The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-07-25
Death OF Rla,
He Was Stricken SApop1exy
Sunday Morning.

SAAA~@I~y ~'A 0A A~~-~S3
Last Sunday morning the sad intelligence
was flashed over the wires that Judge r. s.
Strahan had dropped dead, victim of
apoplexy, while on the way to his office in
the city of Portland. He had left hnine
that morning about o'clock, and had gone
to the depot to meet the IN nnbers of the
supreme court on their way from Pendleton
to Salem. Having completed his business
with those gentlemen, he started for his
office in the Abingdon building on Thif}
street, which he reached about $40 ocfock.
The elevator was not runaiag, anG, as he
felt in unusual good health, he started
briskly up the stairs. Hs had reached the
second landing and commeuced to climb the
second flight of stairs, when the grim sum
mons came. A few moments after, the i IN.
itor of the building found his lifeloss body
living on the stairs; his face suffased with
blood, indicating that an artery had burst.
The following sketch of the dead jurist's
life is taken from Mondays Orogoniaa:
Reuben S. Ssrahan was born in Lawrence
county, KY, January l, 1885, and came to
Oregon by the Panama route in 1865, set.
tling in Corvallis, Benton county, and en-
tered at once into the practice of law. Be.
ing of fine attainments and lawyer of more
than ordinary ability, his worth was speed
lily recognized, and in 1868 he was elected
prosecuting attorney of the second judicial
district, which Office he held for two years.
In 1870 he was elected as state senator to
represent Benton county, holding the posi-
tion for four years. In 1876 he removed to
Albany, Linn county, where he gained addi-
tional renown, as jurist, and, during the
senatorial campaign of 1873, he first came
prominently before the people of the state.
A successor to Senator John II. Mitchell
was to be elected. The democrats were in
control of the legislature, and bitter strife
ensued over the election. There were four
prominent democrats seeking tho caucus
nomination for senator. They were James
Il. Slater, of La Grande; Reuben 8. Strhan,
James W. Nesmith, of Polk county, and
John Burnett, of Benton county, No one of
the four candidates could control sufficient
number of votes. to insure caucus nomina-
ton, and for time it looked as though
deadlock would result. Finally Judge
election, and desirous that some choice be
made, made compromise. His support
was to go to Slater, on the expressed condi
tien that at the next senatorial election the
Eastern Oregon legislators would stand for
him Nathaniel Ii. Gates, of Wasco coun.
ty, and other members gave the pledge, and
as result Slater was nominated. Unluck-
lily for Strahan, from that session to the
present day the democrats have never had
contro, of the legislature, SO the promise
oculd nsvsr be kept.
In 1856 Judge Strahan was elected as
supreme judge, defeating John B. Waldo,
and four years later became chief justice by
right of succession. In the general practice
of the law, Judge Strahan proved success
full. In criminal law a remarkable feature
of his practice was that he never lost case
when his client was on trial for ca pital pun
ishment. On the bench, as supreme Judge,
he made a host of friends, through his cour-
teous and fair treatment of all parties and
subjects. His opinions have commanded
attention throughout the country, many of
them finding place in the American state
reports, the Lawyers Annotated Reports
and in tho law magazines and other jour
mails.
| Judge Strahan was q representative of
| that class known as self-mads men, having
wrought out his life by personal effort.
| Throughout his manhood he continued a
diligeHt aud perzis tent student of his pro.
fesson. He had unboundsd faith in the
life of any man, who boy with natural
ability adopted fixed line of duty or busi-
! ness, and with perseverance, adhered to the
line. Such had been his own life
He was member of the Masonic fratelni
| ty and Knights of Pythiss, one OF the or,
ganizsrs of the Farmers and Merchants
Fire Insurance Company, of Oregon, and an
| active promoter of public improve ment in
Albany. He was interested in every enter
| prise locking to the develop
ment and benefit of that city He re-
moved to Portland three years ago engaging
in the practice of his profession, and has
built up good business. He leaves two
children, Clauds and Fayno, and their IA
ther's sudden death fell with crushing effect
yesterday morning. An elder daughter,
Fannie, died at Atlanta, Ga, three years
ago, after long illness.