The Washington times., 1922-09-26
Succumbs to Asthma Attack
at His D. c. Home-lll
For Many Weeks.
by International News Service.


Senator Thomas E. Watson Of
Georgia died suddenly early today
at his home, 8 West Melrose street,
Chevy Chase, Nd, following a
weeks serious illness with asthma,
from which he had suffered for fiji
teen years. He was sixty-six years
old on September S.
Coming to the Senate on Aiarch
4, 1921, as an "anti- Wilson, anti
league and anti-war measures
Democrat, Watson became one Of
the National Capitals most pic
turesque figures.
His services here had not pre-
vented him from continuing as the
publisher and editor of his news
paper, the Columbia Sentinel, and
on Sunday night, apparently in i'm
proved health, he dictated editorials
for the next issue.
Suffered For Weeks.
Although his poor health during
the past few weeks had kept him
from some sessions of the Senate,
he insisted upon being in his seat
last Friday during the closing hours
Of the Sixty-seventh Congress. This
was contrary to the advice Of his
physicians, DIR. Thomas h. Conrad
and. DR.. Grant S. Barnhart, but he
appeared to have suffered no III eff
fects.
He remained throughout yesterday
at his home in Chevy Chase and ate
a hearty dinner last night. 4 few
hours later he suffered q relapse
and his condition became serious.
Death occurred at 3 o'clock this
morning.
Senator Watson is survived by his
wife, who returned to the Watson
home In Thomson. Ga, last spring
after q severe illness: one brother,
w. A. Watson. and a sister, Mrs.
Julia Claitt, both Of Thomson. Ga.
Senator Watson's body will leave
Washington at 3l5 o'clock tomor-
row afternoon on the Atlantic Coast
/ Line for Thomson, Ga. 1t will
be accompanied by Cranton Will
| liams, secretary to Senator Harris
Of Georgia; Miss Sarah Orr, who
was Senator Watson's secretary, and
mrSI Alice hyliS' WIN wac dS-
sociated with him In the publication
of the Columbia Sentinel
Born in Columbia County, Ga,
I September 8, 1855. the son of John
s, and Anna Watson. Tom Watson
studied two years at Mercer Uni.
versity, taught school. and was ad'
mitted to the bar in 1875, practicing
/ in Thomson, Ga.
Fathered Free Mails.
He served as a member Of the
Georgia House of Representatives In
1928 and was a Democratic elec-
tor-at.large in 1888.
Tom Watson first appeared in
Washington in 1891, when he was
elected to the Fifty-second Con.
gress as a Populist. He was a
candidate and claimed the election
in 1892 and 1894, hut his opponent
received the certificate.
While In Congress, Watson Sc.
cured the first appropriation for the
free delivery OF rural mails.
! The st. Louis Populist conven.
ton, which indorsed William Jcn.
nings Bryan for President in 1895,
selected Watson as its candidate
for Vice President. He was at the
| time COnuuCtiHB NOpuHSI news
paper at Atlanta, Ga, and in 1904
the Populist party decided to run
him for President. He made an
active campaign to revive the
party.
In 1905 he began the publica ton
of Tom Watson's Magazine in New
York, and in 1906 established Wat
sons Jeffersonian Magazine and the
| weekly Joffersonian
Watson was for many years an
outspoken opponent Of the Roman
Catholic Church, and his book 1.-THE
Roman Catholic Hierarchy" publish
ed in 1910, caused him to be prose
cuted in the federal courts.
This incident of his career wat
described by Senator Watson in hi,
1 Continued m Para Q Coluroo ~