The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1912-05-31
THE DEATH OF EX-GOVERNOR
CROTHERS.

CROTHERS.
Inthe death OF Austin Lane Crothers.
formerly Governor Of Maryland, the
State has lost one Of its most valu-
able and useful citizens
His death occurred at the home Of
his nephew, Senator Omar D. Croth-
erg,, Elkton, Md, On Friday night
last, at 1910 o'clock q. M., and his
remains were inferred in West Not
tingham Cemetery, near Elkton on
Tuesday last beside those OF hi
brother, the late Senator Charles @.
Crothers. His funeral was attended
by a large concourse Of people from
hiE bone county and from other parts
of the State, among them many Of
Mar.land's most prominent citizens.
The Ex-Governor died in TIL prime
OF his manhood life, beng only So
years old Until within the past few
months, IT, appeared to d. In robust
health, and seemed to have the prom
Use of many years of life.
Tt H. said, however, by those who
were nearest to him, that while n
was fine specimen Of physical man.
hood, and appeared to be robust, his
health has not been entirely firm
since his long spell OF typhoid fever,
which for many weeks laid him upon
his back, and prevented him from
taking any part in the campaign OF
1907, when he was candidate for
Governor.
His convalescence from this attack
was not completed when he was in
augurated Governor, and he was
then, mt once, thrown into the turmoil
incident to the Gubernatorial Office;
with the legislature upon his hands
and his appointments to make. He
assumed I'll these duties and respon-
sibtlities with great energy, and hav-
ing high sense Of official duty, he
did not spare himself at al during
that session or the legislature, nor
indeed afterward, for he kept right
along in the official harness to the
end OF hi term, making record of
daily fidelity to the duties OF his Of
fee, such as no Governor of Maryland
ever made before
Tn addition to this, his services
were greatly in demand in the cam
paigns of 1909 and 1911, and he re-
sponded to the calls Of hi party, and
made many speeches throughout the
state. All this, doubtless, had much
to do with undermining his physical
powers, and finally bringing on the
disease that ended in his death.
Now that his earthly career has
closed and his life il done, it il inter
esting to his friends and will be an
inspiration to our young men, to take
a reckoning of what h. accomplished,
under circumstances that were not of
the most propitious character. The
history of his early life il very simple
and may BE- summed up i'm few
words. He was the son Of a plain
farmer in Cecil county, and worked
On the farm in his early life, and had
not, at that time, any educational ad-
vantages except those furnished by
the public schools of his neighbor-
hood. Tie subsequently attended, for
a time, the West Nottingham
Academy. 1t was at this time that
his inherent talent began to show it,
self. After helleft the Academy he
continued his studies and taught
school for time in his county. He
combined with this the study of the
law, and was subsequently graduated
from the Law Department of the
University of Maryland He was ad-
mitted to the bar in Elkton, and was
soon made States Attorney, of the
county. He had a fondness for poll
tics, and with his brother, the late
Charles G. Crothers, they became the
Cecil County. He was in the Mary
land Senate in the sessions Of 1898
1900 and 1902, and was Chairman of
the Finance Committee in the two
latter sessions. He was appointed
Judge in the Second Judicial Circuit
by Governor Warfield, and in 1907
was nominated and elected Governor
OF the State.
He was very conscientious in the
discharge of his official duties, and
his record, in this office, il regarded
the best the State has ever known He
had a very comprehensive grasp of
the affairs of the State, and having
high sense Of his own official duty,
he stirred every other department Of
the State government He was a true
Democrat and always insisted that
his party should redeem every pledge
of the party platform. He had no
patience with that sort of politics
that makes platforms simply to catch
votes, and then ignores them.
He was man who believed in, and
lived the simple life; was very demo-
cratic in his manner, and while filing
the high Office of Governor, could be
approached by the humblest citizen,
as easily as by those who were prom
inent in the State. AS Governor he
recognized no difference
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