Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-24


unexpected The chief justice was in his
usual health, though exhausted by his recent
severe lahurs, until Saturday night when, on
returning from Senator HearSts, where, with
his daughter, he attendep reception, he
complained of chill This feeling passed off
during the night, but he remained in bed
throughout Sunday and until it was time to
go to the court on Monday. Suffering then
from vague indisposition, he did not read the
opinion in the telephone case, but sat through
its reading and then returned to his home.
He was wakeful Monday night and ON Tues
day morning symptoms of acute bronchitis
appeared, accompanied by insomnia and
great restlessness His condition Tuesday
was not alarming, but on Wednesday cir
cumscribed pneumonia showed itself.
During Thursday night he was comfortable,
and no particular alarm was felt, but at
o'clock Friday morning failure of the hearts
action was observed and at 610 he passed
away. His daughter Miss Mary +. Waite,
and his son, Mr. C. c. Waite, vice president
of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton rail
road, were with him when he died. A sad
feature of the occurrence was the fact that
Mrs Waite was not present and would have
to receive the terrible news by that most
startling and cruel, but sometimes most neceS-
sary method, the telegraph.
Mrs Waite left Washington for California
about a week ago, and is supposed now to be
in Los Angeles. Arrangements for the flu
neral have not yet been made. The chief
justice will be buried in Toledo, o.
Justice Waites illness was due to trouble
with his liver and spleen, complicated with
very painful stomach disorders Justice
Waite had n very serious fit of sickness just
at the close of the administration of Presi-
dent Arthur He was confined to his house
for several weeks with an attack of crysip-
elias, that threatened at one time to have a
fatal termination. The serious character of
his illness at that time was not generally
known until the crisis had been passed, and
it was not until he became well enough to be
up and about his house ON | street that news
paper paragraphs appeared reporting him to
be in danger The Justice was "A hale man to
look at, but he had stroke Of paralysis some
years ago, and his friends have been sole
itous about him ON that account, fearing a
recurrence of the old symptoms. After his
recovery from this illness he Travelled and
sought recreation by prolonged abstention
from the duties of the supreme court.
Col Lamont conveyed the information of
Justice Waite's death to the president, who
was very much shocked at the intelligence
He was aware that the chief justice had been
IN Da1 ntitlIn LOT SO1nt Illle, but ne was noL
prepared TO hear of his death. Quite an init
macy had sprung up between the two officials
since the presidents term began, and the lat
ter has often been heard to express himself in
terms of the highest praise of the chief just
ices character and ability. The president at
once wrote letter to Mrs. Waite expressing
his deep sympathy for her in her sudden be-
reavement. which he said was not only a per-
sonal loss to himself, but a great loss to the
public service.
AS soon as the president was notified of the
death he issued an official announcement
thereof to the people of the United States,
and ordered the executive offices closed on
the day of the funeral and to be draped in
mourning for thirty days and that the ma
tional flag be halfmasted on public buildings
and national vessels.
Morrison Remich Waite, LID, was born at
Lyme Conn, in 1916 He was graduated from
Yale In 1887 cassmate of Senator EvaI'ts and
ex-Attorney General Edwards Pierrepont He
studied law mt Lyme, and moved to Ohio after his
admission to the bar. He practiced with great
success at Maumee City and Toledo He was
elected TO the Ohio legislature in 1870, hut subse-
quent that experience he resolutely declined all
political and judicial preferment until he had
built up great practice in the higher branches of
his profession. In 1871 he was counsel for the
United States in the Geneva arbitration on the AL
stitutional convention in 1873 and In March of the
following year President Grant nominated him
for chief Justice of the supreme court,
Upon the death of Chief Justice Chase candL
dates for the vacancy We're numerous. Among
those most prominently mentioned We're Caleb
Gushing and J. Edwards Pierrepont. But Presi-
dent Grant from the very first had fixed his choice.
He had known Judge Waite for years intimately,
and was great admirer of the man as turist
and a private citizen. Upon the announcement of
his nomination great surprise expressed
throughout the country, and Waite was spoken of
in many quarters as obscure and inexperienced
judge.
The senate, however, confirmed him promptly,
and before many months had elapsed the new
chief Justice had established his reputation among
the best lawyers in the country. Roscoe Conk-
ling spoke of him ten years ago as the greatest
lawyer +" America, He was great favorite with
the leadIlg members of the bar; fair and impair
tal In his treatment of practitioners, and admired
for the dignity with which he presided the
highest court in the land