New-York tribune., 1900-08-19
FREDERICK SMYTH is DEAD
NETWORKS FAMOUS CRIMINAL JUDGE
DIES AT ATLANTIC CITY.

Atlantic City N j. Aug. is (speciaD.-Justlce
frederick Smyth. OF the Supreme Court OF new
york. died at o'clock this afternoon al the
Hotel Dennis. where he had been Ill for more
tnan two months. He came to the seashore IN
June, hoping to recover from exhaustion. winch
mad been brought on by hard work. He seemed
TO be improving when he was seized with an
attack or vertigo on July 20. and then Tor
time he lay in a state of almost total collapse
while his death was expected from day to day
he rallied but did not entirely recover he
seemed TO be getting along nicely. however,
Until three days ago when he caught coid anu
pneumonia quickly developed
Justice Smyth was under the constant care
OF Dr. B. c. Pennington, Of this city; Professor
Mills, a prominent Philadelphia specialist and
two trained nurses but his enfeebled constitu~
uon ana his sixty-five years were against him
yesterday afternoon he began TO sink more
TT6pIolg' ana IT was seen that the end was near
Inc Rev Father McShane, Of st. Nicholas
S. aloILian CathoHc Church, was summoned ana
administered the last rites of the Church, after
men I the patie7t appeared to be more at ease.
justice Smyth was conscious until about two
hours before his death. He knew that there was
no nope and expressed himself as being resigned
ana ready to die. His daughter Miss Anna A
Smyth, and John H Rogan a New-York
lawyer. who was at. time associated with
MIN, were al the bedside
Frederick smyth was born near Galway. in Ire
land, iE August. 1887. His father was Sheriff Of
County Galway, and Is said to have been a
country gentleman who had plenty OF money. but
dio not know how TO keep crack Of f. Frederick
was kept at school in ireland until he twelve
years old. Then he allowed to come to this
city to seek his fortune He began at the bottom
OF the ladder and worked UP as many another
irish lad has done. His first employment was as
an errand boy IN the mercantile Office Of Florence
Mccarthy He rose 10 be clerk IN the office
He expected 70 be a merchant some day, but
Mccarthy became Justice in the old Marine
Court and had Smyth appointed his clerk in the
court The young Irishman then decided 70 study
law. He completed his law studies in the office Of
John McKeou, where he was employed for a time
as a clerk and was admitted the bar in 1855.
When Mr.. McKeon was appointed United States
District Attorney Mr.. smyth was made one OF
his assistants They went out Of Office together
and formed "a partnership The frm was Nc
Keen & Smyth until 1878, In 1875 Mr.. smyth was
nominated by Tammany Hall for Recorder, but
was defea ted He was Tammany's candidate for
Judge Of the Court of Common Pleas once, and
was unsuccessful at the polls. He was member
Of the Board Of Education and was counsel 10
the Excise Board by appointment.
In December. 1873 Mr Smyth appointed
Recorder to i'll the unexpred term OF Recorder
Hackett. In 1880 he was elected Recorder for the
full term OF fourteen years although the term OF
Recorder Hackett would have expired unil
1889 In the election of 1oSs James Iyddy thought
fHrtvone @ s1cb bai aiiots we've cas- Yor Tvddy The
and cast $40 votes for Smyth before the close OF
the polls. Then the idea got abroad that Re
cCrder Smyth had been reelected for another
term Of fourteen years, but 1t all came to nothing
after eminent lawyers had given opinions both
ways.
During his long term a Recorder Mr.. Smyth
became a terror TO evildoers account Of the
severity Of his sentences in cases Of CONVICTION
for crimes against public order He was the Tam
many candidate for reelection in 1894, but was
defeated by John W Goff. He was elected q Jus
tice OF the Supreme Court IN 1895.
In February. 1898. Justice Snyth was received
into the communion of the Roman Catholic
Church by Bishop Farley. He had been seriously
I'll in his home. al No. Is West Forty-sixth-st.