The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-27
DEATH OF sxIrroawsv oswrsAL.
Augustus n. Garland Died While Adj
dressing u. ., Supreme Court.

Augustus n. Garland Died while Adj
dressing u. =, Supreme Court.
Washington, January a6.-Former Az
torney General Augustus H. Garland was
stricken with apoplery while addressing
the United States Supreme court at L. Is
o clock this afternoon and died within ten
minutes.
When the court convened at noon, Mr..
Garland resumed an argument in the case
OF Towson VS.. Moore, which had begun
yesterday. There was fail bench, with
the exception Of Justices Brewer and
White Mr. Garland spoke calmly and
with no evidence Of agitation or effort
He had read from law volume and hal
followed with the sentence, "1his your
honors, Is out contention" As tho last
word was uttered, Mr.. Garland was seen
10 raise his hand and then gasp. he
tottered and fell sidewise, striking against
a chair and overturning It as he fell
heavily to the floor. A succession OF loud.
deep gasps came from him ~ he lay on
the floor. His associate in the case, Mr..
Franklin Mackey, was at once by his Side
and with other counsel and officials the
head of the dying man was raised, his
shoes removed and draught of water
given him. A deathly pallor had over
spread his face and this soon gave place to
a deep purple. He was carried from the
chamber across TO the room Of Chief Clerk
Mckenney, and there placed on sofa
Senator Galiinger, who IL q ply sic Ian,
was near at hand. A single glance told
him that the attack would be fatal. With
In ten minutes from the time Of the
stroke, MIR. Garland breathed his last.
-. n.ta
in this city were tslephoned for and ar
rived after their fathers death.
1t is said that never before In the his
tory OF the United States supreme Court
has an attorney been stricken with death
while making an argument there. There
have been cases In which counsel have
fallen, stricken with illness, hut no case
In which death has followed within u few
minutes as happened today.
MIR. Garland has been in poor health
for several years and some months ago
was In the hospital for some weeks. His
friends noticed when he was well enou gh
to To out again that he had failed rapid
ly and was growing feeble. Several
weeks ago he was taken III with the grip
and had suffered from Its effects ever
since. he dootored himself by taking
popular remedies. and 1t Is understood
had not considered his case serious enough
to call In n physician. Yesterday after
noon while In the Supreme Court room
he laid his head on his hand, as he sat
ut table for the accommodation Of coun-
sci, and complained of feeling very Ill.
This morning before he went into the
court room he spent some time in tie
clerks office and remarked to one Of the
officials that he was not feeling very well
and he thought he would 10 to Fortress
Monroe next Monday TO take rest. he
did not regard his condition as at all Sc
rious.
After the death OF the former attorney
general became known, the Supreme
Court adjourned for the day. This action
was taken on the motion Of Attorney
Genera. Griggs.
The news OF Gen. Garlaud's death pro-
duced profound sadness in the Senate,
where he had served for many years as
one of u GALAXY of distinguished men.
While In the Senate he had been II inem-
Der Of the committee on judiciary and
hau taken rank with the strong men Of
that day. He gave the greater share Of
his attention to legal questions as the
natural tendency OF his mind WAS In that
direction. OF recent years he had prao-
ticed his profession almost exclusively in
the Supreme Court OF the United States
1t was here that he won his most pro-
nounced tfiumphs. His first appearance in
the court was in connection with the
great case involving the validity OF the
test oath law and the result Of his contsn.
ton In this case gave him national
fame. The case grew ont of the iegisla-
ton of the re construction period. I'm
der the law In question no lawyer who
had participated in the Civil War on the
Confederate sid could practice his pro
fessIon until he had taken the oath. MIR.
Garland challenged the constitution ality
OF the law for himself and nell h BORN e
lawyers, and beginning with the lower
courts he followed the case up through
the various tribunals to the Supreme
Court of the land. There, notwithstand-
ing the court was po litioally almost
unanimously opposed to him, his po-
sitlon was sustained and the Law over
thrown
While occupyin the position of Unit I'd
Estates attorney general, Mr.. Garland was
rendered the position on the Supreme
bench, afterwards given TO Mr.. Lamar,
but declined. saying ne was too old.
Mr.. Garland had many friends here,
where he was universally esteemed for
his unassuming manners, genial dispo-
sitioD and common sense way of view
ing matters as we'll as for his sterling in
tegrlty and legal attachments.