Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-04-25
DIED IN OBSCURITY.
Charles n. Reed, One of Quit
eau's Defenders.
ONE OF THE LIGHTS THAT FAILED,

Erratic Career of a Man Whose Talents
Were Phenomenal But Whose Life Was
Failure After AIl-His Early Suc-
cess at Chicago and Subsequent Down
fall-once a Rising Man, He Dies a
Wreck in Mind, Body, and Fortune.
CHICAGO, April 23-Many nlinoisans
personally knew Charles II. Reed. and his
name reached national prominence as one
of the counsel for he defense Of Guiteau.
the assassin of President Garfield. Not so
very long ago if the question had been
asked: who will be the best known
criminal lawyer in the west in 1899, y
the people Of Chicago would have
said Charles Reed Yet the news
was received here yesterday that he
had just died of spinal meningitis at Bal
tlmore, almost a pauper, broken in fortune
and in reputation and forgotten even
by the generation of Chicagoans among
whom be lived His death occurred Sat
urday at his home, 2,0ls st. Paul street, in
the Monumental City
He Wrecked His Own Career.
For twelve years he was states attorney
OF COOK county, leader in politics and at
tue par ana al one time candidate for the
bench. Brilliant, bold and warm hearted,
he had the elements of popularity, and his
hold with the people was remarkable until
his own way OF life broke ii and sent him
to a strange city to die
He came TO Chicago in 1860 but he had
lived in Illinois, first at kewanee and
later at Rock Island, for two years before
mat lie was born Oct. %, 1894, in Wyom-
ing county, y. Y, and he worked on a
farm when he was boy till he made
money enough TO go TO grammar school
In New Haven.
Rapid Advance at First.
Then he studied law in his own state
and about 1875 he came west to Kewanee.
he showed great power for young man
and when he moved to Rock Island in 1889
he became the partner OF Joseph Knox, an
old lawyer with an established practice
In 1869 the firm moved to Chicago. Two
years later Carlos Haynes, states attorney,
died and Mr.. Knox WAS appointed to the
place by Governor Yates. Mr.. Knox took
Charley Reed as his first assistant. When
knox's term expired in 1864 Reed was
elected states attorney. He was re-elect-
Ell in 1865 and again in 1872
Was a Model Prosecutor.
During the early years Of his term Reed
was remarkably yigilant and able Off
Ger. He showed unsupported industry,
and this, coupled with his great talents,
resulted in making the states attorneys
Office feared by wrongdoers As it .ldom
has been since He convicted great num-
bers of thieves. and was especially active
in the weeks of disorder and turbulence
following the great fire. But Reed was
more politician than lawyer. and more
man about town than either, and his pop
ularity and standing at the bar both di-
minished rapidly toward the close OF his
term. The states attorneys Office, from
striking terror into the hearts of the
criminal classes, became a happy -go-Iucky
branch of the government, where man
was less likely to get justice than anyeiher
commodity he sought.
Beginning the Downward Road.
He was superseded by Luther Latin
Mills, and was not prominent until 1879
when he ran for circuit judge, was beaten
and carried the whole ticket with him
Then he went east, and was heard of some
times as prominent figure in sensa-
donal case, sometimes sa rather SHADY
character. His connection with the Gai-
teau trial see med to promise a revival of
his early success, but he -lost his grip
again and suddenly dropped out of sight,
except when he tried to drown himself at
New York.
Residence in Baltimore.
About five years ago he went to Balti-
more. and had remained there ever since.
His moodiness only increased with years,
and he was regarded as a very eccentric
character. He could be seen at times
walking slowly along Charles street, a
fashionable promenade his broad frame
bent and his eyes cast upon the ground,
n "a m "a.
bic companion on such occasions was a
collie dog.
Faithful to the End.
For months he had been confined to bed
and required constant .attention His
second wife was Miss Daniels. who. with
her sister, now the wife of Professor Cour-
laender, of the Peabody Conservatory of
Music. was regarded as among the most
beautiful women in Maryland She
nursed him faithfully during his illness
and Is now Frustrated from the strain.