death Claims
 Tom |. Johnson
CLEVELAND'S Ex-MAYOR PASSED
 AWAY LAST EVENING.
HAD BEEN ILL OVER A YEAR

Lived to See Three Cent Fares Es- tablished at CieveIand-Four Times Mayor and Twice in Congress. Cleveland, April 1O.-Tom L. John son, twice congressman from the Twanty-first Ohio district, four times mayor of Cleveland champion of three cent street railway fare and prominent advocate of the single tax theories of the late Henry George. died in his apartments in the Whitehall at S.45 o'clock tonight, after a long illness. Death was caused by cirrhosis of the liver. He was 55 years old.
 Had Been III Over a Year. MT. Johnson had been ill for more than 8 year, but his condition was not thought serious until he suffered a re- lapse on Wednesday,, March 15. He had been gaining strength ever since he came home after spending the sum- mer on Nantucket Island. On Satur-. day night, March II, he left his apart ments and attended a banquet at the Nisi Prius club, an organization of Cleveland lawyers. He remained there until a.. m. Sunday and when he re- turned to his home he complained of not feeling well.
 Took to His Bed March 10.
 The following Wednesday his condi- ton was such that he was obliged to go to bed. From that day to the time of his death his condition was grave, though several times he rallied amaz- ingly. Although he realized he did not have long to live, he was cheerful and optimistic to the end.
 Called Himself "a Stormy PetreI.'
 Tom L. Johnson once referred to himself in public address as "a stormy petrel," and this metaphor ac- curately described him and his career. From the time he entered the offices of a Louisville street railway company at the age of 15 until his defeat for a fifth term as mayor of Cleveland on Nov. 2, 1909, he was in the stress of some storm, political or financial, and he often said that it was thus that he most enjoyed himself.
 A Native of Kentucky.
 Johnson was born in Georgetown, Ky, July IS, 1854. He was christened Thomas Loftin, but he always preferred to call himself Tom L., and so he was known from boyhood. He started to work in a. Louisville traction office and when still a youth secured sufficient backing and bought controlling in- terest in the Indianapolis street rail- ways.
 Elected to Congress in 1891.
 In the sos. with his brother Albert he came to Cleveland and became in- terested in the street car systems here and assisted in a partial consolidation of them. He became director in the Cleveland Electric Railways company and ill 1891 was elected a member of congress from the Twenty first Ohio district, serving two terms as a single taxer." When he was defeated as a candidate for third term he went to New York. disposing of his street car interests in Cleveland and acquiring control of the Nassau street railway line in Brooklyn.
 Proposed Three Cent Fares in Detroit.
 While engaged in business in Cleve- land he sold his Indianapolis traction holdings and acquired control of the Detroit car lines, and it was then that he first proposed three cent fares. The citizens of Detroit, however rejected his proposal that they buy his road and establish that rate of fare and he retired from Detroit.
 In Steel Manufacturing Business.
 He also entered into the steel 1nanu- featuring business at JohnstoWn, Pa, MoXhan1, Pa, and Lorain, O. These interests he successlvely disposed of, and when in 1900 he sold his Brooklyn traction line he was left free of busi- ness cares. He returned to Cleveland and in April, 1901, was elected mayor of Cleveland on platform which promised universal three cent car fares.
 Three Cent Fares Not a Success.
 After fight with the street car company which lasted until 1908 and through four elections, in each of which he was triumphant, the C1eve- land traction lines passed into the hands of the Municipal Traction com pany. After six months trial of opera < ~k- ', oy>J, ,r r,1f rendum election voted out the fran chise and the municipal company pass ed into the hands of a receiver, where it remained until February, 1910.
 Defeated for Reelection in 1909.
 One more attempt was made by Johnson to obtain the passage of the three cent grants, but his proposals were rejected at an election held Aug. 3. 1909. His own defeat followed three months later, and on Jan l, 1910, he surrendered the reins of office to the present mayor, Herman c. Baefr. Three Cert Fares at Last Established.
 Two months later three cent fare was established as the result of MT. Johnsons efforts.
 A Candidate for Governor.
 In 1903, while MT Johnson was mayor of Cleveland, he was nominated for governor by the democrats of
  tion.
 Besides his wife MT. Johnson is sur vived by one son, Loftin, and daugh- ter, Mrs. Bessie Mariani
 End Was Peaceful.
 MT. Johnson passed away so quiet ly and peacefully that his death al most escaped unnoticed from the watchers Dr. Oscar Thomas at S.45 p. 1n., felt the unconscious dying mans pulse and two moments later an- nounced he was dead. In addition to Mrs. Johnson. Loftin Johnson and Mrs. Elizabeth Mariani and James Tyler, the dead mans faithful valet, those in the apartment when death came were the following intimate friends:
 c. M. Bates of Trenton, N. J. City Solicitor Baker, A. E. Dupont w. E. Gongwer, Mrs. J. T. Hill and c. W. Stage.
 Unconscious All Day.
 From early morning MT. Johnson had been unconscious, with the excep- ton of a brief interval about 6.30 a. m., when as his wife, daughter and son were bending over his bedside, he reused from his stupor sufficiently to open his eyes, smile faintly and whiS- per Hello That was the last word uttered bv him, for he at once re- lapsed into uneonsciousness.
 May Be Buried in Brooklyn.
 Funeral arrangements had not been completed late tonight, but the burial will probably be in Greenwood ceme- n1y1y Ip Tr,I,