The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-29
PASSES AWAY.
VIM. P. D0uthitt Died Last
Night at 6:1O.
Total Paralysis the Cause of
His Death.
NEARLY 20 YEARS OLD
One of the Oldest Settlers in
the County,
And HOmesteaded the Well =
known EsDOuthitt Tract.''

Mr.. William P Douthitt died last
night at ten minutes past six.
Mr.. Douthitt had been sick for some
time, but until last Tuesday he was
not dangerously i'll. On Tuesday he was
unable to swallow. and it was found
that his pharynx was paralyzed- He
could eat nothing but liquids. On
Wednesday paralysis extended to his
right side, and on Thursday his left
side was also paralyzed. He was un-
able to move and most of the time was
unable to talk.
DR.. Lewis, who was attending him,
saw on Sunday morning that the end
was near. Mr.. Douthitt was uncOn-
sciOus most of the time Sunday, and
died quietly at ten minutes past six.
Mr.. DOuthitt was born in NeVay,
Switzerland county, Indiana, December
18th, 1927, and was nearly 20 years old.
Mr. DOuthitt studied law in Franklin
Und.) in the Office of Hunter & Ogles-
tired, and graduated from the law
school of Indiana state university at
Bloomington. He came to Kansas in
1851 He made the trip from st. Louis
to LeavenwOrth on a river boat, and
from LeaVenworth to Topeka he drove
in covered wagon. The tract of land
known as THE DOuthitt Field was
pre-empted by him in 1859. A man by
the name of Chase had settled on the
claim and had built a one-rOomed
house. Mr.. DOuthitt bought what
claims Chase had, and to make his own
claim valid with the government, he
built with his own hands the room on
the north side of the house. The home
stead consisted Of so acres and there
was not a tree on it. Mr.. DOuthitt
planted every tree, including the large
orchard. While Mr.. DOuthitt was farm
ing, he was also conducting a law buSi-
ness, and was an attorney in the first
case that was ever tried in Shawnee
county. 1t was The Territory VS..
BurgiS," and was about a firkin of
hut Csear7o, tor. Tn11r a
county attorney and appeared for The
Territory" Mr.. DOuthitt won the
case and received half of the butter
for his pay. The case was tried be-
fore Squire John Miller at Tecumseh
Mr.. DOuthitt also appeared as attOr-
ney in the first case ever tried in To
peka- It was known as Peabody VS..
Long, and was over a prOmissOry note.
Mr.. Douthitt appeared for Long. I'm
til the first of last September, Mr..
DOuthitt was never absent from
term of court in Topeka. In the early
days Mr.. DOuthitt was associated with
Judge Greer, later with Judge J. f.
Mcfarland and then with the firm of
DOuthitt, Jones and Mason.
During the war, Mr.. Douthitt was
commissioned a lieutenant in Company
"A" of the Third regiment of the Kan
saS National Guard. He was not en-
gagged in any active service.
Mr.. DOuthitt was a member of the
legislature in 1853 and was a candidate
for associate justice on the fusion
Mr.. Douthitt was a "GreenbacI1er'' and
always adhered to the belief.
During the boom of 1887, Mr.. DOuth-
lit was offered $24O, 900 for the 40
acres of his property just north of the
fair grounds. He asked what the
ground was to be used for, and when
he was told that it was to be plated
he said he would plat it himself if he
wanted to- About three weeks ago Mr..
Douthitt decided the tract to his daugh-
ters. and it viii be divided into lots
and sold. Mr.. DOuthitt owned cOnsid-
cradle property, but his sOn-in-law,
Eugene Wolfe, cannot tell what the es-
tate will amount to until the admins
traitor is appointed
MI DOuthitt was a member of the
C. A r and the Masons. The funeral
will take place Wednesday afternoon
at 2 O'Clock from the family residence
on Kansas avenue, near Euclid ave-
nue. The arrangements for the funer-
al services have not been completed.
but it will probably be an Episcopal
service.
JUDGE DOUTHITT'S PAIL BEAR
ERS.
The pail bearers. appointed by a
committee of the Topeka Bar assOcia-
ton, for the funeral of Judge W. P.
Douthitt, are as follows: Ex-senator
John Martin. Judge A. Bergen, Judge
T. T Hazen, Judge John Guthrie, J.
d Mcfarland, A. H. Case, NJ. T.
Campbell and Howell Jones.