The sun., 1900-08-01
Brilliant Attorney Died Sud
denly at His Residence
Yesterday Afternoon.
HEART SUDDENLY WEAKENED
He Was Apparently Recovering
But Got Worse at Noon Yester-
day. His Funeral Will Take
Place on Friday Noon and
Interment at Whining
ton and Brandywine
Cemetery.

Former United States District At
torney Lewis G. Vandcgrift expired ut
his home, No. 1906 Broome street short
IL after O'Clock Yesterday afternoon.
Although he had been critically i'll
for about two weeks with pleuro-pneu
nonia, he appeared to he improving for
several days past. Yesterday morning
however there was a sudden weaken
ing of his heart. which was followed by
a collapse resulting in his death in Il
few hours.
Mr. Vandegrft made his last appear
ance iii the United State Court On
| Thursday, July II and the next day was
taken sick His condition became SER
| olls on the 10th.
Later he improved some and on the
21st was able to be downstairs. Then
came relapse, however, but he seemed
to rally and up to yesterday was ap-
parently recovering very slowly.
He was under the care of DIR. James
| A. Draper. \ widow and five children
| survive him.
His death was great shock to his
family and to lawyers and business men
and the public generally as he was wide
ly known and universally liked and re-
spected
The news of his death soon became
known all over the city and expressions
of sorrow were heard on all sides.
At the Federal Court Building the
news created profound sorrow
William &. Mahaify, deputy clerk of
the United States Court, who, during
Il little over four years that Mr.. Nande-
giift was United States District At
torney General became intimately ac-
quuinted. was on his way to take II train
for Philadelphia when he heard the
news and was so affected by it that he
postponed his visit and returned to the
Federal Building. There he called up
Judge Bradford on the telephone and
notified him Of the sad intelligence.
Judge Bradford was greatly shocked.
AN UPRIGHT MAN.
Mr.. Mahaffy in speaking of Mr.. Van
dcgrirt said he was the most upright
man he had ever knew and that he
never sacrificed principle for anything
s. Iodman Smith, Clerk of the United
States Court is taking short vacation
which he is spending in the West. but
word will be sent to him Of Mr.. Nande-
grift's death.
l.. :. Marshal John G.. Short said in
speaking Of Mr.. Nandeglilt that he al
ways considered him Il perfect gentle
man and that when he was United
States District Attorney he tried to do
his duty as we'll rs any man that ever
had the place. that he did his duty re-
, gardless of party feeling or anything
else and was man he esteemed very
highly.
g.oi1 In,
: referring to Mr.. Nandegrift that he
was man one could not help liking.
Mr.. Nandegrift was appointed Uni
ted States District Attorney by Presi-
dent Cleveland and afterwards received
commission from President Mckinley
pending the trial of the Dover Bank
-. cases. and the selection of William
: Michael Byrme as his successor.
Mr.. Nandegrift gained Il very envi-
:. able reputation in his able prosecution
: of the cases.
A BRILLIANT CAREER.
Lewis c. Vandegrift was born in
Delaware in st. Georges Hundred
y where his ancestors had lived since the
It earliest settlement of the county. on
4 August 81, 1855. He attended the public
: school with regularity and with the
the assistance of private instructions
during the last two years before leav'
ing home he was enabled i'll the Spring
of 1873 to enter Delaware College and
graduated with the class of 1875.
= After graduating, he returned for 0
short post graduate course during the
l. year 1876 and afterwards taught schoo
for few months and then registered
4 as law student with Hon. George
Gray.
Mr.. vandegrift entered the Law
:, School of Harvard University in the
= Fail of 1877 and graduated from there
in June 1880. having in the meantime
y during the November term of 1879 pas
= sed his examination and gained admit
4 tancc to the bar of this State.
Is He first undertook the practice of Law
b in January. 1881. in this city. and durin;
the first few months, in order to maxi
r. both ends meet. did work for nearly, i
d not quite all the Wilmington papers
besides writing for the Sunday edition
"a of some of the Baltimore papers. ~
n The necessity for a divided interes
- did not. however. continue long. as Nj
Vandegrift quickly reached sclf-sul
po. ting point ip his practice. Durin
1e the year 1881 he assisted tn" Hon
ls GeOrge Gray, then Attorney General o
or the State. in prosecution of nany 0
those charged with minor offences.
n The first case ever tried hy Mr.. Van
~ degrift was the first ease tried in til
op ;.ihn new Cont House in this citt.
In the latter part Of 1881 he was il