Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-10-05
JUDGE k,ooea's DEATH.
He Psssed Away While 10 sn Unconscious
Condition--Brief Sketch Of his Life
Union County Resolutions.


Jefferson Parrish Kidder, an associate
justice Of the supreme court of Dakota,
and judge Of the fourth district, includ.
ing the eastern part OF the south half of
the territory. died at the Merchants hotel
at 10 :35 last evening, from Inflammation
OF the bladder. About two weeks ago
he wrote his old friend, W. II. Shelley of
st. Paul, to secure room at the Mer.
chants containing two beds and to be
ready to stay at the hotel for few days,
as he tbe jndge) was coming here for the
purpose of receiving medical treatment.
Arriving in st. Paul the services of Drs.
Murphy and Richie were enlisted and
an operation for stone In the bladder was
performed. The operation was believed
to have been successful until o'clock
yesterday morning, when the patient
was seized with violent pains. 1t was
then seen that Inflammation of the blad-
der had set in, and atsthe earliest mo.
ment the physicians we're notified. A
brief glance satisfied them that the case
was hopeless and only short time
elapsed before the Judge BECAME uncop.
scious. Stentorious breathing quickly
followed. The disease gained headway
every hour and it was recognized yester.
day afternoon that the end was near. The
prime cause of the attack is stated by
the physicians to have been the failure
of Judge Kidder to suspend sessions OF
his court in order that be might leave
the bench when nature demanded. He
kept his court in operation from the
time 1t was called until it adjourned
sometimes for six hours without cessa-
ton. 1t may, therefore, be said that in
measure Judge Kidder died victim
to his devotion to his official duties.
Messrs. Shelley, Maj. Pond, Col. Fish
and others did everything possible to
relieve the sufferings of their friend, and
they could only congratulate themselves
that he was in all probability uncon.
scions OF the struggle between life and
death. During the evening Mr.. $, S.
Eaton AID G. l.. Grant dropped in, the
first wife of the latter having been the
adopted daughter of Judge kidder.
When the Judge died an undertaken was
notified, but it was undecided at mid
hikbG "ACo VIC AuhC1d al Wodlu ldAc p1dSS,
as advices are awaited from the judges
SOD. who had been telegraphed at Yer.
million, Oak. He was expected in st.
Paul at noon to-day, when arrangements
for the funeral will be made.
At midnight kilograms were sent to
Chief Justice Edgerton. S. W. Kidder. j.
Washington, ID. c.; and Alexander Nc
Il Pi,r,nrnk
tlemeD of Judge kidder's death.
at Braintree, Vt, where he received a
to agricultural pursuits, and taught
school. He prepared for college at the
Orange county grammar school; gradu-
ated at the Norwich university and was
tutor therein. He received in lS4S,
university of Vermont; studied and prac.
tised law; was member of tie state con.
stitutional convention of Vermont in
1912 AZ; was member of the state sen.
ate of Vermont in lS47-4S; was lieuten-
ant governor of Vermont IN 1858 "a; re-
moved to st. Paul, MINI, in 1857; was
elected provisional delegate from Da-
kota territory while visiting there in 1859;
was member of tho Minnesota house OF
representatives in 1861, 1868 and 1854;
was appointed in 1865 as associate JUS.
tice OF the supreme court OF Dakota ter.
ritory, and removed there; was reappoint.
ed in 1869 and again in 1873, and resigned
after having discharged the duties oi
| that Office for ten years; aud was elected
to the forty-fourth congress AS republi
can, receiving majority of laos votee
l Nnsno
1t is stated that he was the first anG
had. Gov. Robinson was i'll during hi
oifciated. Mrs. kidder died two year
ST. Paul. But one Child, soma farmer
married and has three children. Judg,
under the auspices of the Masonic fra
being worth at the time of his deatl
although he had recently been urged I,
make will. This he had postponed, o,
account of the absence of his title deed
and other papers. He had, howeve,
intimated what he wished to do. and thi
will probably become q question to b
settled by the probate court. 1t is state,
that his life was insured for $4,000
Judge Kidder was the first delegate il
congress to move for division of Da
kota territory by an east and west lin
along the forty.sixth parallel. he We
we'll known in St. Paul, which
practically regarded as his home fror
1857 to 1865.
His death is looked upon as a persons
bereavement by large part of the pee
pie of southern Dakota, where he ha
lived for eighteen years, universally re
spected rs man and an official. Eithe
personally or upon the bench he va
most genial and approachable. and ha
the faculty of expediting the business {
his court without uncomfortably urgin
either attorneys or Off GERS. Even upo
the bench he frequently lndulged i
} joculsr remarks, causing general laugl
, and these, he would say, relieved IL
tedium and kept the machinery of ju
tice oiled. There is only one instans
in which any man ever whispered que
tioh of the official integrity Of Jude
3 Kidder, decision from him was alway
accepted as a fair expression of his mea
; ure of the rights in the case. The il
stance alluded to was In the case of Il
I, county seat contest between Milban
S and Big Stone City, and the author
! the criticism subsequently, Of his ON
accord, retracted it. Deceased was
man Of very cordial social qualities, q.
I in every town in his district was an q
j. tendant upon such gatherings as occu
red during his sojourn. it being nothir
unusual to see hlm JOIN very graceful
in quadlilles. or to hear his voice in
!. chorus. About it all there Was an a
propriate air which did not detract fro
a bis dignity aa a indce however mnch