The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-09-14


OTTAWA, Ills, Sept L. This city was
thrown into great excitement Saturday
morning by the remark on the street that
Emery A. Storrs. the great Chicago lawyer
and counsel for Joseph C. Mackin IN the
suit now before the supreme court had died
very suddenly at bis room in the Clifton
hotel in this city.
Investigation proved the report to be
true. Mr.. Storrs is dead For two days he
had been suffering slight iniispo ,ition,
but no serious consequence had been even
thought of. He had tho best of medical
services and at no time was he confined to
his room.
His wife came from Chicago Tuesday eve
ming During the night it was necessary to
administer medicine, which was done by
Mrs. Storrs herself
Saturday morning upon awakening sha
found him in dying condition and beyond
medical aid. His death took place at $40
O'Clock and was without suffsrinr, the cause
being paralysis of the heart Mr.. Storrs
has been in the city about ten days in the
interest of his client, Mackin, laboring As
siduously for success and to this end had
made an argument on Wedne sday in behalf
of remanding the cause for new trial 1t
was also believed he was preparing to move
before the court that Ma kin should bs
released from the Cook county jail upon
bail, but this latter motion had not yet been
made
Mrs Storrs is Frustrated with grief. The
profoundest sympathy OF the PEG pie is ex-
tended to her. Many OF our prominent peo-
pie have called on her to offer sy mpathy and
coincidence
The remains left at 30 O'Clock Saturday
morning by the Chicago, Rock Island 4 Pa
cific railroad and arrived in Chicago ahoui
2:SO p. m. A meeting of the LaSale county
bar was held at $3.50 in the morning, and the
following gentlemen appointed to ac-
| company the remains: Hon. f. F. Bull, IL
Mayo, J. H. Eckels, W. Gentleman, Capt
| T. C. Fullerton, Hon j. W Duncan ami D.
McDougalL
Mr.. Storrs has been i'll for several days,
and his physicians have besn quite anxious
reg ardms hIm.
| mir. Storr5 was born in Cataraugu,
county, New York, Aug. IL. 1854 be
studied law with his father and Hon. NJ X.
Champlain at Cuba, Allegany county, N.
| Y. Young Storrs then went to Buffalo,
where, after diligently pursuing his legal
| studies in the office of Austin a Scroggs, he
was admitted to practice in 1853 In 1897
he went to New York city, remaining there
| but two years He came thence to Chicago
| in 1859 Devoted to his profession he has
| never been an otfce-seeser OF office holder.
| and yet, a. conspi cuouS citizen of the
| republic, he has ever taken profound,
! intelligent, and efficient interest in political
| affairs.
Politically decided Republican to that
| party he has constantly ded icated his great
talent. In 1858, 1877, and 1850 he was dele
| g8te-at-large from Illinois to the national
| Republican conventions, being on each oc-
casion one of the foremost in shaping the
policy, characterzing the resolutions, and
formulating the pa tforms of the party.
| He drafted the constitution and bylaws
! of the Citizens association, and was in
terssted In the Historical society, the Press
. club, and either Institutions of kindred
| character. "ActIonl" is his motto, as has
| been instanced by hts connection with the
Citizens league for the suppression Of ths
sale OF liquor to minors. As substantial
mon ument4 of his varied accomplishments
in general literature. attention might be
called to his numerous lectures nota-
bly, those on English Constitution, y
@Culture." Patriotism" "Men of Action,
Municipal Government" and lecture
before the Chicago Historical society. Hi,
League club and Mt the great lake front
meeting were of noble quality and lustered
phrase. or the important cases in which he
figured as counsel it will suffice to enumer-
ate the great Babcock conspiracy case
in St Louis; the contested election cases
for the Incorporation Of the city under the
general law. the famous Michigan univer-
slby case, the case involving the duty OF
railroads to deliver grain to elevators t.
which it was consigned, the uniformity OF
taxation case. and those cases involving the
cons titutionallty Of the law providing foI
the erection of the new state house, and
al so Of the Lincoln and South parl
statutes. involving question a.
to the power of municipalities,
TO impose taxes with consent
| His fine abilities as criminal lawyer were
amply dem onstrated in the famous Sullivan
Ransome. and Cochrane murder cases. a.
well as his mastery defense of Storey and
Wilkie, at Belvidere indicted for conspiracy.
In this connection it is well to note his de
tense of The Chicago Times in the Higgin
libel suit. His familiarity with poiitica
economy has been revealed again anC
again
In 1891 Mr. Storrs friends suggested hin
for the office of attorney general under Pres
tdent Arthur but without success Nothing
dispirited, Mr.. Storrs engaged actively i,
the campaign of 1884 and stumped severa
of the eastern states His practice suffere,
considerably from his neglect occasione.
by his interest in politics and those VIII
know Of his affairs intimately were no
surprised when pecuniary considerations lee
him to espouse the cause Of Mackn, tn
ballot box suffer. 1t was while in Ottaw
in attendance upon the supreme court il
this case that he broke down and died. Fl
leaves a charming wife and married son
wins resides in New York