Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-23


at Hartford. The business has steadily in.
creased since 1865, until last year the gov
ernment put out PSI. .74S, 500 of these special
request envelopes, which was more than
half of all the stamped envelopes sold.
Congressman Scott will oppose the post
master generals cheap postage bill which
provides for free envelopes and gives Uncle
Sam monopoly of the envelope trade.
JUSTICE BRADLEY'S LIFE ENDED.
The Aged and Distinguished Jurist Pass
ed to the Majority.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-The physician s
prediction that Justice Bradley would not
live Until yesterday morning came very
near fulfllment, but the distinguished
jurist resisted the approach of death until
G:15, when he passed away without strug-
gle. Justice Bradley had been ill for sew
eral months from general break down. On
Monday he grew w&se and has since fail
ed rapidly, although apparently not suffer
ing any pain. Though conscious when
aroused he was so feeble that he talked
but little and took no notice of those about
him. He was devotedly attended by his
aged wife, two daughters and a son.
Detalls OF the Judges illness.
Justice Bradley had an attack of the
grip last spring, and he never thoroughly
recovered. Summer brought no rally and
IN November he caught slight cold which,
coupled with his enfeebled condition. made
great inroads into his strength, and during
the present term of the supreme court he
was unable to be present at its daily ses.
sionS. 1t was only about week ago. how
ever, that his health became such as seri-
ouSiy to alarm his family and friends,
though 1t was not expected that any fatal
results would follow so soon as they did.
Will BE Quiet Funeral.
The funeral in accordance with Justice
Bradley's wishes, will be quiet. Private
services will be held at his late residence
tomorrow afternoon, and the remains will
then be taken to Newark. n J., where the
interment will take place Monday after-
noon.
The supreme court adjourned immedi-
ately after assembling until Tuesday next.
the chief justice announcing the loss
which had been sustained by the court
and country.
Came of Revolutionary stock.
Joseph p. Bradley was a native of New York.
lie was born at Berne, in Albany county,
March II, 1873 He was sixth in the line of
descent from Francis Bradley. who came to
this country from England and settled in Fair
field, Conn., in l645. His great grandfather was
revolutionary soldier, and his grandfather
was one of the heroes Of the war of 1Sl2 His
father, Philo Bradley, followed the plow for
livelihood, but was noted for his fondness for
books and learning, and occasionally taught
school to vary the monotony of a farmers life.
His mother was Mercy Gardner who came of
Rhode Island stock. Joseph was the eldest OF
a family of eleven children.
Graduated with High Honors.
His hoyhood days We're passed, as were those
of other boys of that time. in helping about
the farm during the cropping season and in at
tendance upon the district school during the
winter. 1t seems that he had inherited his
fathers love of books. and had shown such a
thirst for knowledge that he soon went beyond
the capacity of his teachers; 50 that at the time
he became pedagogue he was practically
Sclf-taught man. In 1888 he entered Rutgers
college. New Jersey. from which institution he
was graduated three years later with high
honors, and among such classmates as Freling-
huysen, late secretary of state under President
Arthur; Cortland Parker and Governor W. a.
Newell
Thirty Years in Active Practice.
In 1910 he was admitted to the bar and for
thirty years thereafter was engaged in active
practice, often being employed in cases of
great Importance before 9th the federal and
state courts. In 1861 he agued his first case be
fore the supreme court Of the United States.
when he contended successfully that unless
congress has passed an act to the contrary a
state may authorize a dTawbrdge to be con.
strUctcd over naviGable river, a point which
has frequently been affirmed since without dis
sent
Services ou the supreme Bench.
In 1870 Camo the two vacancies in the Su-
premc court which were filed by the appoint
ment and confirmation of himself and Justice
Strolk. Justice Rradley's commission bore
date of March y, 1870. and he was assigned to
the Fifth circuit. which then embraced the
gulf states from Georgia to Texas. Here for
many years arose more federal questions of
Importance than in any other circuit and the
new justice was therefore called upon to
render many weighty decisions. Ten years
later, 10y the resignation of his associate,
Justice Strong. he was assigned to the Third
circuit to which he was attached at the time
of his death.
One of the Electoral Commission.
1t is said Of him that as a Justice his opinions
were marked by great breadth of learning
and that few officials have been so careful
about ovcrstepping the limits Of constitutional
power. He was one of the supreme court JUS
tices on the electoral commission. and voted
with the Republicans in deciding the case of
Tildcn vs. Hayes As a man he was kindly and
generous in his disposition and plain and sim
pie in his tastes. He once said that he had
carefully preserved his mothers old spinning
NHttl a~ reminder OF his boy nood DAYS and
a. his best title to hereditary respectabili,y.
Talking of Successor.
When the death of Justice Bradley be-
came known, speculations as TO his sue
cessor were INDUCED in by politicians
around the hotels and at the Capitol An
opinion prevails in many quarters that
Attorney General Miller will be selected
10y the president to fill the vacancy But
in others it is accepted for sure that the
appointment will 90 to some one within
the circuit represented by Justice Bradley.
which comprises Pennsylvania, Delaware
and New Jersey. Chief Justice Paxton.
of the supreme court of Pennsylvania, is
prominently mentioned.