Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-03-28
Ex.Chief Justice Of the North d.
kota Supreme Court Drop
ped Dead.
Had Served Eleven Years on the
Supreme Bench Of North
Dakota.
Political Career BEGAN When that of
Johnson NiCkeus fliCkered
out.

Bismarck, N. D. March 25.-Joseph
M. Bartholomew, ex-chief justice OF
the supreme court, dropped dead yester-
day morning. Death was due to heart
disease from which he suffered for a
number of years.
Judge Bartholomew served for II
years on the supreme court bench.
He was elected at the first state cleo
tion held in October 1889 with Guy Z.
II. Corliss and Alfred Wallin. In the
drawing Judge Bartholomew was
awarded the five year term. In 1894 he
was reelected and served until Deceu-
Der 1900 when he was succeeded by
Judge Morgan of Devils Lake. Judge
Bartholomew stood very high with
the people being upright, honorable
and capable. His loss to the bar and
as a citizen will be sincerely regretted.
Judge Bartholomew was a practic-
ing attorney in LaMoure county prev
ious to his election to the supreme
bench. He was known as an honest
man but as yet had not evidenced any
especial brilliancy as a lawyer. Like
many more in politics the opportunity
for advancement came through the
efforts of certain persons to ''do" an
opponent. Mr.. Bartholomew was
picked on to oppose Johnson Nickeus
of Jamestown, who had developed a
strong following and was conceded
as likely to be the nominee for SUI
preme Judge. Attorne E. w. Camp
of Jamestown was a relentless foe OF
Nickeus, and to him more than to any
one else was due the victory for Bar
tholomew. Camp worked increasingly
in the convention and succeeded in
securing a change Of enough votes to
give Bartholomew small majority
over his opponent. But it was a close
shave.
Nickeus, who was ambitious and
had felt sure that he would land the
prize, returned to Jamestown dis
heartened. Some say he would still
have been resident of North Dakota
had not Camp accomplished his undo
ing at the state convention.
Judge Bartholomew political ca
reer cane to close in 1900 when it
became question as to whether he or
Joe Devine, both of LaMoure, should
survive. Joe carried LaMoure county
easily having kept in touch with the
people OF the county at all times, while
the Judge had neglected SO to do.
Morgan of Devils Lake secured the
nomination and was duly elected.
Since his retirement Judge Barthol-
.omew has been living in Bismarck.
Details Of Judge Bartholomew S
death are that he retired Saturday
evening, apparently in excellent
health and spirits, and rose Sunday
morning before the other members
Of the family as was his custom, still
in the same apparent good health.
He attended the various little chores
about the house, and cleared the
walk outside the house of the light
snow which fell during the night. 1t
was his custom to build the Kitchen
fire, and then call the members OF his
family. Mrs. Bartholomew and Miss
Freddie heard him enter the house,
ind shortly afterwards heard fall,
paying little attention to it as they
thought it to be snow falling from
the roof. The noise was repeated and
fearing something might be wrong
Mrs. Bartholomew hastened down
stairs where her worst fears were
realized. Stricken with fatal at
tack, Judge Bartholomew had fallen
on the threshold batween the kitchen
and dining room, Miss Freddie had
also hastened down stairs and raised
her fathers head, as Mrs. Bartholo-
new endeavored to give some aid to
the stricken man. Mortally stricken,
he neither spoke nor gave a sign be-
yond a long sigh and expired.
Judge Bartholomew was 81 years
wears old; was born in Mclean county,
Illinois. His early life was spent on
the farm and he had struggle to get
an education. Returning from the
war he resumed his studies and he was
admitted to the bar at Dubuque, la.
in 1859, his Office reading having been
completed in the Office Of Senator Alli-
son Of that state. He entered upon a
successful law practice which he con-
tinued until 1883, when, on the occa-