The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-30
pEArH OF JUDGE DAVIS.
He Passes Peacefully ana Painlessly Away
His Last Hours.


BIooNIEGToN ILL.,, June 26.-David Davis died
at 6 O'Clock this morning. He sank into a coma
tOse state twelve hours before the end and passed
painlessly away surrounded by his family. Dur
ing the early part of last evening he appeared to
be failing ana il was felt certain that he could
not live through the night At IL O'Clock he re-
vived somewhat ana was given milk and stimu-
lants in small quantities The effect was for the
worse however. for he at once relapsed into
cOmai0se condition, his pulse becoming very
feeble. During the succeeding three hours he
failed gradually, his respiration growing notice
Judge Davis death was Brights disease of the
kidneys. aggravated by weakened condition of
the system. dating from the time when he became
afflicted with the carbuncle. His last hours were
calm and peaceful.
The funeral OF Judge Davis will be held from
the residence next Tuesday at p. m. aud the re-
mails inferred in the ia mily lot in the Blooming
ton Cemetery. The following gentlemen have
I,e Witep q S;resba4 Indge IP PS Nj
don. Hon. Leonard SWEET, Governor Oglesby, Hon.
joseph L. Mcdonald. Judge John n. Scott, Hon.
Clifton II. Moore, Colonel x. b. Latham, Hon.
Jesse W Fell. Hon. John Wentworth, Judge oliver
l.. Davis, Judge Thomas DrummOnd. Hon. ID. w.
Voorhees, II. II. Treat, W. d. Grisw0ld. The fol-
lowing have been invited as acting pail bearers:
Robert T. Lincoln, Hon A. E Stevenson. Jas. ;.
Ewing, Lyman BUR-. Frank ID. Orme, Duncan NJ.
Funk Henry W. Bishop Lucius a. Fisher.
The death is received in bloomington with pro-
found SORROW. Flags at hall. mast, bells toll
ing, and stores and houses drsped in mourning.
The end MAS PEACEFUL without struggle. Once
during the night there was CLEAN OF conscious
ness ana he called his sons name, but he soon
Judge Davis physician says the Immediate
cause OF his death was erySipelas. the outcome Of
i S g h. Cal wh hih nis m h
insldiously working for two years, was the pri
mary cause. and to 1t is attributed his rapid de
cline in flesh. For week before the eud he had
been unconscious most or the time. His wife. his
only son, George p. Davis, and wife; his only
daughter, Mrs. Sarah ID. Swaine, and husband: his
grand daughter, Alice >. DAVIS his niece Mrs
Fannie PierpOrt; his cousin, John N. Walker, aud
his old friend Frank ID. Orme. of Washington
were present at his death. The widow is much
worn out by constant and devoted watching, but
tears ND Dravely. Senator Logan has been added
to the list OF those invited as honorary pail
bearers
david Davis was born in Cecil County Mary
land, March O. 1915. the son of David and Ann
Mercer Davis. He prepared for college in the
vicinity of his home, and then entered Kenyon
College at Gambler, o. He was graduated from
that Institution in 1882 with Edwin NJ. Stanton.
Directly after graduating he went to New Haven,
Conn and passed through the regular curric-
ulum of the law school in tlat city. At the com
pletiOn OF his course be entered the law Office OF
Judge Henry W. Bishop, at Lenox, Mass, where
he pursued his studies until admitted to the bar.
Soon after this event he removed to Pekin Ill,
ana began the practice of .w there in 1886. Four
years later he returned % LenOX, Mass, TO marry
tie daughter of Judge Wf'liam 7. Walker, OF that
town. He then removed his residence from
Peklu to Bloomington, where he pracuced law
un al he lett the bar for the bench. Asa lawyer
he took high rank and obtained large practice.
In 1874 he was elected to the State House of Rep
resentatives, and in 1915 he was member OF the
convention that framed the constitution under
which the State existed until 1870. In 1919 he was
succeed Judge Trent, who had been appointed
United States District Judge for the Southern Dis
trict OF Illinois. Judge Davis was twice reelected
and held court as Circuit Judge till 1862, when
President Lincoln appointed him an Associate
Justice OF the United States supreme Court, where
he remained until elected to the United States
Senate in 1877. His election to the
Senate prevented his appointment as a
member OF the famous Electoral Commits
sion his place being filed by Justice
Bradley. He was elected President pro TEN. of
the Senate to succeed Mr Arthur ana retired in
1888. being succeeded by shelby NJ. Culiom.
part with Judges Thurman and Christiaucy i'm
committee on what is known as the Thurman
funding bill which forced the Pacific railroads to
provide a sinking fund for the payment of their
obligations TO the Government at maturity. He
made telling speech against the use OF United
the ablest article on the Geneva award bill. In
1872 he was nominated for President by the Ma
1onaI LABOR heioIM convention wnleh met az
Colum bus. Afterward, being candidate before
the Cincinnati convention, which nominated Mr.
Greeley, and being defeated he declined to run
as the labor refOrmers' candidate.
Mr. Dayis's first wife died in 1876. After his
Senatorial term expired, in 1888 he married NJ ISIS
Anna Green, OF North Carolina, who, with a son
and daughter, survives him. The son, George
Perrin Davis, IS a graduate of WilIi ans College
and of the Ann Arbor Law School. His health
is poor an ] he is farming in Illinois The daGgh-
ter, sarah, married a son of Judge Swayne OF the
Supreme Court.
David Davis was best known as judge, and the
esteem in which he was held is due largely TO his
unbending uprightnesS on the bench. His de-
cisions on circuit were prompt and firm. Changes
OF venue in his court were far between. Few APP
peals were taken. His Investigations were so
thorough, his reasoning so conclusive, and his
decisions so impartial that further Htigation was
industry knew no bounds. With deeply rooted
political convictions, the Judge was no partisan.