Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-21
DEATH OF NOTED LAWYER
WILLIAM A. COOK, MEMBER OF
LOCAL BAR, PASSES AWAY.
Was q Close Friend of President Lin
coin and an Adviser of Presf-
dent Garneld.

Col. VIM. A. Cook. who. until a few years
ago, when he retired from practice, was one
of the most prominent members Of the
local bar died last Saturday evening, at
ST. Elizabeth's Hospital, of paralysis of
the throat. He was seventy-nine years of
age. Col. Cook Is survived by his wife,
one daughter and one son. Funeral ser
vices were held at o'clock this afternoon
at the family residence, 935 o street, Rev.
Frank NJ. Bristol of the Metropolitan NJ. E.
Church. and Rev. DR.. Honey. chaplain Of
Grant Post, G. A. r., officiating. The pail
bearers were Justice c. c. Cole, Eugene
Carusi, s. R. Bond, Frank T. Browning.
Hugh T. Taggart. William A. Gordon and
A. B. Duval. Glenwood cemetery Is the
place of interment.
: The deceased had been a patient at the
st. Elizabeth Asylum since last spring. He
was one of the organizers of the republic
can party, in 1855, and was a close friend of
President Lincoln and President Garfield.
The evening prior to the ASSASSINATION or
President Garfield Col Cook had been with
the President. An earnest but unsuccess-
full, effort was made to engage his services
as counsel for the assassin Guiteau. Col.
Cook gained widespread reputation by
reason Of his services as counsel Tor the
government in the famous star route cases.
He was also retained in scores or otner
important cases, both civil and criminal.
The deceased was born at Greensburg, IA,
and served in the legislature of the key
stone state before coming to this city. He
evinced considerable interest in local pol
itics until infirmity overlook him.
Being a stanch patriot he enlisted early
in the civil strife member OF the DIS
trict Of Columbia reserves. He was pre-
vented from going to the front only by the
earnest protest of his wife. They had been
married but a short time, when his zeal to
become a defender Of the Union was most
marked. He served his country and the
President. however, with firm devotion IN
the capital He took an active interest IN
all the affairs Of the republican party: At
the time Of the last republican natlona!
convention, in Philadelphia, he was one OF
the fourteen living founders Of the party.
He was invited to attend the gathering.
but was unable to accept. as he had been
sent to the hospital. Resolutions drawn up
by the national convention and signed by
the fourteen living survivors or the orig
inal party Of founders OF the party, urging
all republicans to vote for President NC
Kinley, bear his signature. The doctu.
ment was brought to Washington ana
taken to the hospital by Mrs. Cook, in or
der that her husband might attach his
name He did so, sitting UP in bed 1t was
his last public act.
Resigns Government Position.
After the assassination Of Lincoln and
during the term of Andrew Johnson as
President, Col. Cook resigned his position
under the government anu ItSu iieo Ia"
practice of law, establishing an office in
this city. For a long while he was In part
nership with Charles c. Cole, now MEM
Der of the Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia. His fame as a lawyer became
national. He was engaged with Gen. But
Ter for many years in the prosecution of the
well-known Strong claims case, which final
ly resulted in an award of $4,000 for work
done by Strong for the government A dis
pute arose between Col. Cook and Gen.
Butler over the question Of fees. They
fought a battle in the courts lasting several
years, and both finally obtained compensa-
ton.
During the big detective shake-up, in 1888,
when members Of the force were under in
vestigation, he was member of the citi-
zens' committee which looked into the
methods of the detective office. During
the latter part of his legal career, Colonel
Cook devoted nearly all of his energies to
the handling of criminal cases. He de-
Tended fifteen or twenty men who had been
indicted for murder, but none of his crlrni-
nal clients was hanged. He defended lie
Roy Sims an old-time robber, who was
charged with committing the Hoffa jewelry
robbery ON 7th street.
Colonel Cook was a deliberate, concise
speaker unrelenting and tenacious n be-
half of his clients. He was a member CT
the Grand Army Of the Republic and sew
eral benevolent orders.