Evening star., 1954-11-09
Charles Henderson,
Nevada Ex-senator,
RFC Chairman, Dies

Charles Belknap Henderson, a
colorful Westerner who was for
merly Senator from Nevada and
chairman Of the Reconstruction
Finance Corp, died yesterday in
a San Francisco hospital follow
ing a stroke. He was 81.
He was the first Senator to
guide an airship over the Cap
itol or to fly over Washington.
Mr.. Henderson came from
pioneer stock. Born in San Jose,
Calf. he grew up in Nevada.
His grandfather was Lewis r.
Bradley. first Governor of Ne
vada, known affectionately as
"Broadhorns." His uncle, c. H.
Belknap. was justice of the Ne
vada Supreme Court for many
years.
Father Crossed Plains.
His father. Jefferson Hender-
son, crossed the plains with
Lewis Bradley from Madison
County, Va, driving cattle from
Missouri to San Joaquin Valley.
When Mr.. Bradley was elected
Governor of Nevada he called
for Jefferson Henderson to man
age his cattle business in Elko,
New.
Mr.. Henderson grew up in, Elko
and went to the University of
the Pacific. He got his law de-
gree in 1895 from University of
Michigan. He was a lieutenant
in Torrey's Rough Riders during
the Spanish-American War.
Afterward he was a gun
carrying district attorney of
Elko County for four years
and then a member of the
State House of Representatives.
For 10 years he served as re-
gent of the University of Nevada.
He was said to have been the
first district attorney in Elko
county to get a conviction for the
then common practice of cattle
stealing.
Named to Senate in '18.
Mr.. Henderson was a director
of the Henderson Banking Co.
and of the Union Land and Cat
tie Co. before he was appointed
to the Senate in 1918 to fill the
vacancy caused by the death of
Senator Francis G. Newlands.
Mr.. Henderson was a Democrat.
When his appointment was
announced the town of Elko
went wild. The residents rang
bells, blew whistles and one man
broke the bell rope in the Episco-
pal church and another turned
in the fire alarm when they heard
Charley Henderson" was Sen
ator.
Mr.. Henderson was known for
doing things Fundamentally.
Once he staked two wanderers to
food and lodging. He gave them
dinner and the next day for
breakfast they ate steaks, double
orders of hot cakes. coffee. eggs,
pie, cake, bread, celery, Jelly roll
and preserves. When the hotel
presented Mr.. Henderson their
bill, they claimed he only smiled
and said he was still willing TO
pay the funeral expenses.
While in the Senate, Mr.. Hen
derSon was q strong advocate of
persistent DEVELOPMENT Uf the air
service. He also took an active
part in the passage of the Pitt
man silver bill in 1918. fixing the
price of silver at 81 per fine
ounce.
A month after he went to
Congress he was made chairman
of the Senate Mines and Mining
Committee.
In 1921, the day after his Sen
ate term ended, Mr.. Henderson
was shot in the arm. A man
who held grievance against
him from a law case in Nevada.
attacked him in his Senate Of
flee. He pressed a pistol against
Mr.. Henderson's breast but the
Senator threw him aside before
he could fire. During the Scuf1e
he was shot in the arm.
Mr.. Henderson was appointed
o member of the Board of Di-
rectors of the RFC by President
Roosevelt in 1884. He was