New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-19
PROCTOR KNOTT DEAD
Famous for Calling Duluth
zenith City Of Unsalted Seas"

rahenor XIV. June 1s-James Proctor
-. ,..,,,or Governor OF Kentucky and
nror,ront for many years In Congress. died
ia,e This afternoon at his home In this city
| at the age Of eighty-two years.
NJ Erott had been enfeebled and partly
Hind for several years. His wife survives
| him.
J,ros proctor Knott In 1865 gained a ma
tionaI reputation by his celebrated Duiuth
speech in Congress. proposed ralirod"
car, ,,os before the House. and the
friends Of the bill had prepared map on
which tho almost unknown city OF Duluth
q, tho head of Lake Superior. was made
IN onn.ar nc tbe centre Of the earth, with
railroads running into II from almost every
,uooinab,e noInt The speech OF Mr.. Knott
in opposition to the DILL III WHich lie re-
ferred to Duluth as "the zenith city of the
unsalted sea-" was so humorous ana SO
fulI Of noints that the measure was over
whelmibgly defeated.
Mr.. Knott was born In Kentucky IN 1891
At the aye of twenty he set out for west
ern Missouri, and working his way aiteT
his slender funds gave out at ST. LOUIS
reached Memphis, the seat OF scotland
County with a trunk fun OF law DOCKS.
two suits Of clothes and o-franc piece
During the first hour of his residence he
obtained work as a writer in the County
Clerks office. a position which he held TIL,
having attained his majority, he could take
ont a license and practise In 1858 he was
elected to the Missouri Legislature as
States Rights Democrat, and served as
chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
With Charles Hardin. afterward Governor
of the state. he managed the Impeachment
Of Judge Albert Jackson, then was ap-
pointed Attorney General. and IN 800 was
re gularIv elected TO that office.
He opposed secession as inexpedlent'
While supporting the abstract right of
state to secede When General Lyon took
hold Of the government Mr.. Knott refused
to take an ironcad oath which was pre-
scribed for officers and was ousted from
office and debarred from practising. being
further imprisoned in the ST. Louis Arsenal
for some time, and kept under surveil-
lance till he left the state. in 1862. Re
turning to Kentucky. Mr.. Knott resumed
practice ar Lebanon. In 1851 he was unex-
pectedly elected TO Congress. TO which nouS
he was not admitted for some time
His nrSf speech IN tne flouS'' III ~ ~
Of the admission Of John Young Brown
despitA his refusal to take the test oatn
vas one Of the ablest Of his many al
dresses. and fully established his reputa-
ton as an authority on constitutional law
while in another notable speech he pointed
out the dangers springing from negro SUI
frage Reelected to Congress In 1865, Mr
Knott destroyed the Pennsylvania avenue
i'm movement bill by humorous speech
and followed II with his Duluth master
piece
Mr. Knott did not serve in the 42d and
43d Congresses. but was elected TO the 4ith,
where he was chairman Of the JUDICIARY
Committee and Of the special committee
On the Powers and Privileges Of the House
in the counting Of the Presidential vote.
He was stubbornly opposed TO the electoral
bill from first 10 last He was reelected
10 Congress with little opposition until lsS2,
when he retired 70 make the campaign for
Governor He was elected and served TIL
1887 in 1891 he was delegate to the Ken
lucky constitutional convention.
Ex-Governor Knott, in 1892, turned aside
from politics to take up work as an edl-
Gator occupying the chair of civics and
economies in Centre College from 1892 TO
1894. From 1894 to 1901 he was professor
of law and dean Of the law faculty in that
institution.