The Portland daily press., 1882-05-29
Foreign Notes.
Death Of Judge Richard D. Rice.

Hon. Richard Drury Rice died at his resi-
dence in Augusta early Saturday morning,
aged 70 years. His death resulted from an
epileptic attack, to which disease he had been
for some time past subject.
Judge Rice was born in Union, Knox county,
April II, 1910. He learned the printers trade
in Thomaston and afterward pursued classi-
cal couse at China Academy, and went thence
in 1882 to Hallowell, where he publis led the
Free Press, an Anti-Masonc newspaper, which
supported William Writ for President. The
American Advocate, Democratic newspaper
published at Hallowell, but in 1886 Mr.. Rice
gave up the business and removed to Augusta
which has been his homo for 46 years.
In 1886 Mr.. Rice opened book store in Au-
gusta, and married Anne r. Smith, of Hallow-
ell Mrs. Rice died in 1888, leaving one child,
Albert Smith Rice, now of Rockland. In 1889
the book store was sold to D. G. Stanw rood, and
Mr.. Rice begun the study of law with James
W. Bradbury, afterward United States Sena-
tor. He was admitted to the bar in 1910, and
formed a law partnership with Mr.. Bradbury
In November, 1910, he married Mrs. Almira
E. Robinson, widow of George Robinson, who
had been ons of the publishers of the Age, the
Democratic newspaper at Augusta.
After four years of law practice, Mr.. Rice
returned to journalism and from 1874 to 1S4S
was editor and publisher of the Age. The
Democratic party was then dominant in the
state and nation. Governor Anderson was
elected and reelected in Maine, and President
Polk took his seat in the White House. But
the Kennebec Congressional district was ire
trievably Whig. In 1874 Mr.. Rice's newspaper
opponent, Luther Severance, editor of the
Kennebec Journal, was elected to Congress,
and was succeeded in 1886 and 184S by other
Whig candidates. In 1913 the Wings nomin-
ated hero of the Mexican war, and odd
Zach" was elected President. The Democrats
elected their candidate for Governor, but it
was only because the opposition votes were di-
vided between the Whig and Liberty parties
To an ambitious Democrat, the political outlook
in Kennebec was unpromising, and Mr.. Rice
decided to return to the legal profession.
The way was easy. He was appointed by
Governor Dana to the bench of the court of
common pleas for the middle district, and af-
ter four years of industrious application to the
duties of this office he was promoted in 1852 to
the place of associate justice on the supreme
bench. Judge Rice's equipment for judicial
duties was at first very incomplete, but he had a
keen, ANALYTICAL mind and enormous capacity
for work, and his promotion in 1852 was fairly
earned. He remained upon the supreme bench
for eleven years.
In 1868, be resigned his seat upon the bench
to take the Office of President of the Portland
and Kennebec Railroad Co. In 1870 the Port
land and Kennebec road was consolidated with
the Maine Central Judge Rice was President
of the consolidated road until 1873, when he
retired. He had then been for several years
actively interested in the Northern Pacific
railroad. and his duties as director and acting
Vice President of the Northern Pacific road
called him frequently away from home, SO that
he was unable to give the time to the Maine
Central which its growing business required.
In 1878, however, came the panic, the fail
ure of Jay Cooke & Co., and long Interrupt
ton to the construction of the Northern Pacific
line. 1t was thought at the time, that the road
would never be completed. Since that disaster
and partly in consequence OF it, perhaps, Judge
Rice's health has been seriously impaired. He
has been an invalid for many years, and his
death can only be regarded as happy release
from prolonged suffering. Mrs. Rice survives
him. Their only daughter, Mrs. Abby E.
Dana, died in 1868.