The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-01
DEATH OF THE CHEF JUSTICE.
The Hon. W. d. Simpson Breathes his Last
After Brief Illness-Heart Failure
the Cause of Death-a Brief
Sketch Of his Career.
[Special to News aud Courier. ]

Especial to News and Courier
COLUMBIA, December 26.-Judge
William D. Simpson, Chief Justice OF
the Supreme Court Of South Carolina,
died of heart failure at his home in
Sumter street at o'clock this morning.
The announcement of his death sent
thrill of astonishment and sorro"
throughout the city and the State as
we'll.
Last Friday morning the Judge was
at his post in the Supreme Court, ao-
parently in perfect good health for one
of his age. On Monday he complained
slightly of indigestion, and Wednesday
morning was SO unwell that he re-
maiaed in bed. He did not improve,
but was not considered dangerously III
till Yesterday afternoon. Drs. B. W..
TAYLOR and A. \. Talley were called in,
and then for the first time the family
learned that the end was near.
Gradually his pulse began to sink
and at o'clock this morning the phy-
sicians knew there was no hope. All
through the night the sick man was
perfectly conscious until without a
struggle or sigh the breath left his
BODY. and the brave soldier, the loving
husband, the devoted father, the un-
f1inching patriot, was no more: All OF
the family except Mrs. S. ]. Simpson,
of Spartan burg, are in the city.
Judge Simpson leaves wife and
seven chRdren: Mrs. J. n. Wright, of
Laurens; Mrs. n. J. Holmes, of Lau-
reus; Mrs. S. }. Simpson, CT Spartan
burg; Henry Young Simpson, of the
Laurens Bar; William D. Simpson, Jr.,
and Earnest A. Simpson, of the Colum-
bia Bar, and Prof. John W. Simpson,
of the South Carolina University.
Ever since the morning kilograms OF
coincidence have been coming IN from
the Associate Judges, the Circuit
Judges, the mayor of Laurens, the Bars
of different counties, and hundreds OF
svmpathizing friends all over the State.
The flags over the State House nave
been placed at half-mast aud the Court
House is draped in deepest mourning.
The remains were carried to Laurens
on the 5 O'Clock train this evening, and
will be inferred in the cemetery at that
place at half-past o'clock tomorrow
afternoon.
William Dunlap Simpson was born
in Laurens County, S. c., October -,
1928, being the son OF DR.. J. w. Slmp-
son. He was educated at the South
Carolina College, graduated with Law
renee NJ. Keitt and {. D. Melton, IN
the class of 1914. He went to the Har-
ward Law School, but left after the first
session on account of i'll health.
Returning home he commenced the
practice of law in his native County OF
Laurens. About this time be was
married to Miss Jane E. Young, daugh--
ter of Henry Young, a distinguished
citizen Of Laurens.
he was several times member OF
the General Assembly before the war,
once occupying the position Aot state
Senator from Laurens. When South
Carolina seeded from the Union, be
promptly entered the army, and was
present at the siege of Fort Sumter.
AS an aide to Gen. Bonham be was
in the first battle of Manassas, after
which he went home and was elected
major of the 14th South Carolina regl-
ment, of which he afterwards became
lieutenant colonel. He went to Vlr-
ginia with bis regiment, which was at
tached to Gregg's brigade, and was en-
gagged in both the actions at Bull Run,
the Seven Days fight, Cold Harbor,
Frazier's Farm, Malvern Hill, Harper
Ferry, Antietam, or Sharpsburg, and
other engagements, but though con-
tinuously on active duty and never
missing battle, hewas never wounded.
In the latter part of 1868 Gen. Bon
ham, who then represented the Iau-
rens district in the Confederate Con
eress, was elected Governor and Mr..
Simpson was chosen to fill the vacancy
thus created. He was subsequently
reelected to that body, and remained
until the end of the war. He then
went with his broken fortunes to his
ruined home and recommended the
practice of his profession.
In 1858 he was delegate to the
National Democratic Convention at
New York, which nominated Seymour
and Blair. The same year he was NOM
mated for Congress by the Democrats
of the 4th district Of South Carolina,
defeating his Republican competitor,
the Hon. A. S. Wallace, by a majority
of 1890 votes.
Notwithstanding he was duly COM
missioned by Governor Scott, Republi-
can, the House refused Mr.. Sim son
his seat, on the ground that be was dis
qualified under the 14th constitutional
amendment, and admitted Wallace.
In 1876 Mr.. Simpson was nominated
without his presence or knowledge for
Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with
Wade Hampton and accompanied
Hampton on his magnifcently success
full campaign, visiting each OF the
thirty-two counties in the State and
making several speeches in each coun-
ty.
His election as Lieutenant Governor
made him President of the State Senate,
which place be filled during the troub-
lous times when Governor Chamberlain
ATTEMPTED to hold over into Hampton's
term. Hampton and Simpson were re-
elected in 1878. On hampton's election
to the United States Senate Mr.. Slmp-
son became Governor Of South Carroll
ma, having previously acted as such
during the period Of Governor Hamp-
toms disability from illness. His term
of office expired in November, 1850.
Re was elected Chief Justice of the
Supreme Court while still in the Gu
bernatorial office, but did not assume
the former position till August, 1850.
Judge Simpsons present term of office
would have expired in Jnly, 1892.
II was in his social and domestic re-
lations that Chief Justice Simpson was
most fully appreciated, and his whole
heartedness, his geniality and lnagne-
tism of character bound him to bis
tried friends by hooks of steel: The
constant association with his brother
Wistar-of nearly the same age, was
wonderful. They prepared for college
in the same class, they occupied the
same dormitory at Princeton for the
full course of four years, they read law
in the same office in Laurens, practiced
together in the same office till some OF
their children were grown and lived in
houses facing one another on the same