The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-23
JUDGE RABKHD DEAD.
The Well Known Lawyer and
Politician Passes Away
After a Brief
Illness.

/ Judge Williap 3. Ranken died last
night at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
| r. w. r. Koester No. So Madison ave-
nue. About four weeks ago he caught a
severe cold which developed into a seri-
| Gus case of chronic grip His robust
constitution enabled him to withstand the
| assaults of the disease at first, but he
| finally succumbed. Funeral services viii
be held at Mrs. Koester's home tc-
morrow evening at O'Clock The body
will be buried on Saturday in Woodlawn
Cemetery.
William 3. Ranken was born in Phiia-
delphia March II, 1922 He attended the
schools Of that city and when quite a
young man he became a clerk in the
store of the father of F. G. Wolbert of
this city. Subsequently he entered the
law Office of Richard Vaux, who was
then leader of the Pennsylvania bar
and Representative in Congress- After
studying law the prescribed time he was
admitted to the Philadelphia bar and be.
gan the practice of law in that city. He
soon became a lawyer of prominence and
secured good practice.
Al about this time Judge Ranken be-
gan to take an active part in politics.
-
the local leaders of the party in Phila.
delpnia. 1t was at this time that he
FORMED friendship for the late Con-
gresham Samuel J. Randall, which lasted
until the death of that gifted Pennsyl-
vanian.
In the Buchanan campaign of 1856 Judge
Ranken and Mr.. Randall stunped the
Seaee nea t9gelher for the Democratic nomi-
Chauneey M. Depew, the great Kepubli-
can.
Judge Ranken was then President of the
Keystone Democratic Club the leading
political organization of Philadelphia Of
that day. and continued so for eight years
When Buchanan was inaugurated Judge
Ranken led LOCO members of the Key
stone Club up Pennsylvania avenue, Wash
lngton, and by the Presidential reviewing
stand. For the services which he rem
dered him in that campaign, President
the first Governor of Washington Terri
tory. BY virtue of which office he was Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of the terri
tory When the Judge arrived at his
let of so buildings and 300 inhabitants.
When Judge Ranken had been there three
years he had a quarrel with General Har-
ney. commanding the troops there, and re-
signed his Office. He returned to Philadel-
phia in 1868, and in the Lincoln-McClel-
Ian campaign Of the following year he
stumped this State and Pennsylvania in
the interests of General Mcclellan
He came to Jersey City in 1885, and be-
gan the practice of law in New York in
which he continued actively UP to within
few years ago.
AS soon ashe came here, Judge Ranken
entered into politics and soon became
prominent figure IN Jersey City and
HUDSON county affairs, although he never
held an office. He was always a Demo
GRAFT and was much in demand. He was
particularly fierce in his invectfve and
when he became prominently identified
with several independent movements, or
1bOltS as they were called by the regu-
lars his forclble and vehement style of
oratory was subject to much rid cule
sonian movement, which was the real
beginning of the exposure of the Hud-
SON county .ballct-box suffers In 1889
number OF Democrats, who were dis
SatlSf1ed with the manner in which the
headers were conducting the party.
started an Independent movement which
they called the Jeffersonian Democracy.
licans and William S. Stuhr was nomi-
mated for State Senator against Edward
F. Mcdonald, the. regular Democratic
followed Judge Ranken took an active
part and made several of his character
istic speeches. Mr.. Mcdonald was de-
the seat. 1t was while the Senate In
vestigating Committee was considering
ithe contest that the Hudson. county
ballots were discovered Mr. stlnhr was
seated, but the Democrats returning to
power the next year, Mr.. McDonald's
never wearied w Of denouncing noun g. fhe n.s frauds
which that investigation revealed
His last public appearance was In the
notable Lippincott Thompson contest, in
the Duke of Gloucester as an AS
semblyman from Camden county, was
contested. Judge Ranken defended Mr.
Thompson and the lauter did not lose his
seat Judge Ranken leaves a widow and
four daughters, three of whom are mar