Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-03-27
JUDGE MATTHEWS DEAD
The Federal Court Justice Before
the Great Bar.
FATAL ENDING OF HIS ILLNESS
After Several Weeks of Suffering the
Aged Jurist is Relieved by Death
His Last Moments-His
Record During the
War.

ciate Justice Stanley Matthews, of the
United States supreme court, died at
1905 o'clock this morning.
The last change in the condition of
the Justice occurred yesterday after
noon at o'clock. In the morning he
had been feeling quite comfortable and
cheerful. At that hour, however. the
intense pain which marked the periods
of decline required, and never left him
until death brought relief. DR.. William
w. Johnston was summoned, and, find
ing his patient suffering intensely,
administered opiates, which toward
morning induced state of semi-con-
seriousness, in which he remained until
the end. Occasionally he would par
TALLY revive and recognize the loved
ones near him by glance or pressure
of the hand, but relapse soon fol-
lowed. For number of hours previ-
Gus to death he was practically uncon-
scious. The immediate cause of death
was exhaustion of the heart and con-
gestion of the kidneys.
Justice Matthews has been an invalid
for year or more. During the winter
of 18S7'SS he frequently complained of
indigestion and muscular rheumatism,
and as the spring wore on began to suf-
fer from obstinate dlarrh9a, from which
he lost great deal of strength and flesh.
Acting upon the advice of his physicians
and friends, he went to Massachusetts,
Lenox, and then at Nantuck-
ct; but he continued to lose
ground. During the summer he had
several attacks of muscular rheumatism,
associated with high fever, which would
confne him to his bed for several days
at time. On his return home he be-
gan to improve somewhat, but he con-
tinued to suffer from the interc urrent
attacks, which always greatly reduced
his strength and flesh.
Yesterday afternoon he had a pro-
longed chill and high fevel, which
brought on intense local suffering.
by another chill, from which
he could not rally. He con-
tinued to lose strength, and died
few minutes after 10 o'clock this morn
ing. Beside his regular attendant, DR..
VIM. w. Johnston, other eminent physi-
clans, including DIR. William Pepper, of
Philadelphia, and DR.. N. S. Lincoln, of
| Washington, were called in consultation
| from time to time.
| In his last hours, the dying Justice
was surrounded by members of his fam
lily who have been with him throughout
| his illness. Mrs. Matthews, her daugh-
tiers, Miss Matthews and Miss Eva Mat
thews, and his son, Paul Matthews, and
| G.. b. Matthews, his brother, of Cincin-
natl, who came TO Washington a week
Or ten days ago DR.. Johnston and the
| faithful colored servant, who only a few
days ago announced to callers with great
satisfaction that ''Justice Matthews is
ever SO much BETTER" were also pres
ent.
| The chamber in which Justice M at
thews breathed his last, and which has
been his world since last September, is
on the east side of the second story of
the elegant mansion occ upied by him
for several years, on the corner of Con-
necticut Avenue and n Street. The
tightly-drawn blinds along the entire
avenue front this morning afforded
the first indication to neighbors
and passers-by that all was
not as usual within. The reports of
Justice Matthews condition during the
past week had been of such cheering
nature that apprehension was in a
great measure suOdued, and the news
of his death came with shock, even
to many who had been prepared for
the winter.
! The Justice was ever cheerful and
hopeful patient, and naturally the mem
bers of his family endeavored to be as
cheerful and hopeful as he; and it was
| owing to his own belief that the favora-
BILE reports of the past week were given
to those who inquired after his health.
Only yesterday morning, Justice Mat
thews was discussing with his family
various plans for the future when he
should be able, as in the past, to take
part in their execution. "But at no
time since his return to Washington"
said one of the family this morning,
shave we really felt that there was hope
of his recovery"
Arrangements for the funeral are yet,
of course, inchoate. Tie remains will
be inferred In the family lot, Spring
Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati, but details
will be deferred until the arrival of the
jurist's oldest son, Mortimer Matthews,
a lawyer of Cincinnati, and his youngest
daughter, Grace, wife of Horace Cleave-
land, assistant United States district
attorney at Cincinnati, and nephew of
Justice Harlan.
Justice Matthews was born in Cincin-
natl July 81, 1924. He graduated at
Kenyon College in 1910, and began the
practice Of law a few years later
in Maury County, Tenn. He re-
turned to Cincinnati soon after,
and became engaged in anti
slavery movements, being in l849
assistant editor OF the Cincinnati Herald,
the first daily anti-slavery newspaper in
that city. He became judge of the
court of common pleas of Hamilton
County in 1851, was state senator in 1855,
and in 185S-l86l was United States at
torney for the Southern District of
Ohio. In March, 1861. he was COM
missioned ieutenant-colonel of the
Twenty-third Ohio Regiment and
served in West Virginia, participant
ing in the battle of Rich Mountain
and Carnifex's Ferry. In October of
the same year. he became colonel of the
Fifty-seventh OHIO Regiment, and in
that capacity commanded brigade in
the Army of the Cumberland, and was
engage d at Dobbs Ferry, Murreesboro,
Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain.
He resigned from the army in 1868 to
become judge of the superior court of
Cincinnati, and was presidential elector
on the Lincoln and Johnson ticket in