The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-01

I w. Pitts of the Fourth BENJAMIN Fitz-
patrick of the Fifth justified their pro-
motion In their respective services in
the one office and In later well earned
honors. The solicitor of the Twenty
fourth circuit, Thomas w. Coleman OF
| Eutaw, contained within himself a de-
lveloping capacity which led him at
length to a seat on the supreme court
and later to most decisive public
service of which we shall make further
note as these chronicles progress J.
t. Martin was made solicitor of the
Seventh circuit. H C. Jones mot a
young mani of the Eighth, and John
Lusk of the Ninth: each has even furth-
er public service to his honor Ten
nent Lomas. a memorable young ora
| tor, was made solicitor of the Mont
gomery county court.
| II was to the Fiftieth Congress that the
delegation chosen, November, 1886, was
| sent from the First district James Tae-
fon Jones of Marengo; from the Sec
ond Hilary A. Herbert of MONTGOMERY:
from the third. William c. Oates of Hen
ry; from the Fourth, Alexander c. Da-
wilson of Perry, from the Fifth James
y. Cobb of Macon; from the sixth, John
FL Bankhead of Fayette; from the sew
enth, William sForney of Calhoun and
| from the Eighth Joseph Wheeler of
Lawrence. All had been in the Confed-
crate army All were reelected except
Mr Bankhead, who now entered upon
prolonged service In either branch of
Congress-
Mr.. Bankhead defeated Hon. John NJ.
Martin of Tuscaloosa, who had been
| elected from the Sixth district in 1884
Martin, therefore, WAS denied the benefit
OF the party rule or CUSTOM granting an
unopposed election to a second term.
He was favorably known in party his
tory. He was elected a state senator
/ pQ1
Democrats elected Lindsay governor and
he was re-elected in 1874 upon the wave
OF reform that carried Houston into the
/ executive scat. He was temporary presi-
| dent of the Senate for awhile. Captain
Martin was a gentleman of fine taste and
accomplishments, OF the bank re-
| former. Gov. Joshua l.. Martin
| He married daughter of Chief Justice
| Peck, who was IN advanced republican
| in politics.
| Ryland Randolph, then editor of the
| Tuscaloosa Monitor, bitterly assailed the
course of Judge Peck in politics. Mar
tin adjudged the Monitors attacks had
grown personal against his father-in-law
| lie sent challenge to the field of honor
which Randolph promptly accepted.
| The parties arrived at Memphis, intend
| ing to fight near there the following
| morning. That night a board of honor
took up the case. The board decided the
editor had not transgressed that his
criticism wasa within the units of news
paper prerogative and that Martins chal-
ienge was unnecessary to Judge Pecks
honor. This action withdrew the parties
| from the field.
| Martin upon his election to Congress
| bought a residence in Birmingham and
| moved his family into it on West Twen-
tieth street Jefferson was then attacked
to the counties to the westward in the
| Sixth district
| Captain Martin became enthusia site
over the prospects of Birmingham and
the mineral region. He adopted the tar
| ff views of Samuel ]. Randall. When
the Morrison democratic tariff reform
| bill came before the house he was one
of two or three democrats who Joined
Randall in voting against it.
| This vote seems to have been the han
die to the whip which Bankhead used
| to GUST him.
| Martin, too had incensed a number of
| the leading young spirits of Birmingham
among them Mayor Lane, by procuring
the appointment of postmaster not in
| dorsed by them. Lane and his set wished
| Capt. Sam Thompson, the young cor1-
| mander of the military company, to re-
| ceive the postmaster's office from the
| democratic administration Green, repub-
lisan, had held it for many years. Con-
gresham Martin appointed his long time
| friend, DR.. Henry j. Wfnn, to the place.
When news of this contretemps reached
| the town, Mayor Lane set out for Wash
ington to seek to prevent confirmation,
but he failed.
DR.. Winn was educated at the Univer-
| sity. was a practicing physician of ex-
cellent standing supported his family in
| town, was chairman of the county demo-
cratic committee. He soon discoveries
| that his new Office was exceedingly bur-
densome. The town grew in population
with phenomenal rapidity. Besides the
| town was overrun by visitors who came
| to speculate in real estate. iH
The postoffice was continually thronged
with peripatetic people calling for mail
at the general delivery window. All day
| long lines would stand before that win
dow. The law did not furnish half the
clerks needed for the patronage carried
to the postoffice.
Dr. W-inn tired of his office and would
have surrendered 1t gladly had not his
enemies put him under fire.
Captain Thompson died in the first
| flush of most promising manhood
Captain Martin was deeply wounded by
his defeat. Birmingham, he thought. did
not meet him half way in his fight for
a tariff
JOHN wITHERsPOoN DUBosE.