Black returned to politics in 1912 when he became Kentucky's first assistant attorney general. Though Stanley and Black won the election, they never became political allies. At the time of their election and service, the
Kentucky Constitution prescribed that the lieutenant governor would act as governor any time the governor left the state. Consequently, Stanley refused to travel out of state on vacation because he feared he would not approve of anyone Black would appoint to any unfilled governmental offices while he was gone. There was no legislative session of the
General Assembly during Black's term, so potential conflicts with the legislature were avoided. Since Black had very little record as governor in his own right, Morrow campaigned against him by attacking Stanley's administration as corrupt. In his final days in office, Black considered many requests for executive
clemency. On December 1, 1919, he issued a pardon for
Henry Youtsey, a recent parolee who had served eighteen years for conspiracy in the assassination of Governor
William Goebel. In 1918, while still serving as lieutenant governor, Black had assumed the presidency of the John A. Black National Bank of Barbourville, named for and founded by his older brother. He became chief prohibition inspector for Kentucky in 1920. Later, he served as director of the Barbourville Cemetery Company. While working as
Ninth Congressional District campaign manager for Senator
Alben Barkley in 1938, Black developed
pneumonia and died on August 5, 1938. He is entombed in a
mausoleum at Barbourville Cemetery. ==References==