Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-31
JOHN n. F0W, LAWYER,
POLITICIAN, DIES

| continued from faHc pne
ways Returned from such expeditions with
a big harvest
II was as a protester. however. that
Mr.. Fow shone conspicuously one Of
/ his last protests was that made against
| the Taylor transit plan. He contcnded
i that new lines would bo a waste OF money
/ because philadelphia did not go out after
/ o'clock He asserted that many Of the
clubs we're poorly attended at night as
an indication OF the inclination OF the
people. II is folly, he contended. to
| operate surface cars after o'clock at
night. and that the transit plan was
visionary dream. "
REPARTEE IN COURT
An illustration OF Mr.. Fow's aggressive
ness was found In court recently. Whue
he was addressing the court one OF the
two Judges happened 10 leave the room
MIR Fow stopped talking.
81 fear I begin" he said. lust as the
light Of the court is goina out"
The retiring Judge asked. What light
DO you meanr'
Fow
He was not rebuked.
Mr.. Fow believed In trying TO get re-
suits quickly He offered a premature
opinion on the two-cent fare act m 1901
which caused such sensation that he
was obliged 20 resign as counsel Tor the
City Commissioners. @
He frequently shattered ideals about
historical personages by showing that
many things which the people cherished
we're based upon mere fiction.
He disputed the claim that Betsy Ross
made the hrst American flag and wrote
many articles 20 prove his theory.
Mr.. Fow settled many controversies
concerning the history Of the Knights
Templar.
MIR. Fow was born in this city on June
q, 1851. His family settled In Phila-
delpha in 1922. He was a great-grand-
son of Matthew Fow, n member of the
Pennsylvania Line, Colonel d. Hass, Cap
tain Harmar's Company in the Revolu-
tionary War. on his mothers side, he
was the great-grandson OF Michael Cur
linger, "A commissioned officer of the
French Regiment OF Huzzars under com
mand of Duke de Lauzon, which served
at Yorktown
PROMINENT DEMOCRAT.
Mr.. Fow was educated IN the public
schools of this city and studied law under
+. Carroll Brewster, being admitted TO the
bar in 1878. He was chairman of the
state Comniittou in iSsa. and
was the first president OF the state League !
OF Democratic Clubs of Pennsyiyania.
He served two terms in Councils, 1885 ,
S. and was elected to the State House /
o: Representatives. In 1851 reelected |
1890. 1892, 1894, 1895. 1899. 1900 In 1906 he |
was elected as an Independent over. the !
Republican and Democratic candidates.
Mr. Fow was chairman of the Quay |
Senatorial Investigating Committee I'm |
1929. and Of the Democratic state Caucus |
ir iS93-95. For number Of years he was |
the special correspondent at Harrisburg |
of the Philadelphia Star, and was the |
first president of the Willow Grove Troll |
ley Railway
Mr.. Fow had a thorough knowledge of |
constitutional, municipal and election |
laws. He was a writer on historical I
subjects and contributed some valuable |
articles to various publications. His !
articles on Washington crossing the Della |
ware led to the adoption of the bronze |
tablet on the Battle Monument at Tren- !
ton, representing Pensylvania's part in |
that battle. II was taken from old !
consulted and examined by Mr.. |
Fow with the late Adjutant General |
Stryker of New Jersey, and the late Gov
ernor of Pennsylvania, Robert +. Patti |
son, and is historically correct 1t repre-
sents General Washington sitting in the
stern of a small boat that is being rowed |
by a man named Cadwalader, while Gen
eral Knox sits in the bow of the boat.
MIR. Fow also wrote a complete history |
OF the origin of the American flag, where
in he attempted to show that the Betsy |
Ross claim has no foundation in fact, |
either documentary or OF record, and Is /
simply a legend; in which contention h /
was sustained by all the leading his
torians of this country and the Pennsyl- |
vania Historical Society's Magazine, Jan
uary number, 1909.
Mr. Fow was counsel for the City Com
missioners of Philadelphia; he was a !
member of the State Bar Association,
the Lawyers Club. the Law Association,
the Sons of American Revolution, the
Pennsylvania Historical Society. the |
Society, the National Geo
graphic Society, a Past Master of his
Masonic Lodge, and belonged to a large |
number of social and political clubs; was
a delegate to national conventions of his |
party on several occasions, and nominee |
for Congress in the Third district.
He was the author OF the act that does
away with kissing the Bible in legal |
the Saturday half-holiday |
bill and a large number Of acts relating
TO the practice OF the law and munich
pal affairs.
Mr.. Fow is survived by three children:
r. Carol Fow, a member OF the bar;
Iohn Gordon Fow and Franklin r. Fow,
nNTU