The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-31
cur Down IN ms PRIME.
sudden Death OrJudge IamesP. Patton
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nhNANA HNNNh VI NuukE aNulGA EAllUu
Last Might.
One OF the most sitoekihgly sudden aud
deplOrable deaths which have startled this
community for Along time, occurred ut the
McLnEe House shortly before midnight last
night, when without warning, Judge ]. +.
Patton expired from heart disease. He had
been slightly indisposed for day or two,
but was not confined TO his room, nor was
there anything In his symptoms 10 cause
himself or bis friends alarm or nneASinesS.
Last night he complained Of feeling quite
unwell, and had retired to bed. A
few friends were In his room,
and he had been cOnversihE with them when
suddenly, with conYulsiVe start and gasp,
he ceased to breathe. His friends did not
Tor an instant realize the truth. Then DR..
A. \. Summers Of Charleston, who has re-
manned In the city since relieved OF his du.
ties as President OF the Senate by the ad.
tournament Of the Legislature, and Dr.. r. s.
Harvey, Of this city, examined him, but
found that DO had passed beyond tho reach
OF their skill.
James French Patton was the Youngest
judge who was ever raised 10 position on
the supreme bench OF the State, as well as
the youngest man holding such a position In
the United States. He was but thirty.eight
years OF age, and was appointed to the Su.
preme Court OF Appeals last June, to fill the
vacancy occasloned by the resignation Of
Judge Z. p. I. Moore. lie was married 10 a
daughter OF the late U. s. Senator Allen 4,
CaPertoR, and leaves wife and two children
70 mourn his untimely and sudden demise.
His home was at Union, Monroe county, and
prior TO his appointment as Judge he was a
practiCing lawyer, and had been Prosecuting
Attorney OF Monroe county.
When the war broke ont Judge Patton was
q boy Of sixteen, going 10 school ut Culpep.
per, He at once Joined the Twenty.second
Virginia regiment OF The Confederate army;
OF which his brother George was Colonel, and
was appointed Adjutant He served in that
position all through the war, and ut Cold
harbor received terrible wound, the
marks OF which he bore Till his
death. He had four brothers
in the Confederate army, ColoQels Of the
twentieth, tWenty-trst and twenty.seCond
virginia, and twenty.third Louisiana regi.
ments, respectively. Three Of them were
killed, two at Gettysburg. The fa,ally
achieved distinction 6ytheir GalIantry and
devotion to the cause they had espoused.
Judge Patton's father Hon. John NJ, Pat.
ton, was for years the foremost figure of the
Virginia bar, and was regarded as the ables,
Attorney General the State ever had, His
ancestors on his mothers side were also Of
distinguished position in peace and war,
and Judge Patton inherited in an eminent
degree the ability Of his parents.
He was devoted to his wife and children
with an attachment which was touching to
those observing It, and which makes hi.
death appeal strongly to the sympathies oil
his friends, who have much reason to sorrow
on cir own account He was possessed in
an unusual degree Of those qualities which
attach friends warmly md firmly to the pos
SCISSOR. and win not only the admiration and
friendship but the love OF associates.
Brilliant as lawyer, able and uprightas q
able in all the relations of lie, his death
must be regarded as a public calamity, and
his place will be hard indeed 10 I'LL