Calvert County, MD
Hon. Joseph Francis Talbott
Calvert County, MD
Hon. Joseph Francis Talbott
Hon. Joseph Francis Talbott
State Senator Talbott Dead
A New Election Will be Necessary in Calvert Sketch of the Deceased
[Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.]
ANNAPOLIS, MD., Feb. 24. - Senator Joseph Francis Talbott, of Calvert county, who has been ill here for some time past, died at twenty minutes past 12 this morning. Those present in the death chamber were the Senator's wife, his sister, Mrs. J. R. Andrew, and Rev. J. R. Andrew, Dr. O. P. Carcand, Arthur Carr, Charles T. Chaney, J. Henry Drury, brother-in-law of the deceased, Dr. Watson and Rev. J. W. Steele.
Rev. J. W. Steele, chaplain of the Senate, remembered the dying Senator and his family in a fervent prayer at the opening of the Senate last night. The Senator was prominent member of Southern Methodist Church. Rev. W. L. McDowell, pastor of the First Methodist Church of Annapolis, was called to his bedside at an early hour yesterday, when an unfavorable change in the Senator's condition was noticed. There were a number of callers yesterday at the boarding house of Mrs. Medley, on West street, where the Senator is stopping, but none except his family and intimate friends were permitted to see him, owing to his critical condition. In reply to all inquires the message came that the life of the Senator was fast ebbing away.
Senator Talbott's wife is ill in Baltimore prostrated by the Senator's illness. The senator's mother, who is a very old lady, living in Calvert, is also seriously affected. The oldest son, who is at Randolph-Macon College, has been telegraphed for. There are three other children.
The death of Senator Talbott will necessitate a new election in Calvert county. Section 1?, article 3 of the constitution sets forth the method of procedure in case of a vacancy in the Senate. If the vacancy occurs during the session and more than ten days from its close a warrant of election will be issued by the president of the Senate for the election of a person to fill the vacancy, of which election not less than then days' notice shall be given, exclusive of the day of election. If the vacancy occurs during recess or within ten days of the close of the session the warrant or election is issued by the Governor and the election is held on the day of the ensuing election for the Legislature unless a meeting of the General Assembly intervenes. The contest of Dr. Byrd for the seat in the Senate will no complicate the situation, as the Senate will declare the existence of a vacancy. As has already been published, a majority of the committee on elections reported in favor of the seating of Mr. Talbott, but the report has not yet been acted upon.
It would be in accordance with custom for the Senate to adjourn today in respect to Senator Talbott. But as today is the last day in which the Governor can nominate officers a session will have to be held to act upon the nominations.
Joseph F. Talbott, of Calvert, was born in the third district of the county September 13, 1850, and was educated at Georgetown College, District of Columbia. He studied law at the University of Virginia, graduating in 18??, but was not admitted to the bar of Calvert county on account of age until 1871. Before studying law he taught school for several years. Mr. Talbott was a practical and successful farmer. He was always a democrat in politics and never held office previous to his term in the Senate. His farm, near the Patuxent river, in the neighborhood of Lower Marlboro, is one of the most elegant estates in Maryland, and farming was made by him to pay handsomely.
Delegate Wm. M. Canby, of Montgomery county, is ill at his home, in Colesville, and may not be able to be here for several weeks.
"Baltimore Sun", 24 Feb 1892 - Submitted by Rita Bergendahl
The Late Senator Talbott
Action of the Senate and House arrangements for the Funeral
[Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun.]
ANNAPOLIS, MD., Feb. 24. - The State and Federal flags floated at half-mast from the dome of the State Capitol at an early hour this morning, giving notice to the people that one of the members of the Senate, Joseph F. Talbott, of Calvert count, was dead. When the Senate met at noon twenty-four Senators answered to roll-call, Mr. Coffin being the only absentee. Chaplain Steele devoted his prayer largely to the family of the deceased Senator, and referred in touching terms to his death, of which he was a witness. Upon Mr. Talbott's desk in the Senate chamber there was a large bouquet of flowers in a vase, and both the desk and chair were draped heavily in black. After the transaction of some routine business the Senate went into executive session, and confirmed a great number of nominations.
When the doors were opened Senator Rogers, of Howard county, who was a fellow-student with Mr. Talbott at the University of Virginia, arose and announced the death of the Senator from Calvert in the most impressive terms.
Mr. Rogers then offered a joint resolution appointing a committee to make arrangements for the funeral. The President named as members of the joint committee Messrs. Rogers, Moss and Wilkinson. The resolution then went to the House, and in a short time a message concurring was received, naming upon the part of the House Messrs. Ireland, Lane, Maddox, Hutchins and Bowie of Prince George's.
The Senate message was as follows: "Gentlemen of the House of Delegates: It is with feelings of pain that we are obliged to inform you of the death of the Hon. J. Frank Talbott, late Senator from Calvert county. The sad occasion has cast a gloom over the Senate, and in respect to the memory of the lamented deceased we respectfully ask the concurrence of your honorable body in the following arrangements for the funeral: That the two houses in a body tomorrow morning escort the remains of our late colleague to the steamer that will carry them to their final resting place, and that a committee of eight, three on the part of the Senate and five on the part of the House, be appointed to make such arrangements as may be proper for the removal of the remains to his native county."
The House message was as follows: "Gentlemen of the Senate: We have received your message transmitting to us the melancholy intelligence of the decease of Hon. J. Frank Talbott, late Senator from Calvert county, and deeply sympathize with your honorable body, and concur in the arrangements for the funeral set forth in the Senate message."
Then the following order, offered by Mr. Hayes, of Baltimore city, was adopted:
"Ordered by the Senate that Friday next, at 1 P. M., be set apart by the Senate as the time when an opportunity will be given for the delivery of fitting tributes to the memory of the Hon. J. Frank Talbott, deceased, late Senator from Calvert county, and it is further ordered as a further mark of respect to the memory of the Hon. J. Frank Talbott, deceased, that the Senate now adjourn."
The State steamer Governor Thomas will leave Annapolis at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning with the remains of Senator Talbott, accompanied by the joint committee of the Legislature. Mrs. Talbott, her son Russell, her brother, Mr. O. P. Carcand and Mrs. Carcand, the Rev. J. H. Andrew and Mrs. Andrew, who is the late Senator's sister, and the Rev. J. W. Steele, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, will also go to the funeral. The boat will land at Plum Pont, and the funeral ceremonies and interment will take place at Emanuel Southern Methodist Church, near that place, of which church Mr. Talbott was an active and devoted member. The Rev. G. H. Zimmerman, pastor of Emanuel Church, will conduct the services. The legislative committee will act as pall-bearers.
The question has been raised as to what effect the contest of Dr. Bird for the Calvert senatorship will have upon the ordering of a new election. Calvert county people now in Annapolis are strongly opposed to the holding of an extra election. They say that the election will have to be held under the Austr??an law, primaries will have to be held after reasonable notice, county nominating conventions will have to take place for the selection of candidates and the adoption of party emblems, all of which will consume the remaining days of the session, so that if it can be avoided it will be folly to put the county to the expense of an extra election when it would be possible for the newly-elected Senator to be present for only a few days of the session. The constitution, however, clearly contemplates that the President of the Senate shall at once issue his warrant for an extra election to fill a vacancy occurring more than ten days previous to the close of the session. But it seems that in this case it is not entirely clear that a vacancy exists. It is true that the committee on elections reported in favor of Mr. Talbott, but at the request of the republican member of the committee the action upon the report was deferred until March. Until such action is taken it may be improper for the President to decide that a vacancy exists. For after he has issued his warrant of election, and indeed, after the election has certainly taken place, the Senate may, in its wisdom, conclude to decide that Dr. Bird, the contestant, is entitled to his seat and as it is entirely competent for the Senate to make this decision, it is argued that it will not do for the President to decide in effect, in advance of the decision of the Senate, that Mr. Talbott was entitled to the seat and Dr. Bird was not. It is likely that the opinion of the Attorney General will be requested upon this interesting question, and it is also equally probable that the report will not be acted upon until it is too late to hold an extra election. Should this course be pursued, the Calvert Senator will be elected at the general election in November, 1893.
["Baltimore Sun", 25 Feb 1892 - Submitted by Rita Bergendahl]
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