The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-03-21
TILT0N L. D00LITTLE DYING
STRICKEN WITH APOPLEXY AND
LAPSES INTO UNCONsCIOUSNEsS.


His Record as State Attorney an Excep-
tionaily Long and Success ul One-Mr.
Doolittle's Aged NJ other Visited His Bed
81 Yesterday.
The sad news came last evening that
ex-State Attorney Tilton e. Doolittle,
who has been confined to his home by
illness for about three weeks, lapsed
into an unconscious state yesterday af-
ternoon shortly before . o'clock, and
that he had been given up by his physi-
clans and could live but a few hours.
Mr.. Doolittle was last at his office three
weeks ago last Monday, and had since
been confined to the house. His illness,
which began with bilious attack, was
not deemed dangerous until yesterday
forenoon. In the forenoon he lost con-
troll of his feet. His physicians, Drs. L.
j. Sanford and Beckwith, were in at
tendance upon him several times dur
ing the day and evening. When they
left him at half-past five p. m. the pa
tents condition was such that no hope
of his recovery was entertained and 1t
was apparent that Mr.. Doolittle could
live but short time. The physicians
We're again in attendance upon him
last evening, at which time he was still
unconscious. The attack which came
upon him was an effusion of blood on
the brain. Day before yesterday Mr..
Doolittle sat up for several hours and
walked about the house. He seemed
quite cheerful and his recovery was
confidently expected.
Mr.. Doolittle was born in Riverton
Conn. His parents resided IN Cheshire
and he was born in Riverton while his
mother was on a visit there. His father
was Ambrose E. Doolittle, who died ten
or fifteen years ago in Cheshire. His
mother is yet living and is now Sc years
of age. She resides with Mr.. Doolittla
and family, and is yet in comparatively
excellent health of mind and body, and
in her solicitude and anxiety for her
son was among those who visited his
bedside yesterday afternoon, being yet
in possession of considerable physical
strength for one of her greatly advanc-
ed years. Mr.. Doolittle's family are of
old English descent and of honorable
standing. He prepared for college at
the Episcopal academy of Cheshire and
was graduated at Trinity college, Hart
ford, in 1874.
He studied law at Yale Law school,
where he graduated in 1S46 and was
admitted to the bar at Middletown in
August of that year. He soon settled
in the town of Meriden for practice,
and remained there about six years,
when he removed to New Haven. In
1859 he was appointed United States
district attorney for the district of Con-
necticut and held the office for one
year. He was elected member Of the
lower house of the general assembly
from New Haven in 1866-T7, 10, "A. and
in IA was speaker of the house. In
1879 he was appointed state attorney
of New Haven, succeeding Hon o. II.
Platt, now United States senator. He
continued in the office of state attor-
ney until few months ago. His term
Of office was one of exceptional length.
During all this time his practice was
extensive in civil matters and his repu-
tation has extended not only over his
own state, but into the adjoining states
of Massachusetts and New York. He
had also been exceedingly successful
in his practice in the United States
courts. Early in his career as state
attorney he was called on to try the
4. -f Foil a
Blanche Douglass, accused of the mur-
der of Jennie Cramer. While perhaps
no case has been tried in this county
since 1879 that has equalled the Cramer
case in general public interest, there
have been many very important Grim
inal cases which have been conducted
by the state under his direction with
rarer skill and great success.
Mr. Doolittle was state attorney at
the time of the famous Hayden trial
but was disqualified from serving as
prosecutor in the case, he having been
consulted by Mr.. Hayden and partially
retained as his counsel. This was prior
to Mr.. Doolittle's appointment to the
state attorneyship, and at his request
he was excused from serving in the
case.
On November l, 1S4S, Mr.. Doolittle
married Mary A. Cook, daughter OF
John Cook and Mary (Munson) Cook
of WalIingford, who, together with two
sons and a daughter Miss Doolittle
and his aged mother, constitute his
family. His son, Dr. George p, re-
sides in Spokane, Wash. His son, John
A., is an attorney and a police COM
missioner of this city.
Dr. Beckwith said last evening that
Mr.. Doolittle might live through the
night, but there was small prospect of
his regaining consciousness.