The interior journal., 1914-05-26

South's Most Distinguished Repubiiean
Statesman Passes Away After
Short Illness Saturday

died at 045 O'Clock Saturday night
y general refusal of his organs to
functionate was the immediate cause
Of his death, bui he had been in poor
health ever since he entered the Sem
ate IN 1909 He had announced his
poor health had kept him out OF the
for the Senatorship this fall
AT Senator Bradley's bedside when
the end came were His daughter,
Mrs. John g. South, OF Frankfort,
Senator Ollie James: Miss Rella Lane,
his secretary; Herber, May, nephew;
Mrs. Emma Grigsby sister of Miss
.ane, his nurse, his physician and a
few neighbors.
Many of his Colleagues expressed
regret tonight over his death. Among
them were Senators Kern, Kenyon,
| and Senator James.
When his daughter came from Ken
tucky recently Senator Bradley said
TO her:
Christine. I'll never see you again.
When ! die ! want to be buried in
Frankfort"
While the Senator's condition has
been dangerous ever since Wednes-
day evening. when he was first strick-
en-, the most alarming stage of his
Illness was reached early this morn
ing. giving rise to the fear that death
would follow shortly His kidneys
became congested and his physicians
worked over him vainly for hours.
Morning found him in critical condi-
ton. very weak. Unconscious and
delirious For a time it was feared
that his death would occur before the
day was half over.
Meanwhile Senator Bradley lay NUT
tering dellrlously on his bed in the
front room OF his apartments in Falk-
stone Courts, while the members of
his household awaited the coming OF
his daughter. Mrs John South, in
improve the patients condition. Mrs.
South had missed the connection at
Ashland, due to a wreck, and did not
arrive until considerably after noon.
Her father was at that time in state
of half-consciousness and did not rec
ognize her
William O'Connell Bradley, senior
United States Senator from Kentucky,
was born near Lancaster, KY, March
lS. 1917. He was the son of Hon
Robert Bradley. noted land lawyer
iii his day, and who practiced with
much success in the State courts be-
fore the Civil War
The boy William received his edu-
cation in the ordinary local schools.
never having attended college, a fact
Of which he boasted At the age of
a. upon the breaking out OF the Civil
War, he quit school and ran away
from home, joining the Union army
twice, but on account of his extreme
the ardent young patriot
was taken from the army by his ia
ther and his energies diverted into
more peaceful channels.
The nrst public office he held was
that of page in the lower house of the
n entucky Legislature in 1901, where
he got his first schooling IN politics.
His experience in that body prompted
him to choose the law as his future
profession, and when he was only
eighteen years old he was licensed to
practice by special act OF the State
legislature, II found competent by
two circuit judges. II did not take the
Young man long to convince the ex--
board that ne was learned in
he law and that he also possessed a
natural flow OF elocuence that would
nd him in expoundng the same.
From that time on he was actively
in the practice of the legal
profession in the State and Federal
courts of Kentucky and other States,
The United States Circuit Court of
Appeals and the Uniteu States SUI
Dreme Court.
Senator Bradley was married on
lul} ii. 1867, to Miss Margaret Rob-
rrtson Duncan, of Lancaster. member
II prominent Central Kentucky fam
ly, and two children were born to
he union-George Bradley, son.
who died in young manhood. and Miss
christine Bradley, now Mrs. Tohp
south, of Frankfort, Ky.
Senator Bradley's active public life
,cgan with his election TO the office
Il county attorney oi uarrard county
II no. In this capacity his ability
attracted the attention of the Repub-
lean party leaders, with which party
lie was affiliated. and two years later
lie became the Republican candidate
or Congress in the Eighth Kentucky
district
He made gallant race. but the dis
rict being hopelessly Democratic he
vas defeated. Such a good showing
lid he make for his party that in
$50, which was the Presidential wear
1t again became the Congressional
'tandaId bearer OF his party. He
made brilliant canvass of the dis
rict, and made his Democratic oppo-
ient sit up and take notice
As proof OF his recognition as
'arty leader he was elected delegate
't-large to seven Republican national
in one OF these. that OF
$50, at Chicago, seconding the nomi-
lation OF General u. 5 Grant. In the
OF 1894 he defeated the
notion to curtail the representation
rom the South. In 1904. when the
ational Republican convention met
n Philadelphia, he seconded the nom
haIion OF Roosevelt for President.
lie was three times elected a mem-
'er Of the Republican national COM
nittee and In the memorable national
convention OF 1893 he received los
otes for the Republican nomination
or Vice President
In lS96 he was brought into still
reater prominence in the South by
eceiving the Endorsement OF the Ken
ncky Republicans IN the State conyen-
ion for President.
Only on one occasion was he offered
n appointive office By the United
tates Government, and that was
,hen he was appointed United States
iinister to Korea, which was in 1899.
his honor he declined. as he pre-
erred TO take his chances for polit.
cal preierment with his own people
. Kentucky to burying himself in
lplomatic pigeon hole ON the other
ide OF the globe. He had made the
ace for Governor OF Kentucky as the
republican nominee two years before.
nd was defeated, but such an aggres-