The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-11-20

The Honorable Edward Stake,
associate judge of the Fourth Judicial
Circuit of Maryland, died suddenly at
his home on South Potomac Su eet,
Hagerstown, at S.45 o'clock Sunday
evening. Heart disease was the cause
of his death.
Some ten days ago Judge Stake be-
came indisposed, although his illness
at that time was not generally known
to be of serious character. Last
Monday he appeared on the bench
with Judge Ferdinand Williams. At
noon he repaired to his home and DR..
j. Mcpherson Scott was summoned.
Consequently upon Il careful examin-
alton the physician directed Judge
Stake to cease his labors and give
himself up to absolute rest and quiet.
On Saturday he became seriously i'll,
suffering untold agony, but Sunday
morning the paroxysms of pain had
subsidized and Judge Stake assumed
his CHEEKY manner. The apparent
improvement continued until night
fall. During the afternoon Judge
Stake took drive and seemed to en-
joy it. About eight o'clock Sunday
night DR.. Scott called and remained
fifteen or twenty minutes. There was
no indication then OF dissolution so
near at hand. For the next few min
utes Judge Stake was left alone in his
apartment. He arose from his chair,
walked to the door and called to his
housekeeper, saying that he was ner
vous. Then standing in the doorway
for brief while he turned about and
walked toward the bed. While lean
ing over his couch he was stricken.
The housekeeper noted his form rest
ing upon the bed and surmising that
the worst was about to happen hur-
ridly summoned Dr. Scott. The ser
vices of the latter were fruitless, how
ever, for the learned jurist had ex
pired previous to the physicians
coming.
The career of the deceased illus
trates the possibilities of human
achievement through the sole exercise
of self effort. Judge Stake was born
in Williamsport, Md, in 1916, and was
the son of Mr.. and Mrs. E. G. w.
Stake, Mr.. Stake being cashier of the
Washington National Bank. AS a
boy he attended the village school,
but was not privileged to enjoy an
academic or collegiate education, for
his fathers family was large and his
income limited. Possessed of an in
quiring and studious disposition, he
delved into the store house of knowl-
edge whenever the opportunity pre-
sented itself, and thus acquired an
education far more complete and com
Drehensive than as college student
he could possibly hope to attain. Be
fore he was twenty years old he was
school examiner of the county. Judge
Stake was veteran of the late Civil
war, having been attached to the COM
missary department of the Army of
the Potomac.
When mustered out of the service
he returned home and took up the
study of law, becoming a student in
the law office of the late Judge An
drew K. Syester. He completed his
course of study within two years and
was admitted to the Washington
county bar in 1867. He early evinced
an interest for politics, being an ar
dent Republican, and in 1875, when
he had attained large practice, was
elected States attorney of Washing
ton county by a large majority ex-
ceeding that received by any other
Republican or Democratic candidate
in the history of the county. In 1882
he was nominated by the Republicans
for associate judge of the Fourth Ju-
dicial Circuit, his opponent being his
former preceptor in law and a most
able attorney, Judge Syester. In this
contest Judge Stake was defeated by
plurality of two votes, out of total
vote cast in the district of 5000. In
1885 he was elected to the House of
Delegates, being the only one of the
four Republican candidates on the
ticket thus honored. Four years later
he was made the choice of the party
for the State Senate and was elected
by handsome plurality. He then
became the Republican leader in the
Maryland General Assembly and de-
livered a number of able addresses
upon prospective legislation engaging
the attention of the body.
In 1891 Judge Stake was nominated