Smyrna times., 1912-07-03
ANTHONY HIGGINS, FORMER
U, S, SENATOR IS DEAD
DIED WEDNESDAY AT THE HOME
OF HIS BROTHER IN NEW YORK
Deceased Was for Years Prominent as
a Lawyer and Politician and Served
His State IN the U. S. Senate

Anthony Higgins, first Republican
United States Senator from Della
ware and whose election was the
primary cause of the state becoming
Republican, died Wednesday at the
home of his brother, Thomas Hig-
gins, q Washington Square, New
York. He had been i'll for several
months with an affection of the
heart and other complications. Ex-
Senator Higgins was born on the
Higgins estate, near Delaware City,
Del, October IL, 1840. He was
elected Senator in 1889 and served
until 1895. He was the fifth oldest
member of the Delaware bar in
years of practice.
A personal friend Of President
Harrison, during whose administra-
tion he was Senator. he also stood
close to Mckinley, and the late Sem
ator Hanna, of Ohio, was one of his
associates.
Prominent as Republican Leader.
For years Mr.. Higgins was infiu-
ential in shaping the policies of the
Republican party in this State and
he was equally prominent in civic
and patriotic organizations. Long
before his election to the Senate,
when Delaware was controlled by
the Democrats, he was the acknow-
lodged leader of the Republicans.
The General Assembly of 1889 had
a Republican majority on joint bal
Let as a result of the memorial fight
IN Democratic ranks between the
Salisbury and Wolcott factions. The
battle for Senator on that occasion
was particularly animated. Mr.. Hig-
gins won the caucus nomination for
his party on the forty third ballot,
defeating George v. Massey, form
erly of Dover, DEL, and recently
retired as general solicitor of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
He succeeded Eli Salisbury Demo-
crat, of Dover in the Senate, Sauls-
bury having served three consecutive
terms in the upper house of Con-
gress.
During Senator Higgins term ].
Edward Addicks made his debut into
Delaware politics. At the legislative
session of 1926, when a futile effort
was made to elect Mr.. Higgins
, NJ y = Addicks created the origi-
- ! deadlock on the SenaCofship that
e.sGended through successive years.
Higgins and his friends were strong
ly opposed to Addicks. The session
ended with no one being elected, al
though Col. Harry A. DUPONT, now
Senator received a majority of the
votes with the exception of that of
William T. Watson, Democrat,
Speaker of the Senate, who had be-
come Governor upon the death of
Governor Marvil, Republican. Wat
son assumed his seat as presiding
officer of the Senate to Offset what
would otherwise have been a major
ity for DUPONT. Four Addicks
members held out for him to the
last.
The legality of Watson's actor
was questioned, by the United State:
Senate decided he had a right Il
vote, and Colonel DUPONT was de-
prived of the seat. DUPONT wai
elected IL years later, however. ant
reelected at the 1911 session
Sketch of His Interesting Life.
Mr.. Higgins was a son of Anthon,
M. Higgins and Sarah Corbit Hig
gins. He graduated from Yale i
1861 and, after a course at the Har
ward Law School. was admitted t
the New Castle County bar in 1864
In 1891 Yale conferred the degree o
doctor of laws upon him. He wa
a law partner of the late Unite
States Judge Edward G. Bradford
father of the present FEEDER al juris
of Wilmington, of the same name
Soon after his admission to the bs
he was appointed Deputy Attorne
General of this State. In 1869 h
was appointed United States Dil
trict Attorney for Delaware b
President Grant, holding that offiC
until June, 1876.
In 1884 he was the Republics
nominee for Representative in Col
gress He was active in the Altar
tic Deeper Waterways Associate
and was one of the chairmen at I'll
Richmond, Va, convention la
year. He was a member of ii
Delaware Historical Society, beir
on its advisory board, and was co
nected with the Delaware Stat
Society of Colonial Wars and he
membership in the Union League
Philadelphia.
Funeral Services Held Saturday.
With services in charge of Re
Josiah Crawford. pastor of Cent?
Presbyterian Church, assisted
Rev. Hubert W. Wells. rector
St. Andrews church, WiImingtc
&ba funaroI Of four,a~ TTos+od Ckot