New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-27
THE FATAL ILLNESS.

n
terd,y al D. m. in his home AT No. ~ Park-ave
Naturally Of robust constitution we had beer sut-
ferng from disease for years. lie became sub
ject {, attacks that threatened congestion Of the
brain. aud during the year following tie first up
pearancc f. these dangerous symptoms was unable
attend 20 lis duties regularly rs had been MS
custom before. In the summer o. 1878 he went 10
Europe with DR.. Erastus +. Marcy. bis ply
stefan. in the hope of recovering his health
The Journey seemed 10 do him good and upon re
turning 20 tho cay in the succeeding Autumn he
resumed his duties on the bench. He had not been
long az work again when the latter part of Sep
tember SIS. he taken Ill while presiding at
the trial If William Muir for forgery; and the Jury
in the case had to be discharged. Tho Recorder
never prosi led at another trial. lie continued.
however, during part Of the present year to tuhl
cer,ain duties which devolved upon him rs Re-
coricr such as Commissioner of the Sinking
Funds Commissioner of Arrears OF Taxes.
trustee for the Sailors Snug Harbor. etc. His
head continued to trouble him. bun he believed that
by taking sufficient rest he would regain strength
aud be able TO resume his work on the bcuch.
In july last he went TO spend the Summer at lslip
l.. l.. whore the grounds OF the Long Island sport
ing Club are situated. The Recorder was president
of this Climb. Early in August, while out fishing. he
waded through some water, winch reached above
his knees. and he caught severe cold. The cold
developed into severe attack of bronchitis, ana
feeling very III be returned TO New-York. Here
after several weeks of suffering. the bronchitis was
succeeded by attack of dropsy Tins disease
spread through his system with great swftucss and
soon was recognized TO be of a fatal nature by Dr.
Marcy The Recorder has not been in sufficiently
good health to leave his house since September
During October. November and December the dis
ease steadily advanced. but Mr. Haokett was able
10 move about bis room. A fortnight ago he was
compelled at last to take TO his bed and never
arose from il. HIS mind clear and he con-
versed chccrfully with his frieDds DIR. Marcy. was
asonishcd at the strength Of the Recorders consti
tuition. having believed that his patient would long
before succumb TO the attack OF the drOpsy.
Three DAYS ago the physician saw thar Mr.
Uackett could not 1--we much longer. The patient
was DYING from exhaustion, consequent up3n TIE
drcp~y. At 10 a. IN. yesterday Dr. Marcy called al
Mr.. Iachetfs 10 learn his condition. and saw M a
gance that the sick man would de before night
Jle asked the Recorder tue question " Do you
know me :" and the Recorder while not speaking,
made sign IN the affirmative. Dr. Marcy then
sand: Please bold Ou your tongue" and the dying
man complied. This about the last sign of
consciousness the Recorder made For three hours
daughter. and a lady friend ofh wie's. He seemed
10 breathe with difficulty. bat toward o'clock me
scarcely be heard his features assumed placid
expression. AT l o'clock, gently and almost upper
ce.ved by those who stood around his bedside, he
died.
SKETCH or THE RECORDERS CAREER.
John X. Hackett has been prominently before the
public for nearly thirty five years. He was the son
OF John Hacket,. the actor. whose representations
OF FdlsiaG and other characters from Shakespeare
Plays To- more than quarter of a c'ntury made his
name famous both In America and Great Britain.
Joan *. IlacSett boru at Utica, in this State,
February 13. 1921. lie entered Columbia
College at the age of fifteen, but COM
completed his college studies at the University OF
the CITY of NewYork, from which lie was grad
uated $50. lie returned 10 his native place, and
pursued his law studies in the Office of the ce!e-
bratcd lawyer Joshua n. Spencer. with Horatio
Seymour and Francis Herman as llow-students.
A few days after he came of age be was admitted
10 the bar in Albany. aud at once began active
practice. Daniel Webster, in 1915. made the mo-
ton on which he admitted to practice in the
United STATES supreme Court.
Mr. Iiackett had obtained good practice, when
III 1859 no induced TO go To California, believ-
ing that il offered better field for a young and
ambitious man. He served one term Corporation
Counsel for the City Of San Francisco before his
turn TO New-York In 1857. He continued the
practise o his profession in tins city. and in 1868
was appointed assistant Corporation Counsel under
John r. Develn's administration. While acting in
this capacity he gained considerable reputation for
his arguments in important cases. In 1866 John L.
Hoffman then Recorder. chosen Mayor, and on
March @ of that year. Mr.. Hackett WAS
appointed to fill the unexpired term by the
Board Of Supervisors, the motion Of
William VI. Tweed. In the following November he
received the Tammany nomination for Recorder.
and was elected for "a three years term When thus
term had expired he was again nominated by Tam
many aud elected for "a term which had been in
creased to SIX years
Before the time arrived for another nomination
70 be made bitter political controversy had sprung
up between John Kelly and Recorder Hackett, and
long before the Tamnany County Convention met
a. the Autumn-of 1875 it was plain that # John
Kelly had his way Recorder Hackett would not
only not DE again nomr ated in the convention. but
would be defeated az the polls. When the conven-
ton met John Kelly made a violent attack upon the
Recorder. charging him with beng connected
with the Tweed Ring and accusing i'm of
ineapaciiy for the place. Mr.. Kelly sand
that the Recorder had claimed pay for fifteen
months as Recorder for which he had rendered no
service. "Wl any gentleman IN the convention
said Mr.. Kelly "deny that Mr.. Hackei; was con-
nected with tho Ring. lie member OF the
Board Of Supervisor. in 1870 aud part of 1871.
and although he may not have sat in all the meet
ings Of the Board the meetings where he did sat,
his vote is recorded there for leased armories and
for other things which do not appear in the pubic
records OF this city being very 90 him."
Mr.. Kelly claimed 10 prove by documentary evil
denoe that Recorder Hackett received $2l .727 80
rs Corporation Attorney while IN the pay OF the
city as Recorder and also to show that eighteen out
Of twenty of his decisions carried to the Court OF
Appeals reversed.
The charges created great political excitement.
aud much Of the interest Of the election centred
upon the choice Of Recorder. Tire Tammany con-
yentIon selected Frederick Snyth as its candidate
while the Republican and Aut-Iammdny conyeD-