Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-28
LATE NEWS BY WIRE,
Death Of Interstate Commerce Com
missioner McDill,
end OF His ILLNESS At erosion, Ia.
His Career as Jurist and lepis-
lator.
H ED IN HIGH ESTEEM

CRESToN. Iowa, Feb. 2s.-Judse J. W
McDill of the interstate commerce com
mission died at his home in this city today
OF typhoid fever. aged sixty.
Commissioner McDill left WASHINGTON De
cember 20. with a view of attending to some
official business and visiting his home a
Creston. intending to remain during tn,
holidays and return with his family tc
Washington. He, however. was taken dowr
with malarial fever. 1t was not though
at first that 1t was at all serious, and from
day to day and from week to week his re
turn to Washington with his family wa,
expected. He. however. suffered one or tive
relapses. but 1t was only within the pas
week his associates became convinced tina
he would never return to his work
The interstate commerce commission has
just received a dispatch from Creston
Iowa, announcing the death of Interstate
morning.
James Wilson McDill was born at Mon.
roe Butler county. Ohio. March 4, 1854
HIS father. Rev. John McDill. was a clergy.
man OF scottish extraction. The son was
brought up in Indiana and Ohio, gradua led
at Miami University in 1855 and admitted
10 the bar at Columbus Ohio, in 1856 In
that year he moved 70 Burlington, Iowa
ana IN 1871 to Alton. Union county. where
judge OF Union county in 1850
IN November. 1881, Senator Grimes OF
iowa secured his appointment as clerk to
tne senate committee for the District OF
Columbia, and in 1852 Secretary Chase AN.
pointed him to a clerkship in the third au-
uitor $ ONCE, where he served as chief OF
DIVISION OF war claims. He returned ia
A, r Iowa In October. 1866. forming a
partnership with n. w. Rowell He be-
came circuit Judge in Iowa In 1865 a
district Judge In 1870. and in 1872 was elect
60 10 congress as a republican. serving
until 1871. He was appointed one OF the
nrst board Of railroad commissioners Of
Iowa in 1873 and served TIL 1881 when he
vas appointed to the United States Senate
on the resignation Of Samuel j. Kirkwood
70 become secretary Of the Interior The
st legislature elected him to the
seat ana ne served till 1883 In 1854 he
was again appointed railroad Commissioner
IN the lower house Of Congress Judge
McDiil was an Industrious and Conservative
nienoer. never indulging in bitter or acrt-
tentive to the duties of the COMMITTEES
upon which he served He was an earnest
ADVOCATE OF the establishment of a national
railway commission. and in the Senate
subject Nr0' ''a'
Upon the resignation Of Judge Cooley as
member OF the interstate commerce COM
mission President Harrison. on January 8.
oPPoihtcd Hiil 10 Ill the uneXpired
term or Judge Cooley. and reappointed him
for the full term of six years from January
l, 1893.
Judge McDilrs work upon the commission
was characteristic of the same pain stalk
ing and conscientious care for which he
was distinguished. He heartily entered
INTO the work of the commission, and won
the esteem not only of his associates but
or all with whom he came in coz tact
His family consists of a wife, a young
son and three daughters, who are at Creston
Iowa; also a married daughter living in
Illinois. His father-in-law, over ninety
years old, lived with him.