▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁Pl atte ville ▁Normal ▁School , ▁later ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin – Pl atte ville ; ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁Law ▁School , ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 7 . ▁He ▁pract iced ▁law ▁for ▁one ▁year ▁in ▁Bos c ob el , ▁Wisconsin , ▁then ▁moving ▁to ▁Pl atte ville ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 9 0 . ▁Burn s ▁died ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁while ▁visit ing ▁his ▁brother ▁in ▁Gal ena , ▁Illinois . ▁ ▁Elect ed ▁office ▁and ▁military ▁service ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁county ▁board ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁city ▁att orney ▁of ▁Pl atte ville ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 8 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 8 , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁Army ▁for ▁two ▁years ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War ▁as ▁Captain ▁of ▁Company ▁C ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Wisconsin ▁Vol unte er ▁Regiment . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁Senate ' s ▁ 1 6 th ▁District ▁( Gr ant ▁and ▁Iowa ▁Count ies ) ▁on ▁November ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁( Rep ublic an ▁inc umb ent ▁Charles ▁H . ▁B ax ter ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁candidate ), ▁be ating ▁Dem ocrat ▁William ▁Syn on ▁and ▁Pro hib ition ist ▁John