The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-09-12
WILMINGTON SHOCKED
SUDDEN DEATH OF Mr.. JOSEPH,
HILL M'REE YESTERDAY
He Was Found Dead I'm His Room at
N Hotel Columbia in Lumberton.
Court Today-Deceased Was State
Engineer and City Surveyor.

Rarely was ever the p=cTle OF VIII
mington so shocked as yesterday when
a telegram was received from lumber
ton announcing that MIR. Joseph Hill
McRec, of this city, had died udden
at that place yesterday morning. Inc
sad message came from E. p. PROCTOR,
Jr., Esq, of Lumberton. ana was re
ceived by Mr.. Richard H. Grant OF TINS
city, 4 next door neighboS 20 Mr.. NC
Ree's family. The terrible news new
fast. hundreds OF hearts were made sad
by III. and the most profound sympathy
was expressed on all sides Tor the Wi1e
and two daughters who were suddenly
overwhelmed with this aWfG! bereave-
ment.
Mr.. McRee left here Sunday afternoon
for Lumberton where The superior court
of Robson county is in session his
week He had been summoned as a
witness in the suit Of Afford against
Jones, which was to have come up in
court today. He had surveyed for MIR.
Jones certain lands in dispute, and this
was how he came to be summoned as al
witness.
Upon reaching LumDerton Ir. Nc
Rec stopped at the Hotel Columbia, OF
which Mr.. w. q. Thompson is Droprie-
tor. on Monday Mr.. McRac was in con-
ference with Messrs. Proctor & Mcln-I
tyre, attorneys for Mr.. Jones. Again
Monday night he was a. their Office till
a late hour and at one tine during the
night had to go back to his room TO get
some papers. n ne retuTned 10 the
lawyers office he told g he had al
dizzy feeling and came very near not
returning. He left Messrs. Proctor &
McIntyre's office at I1:15 D. m, and
upon reaching the hotel Went immed1-
ately to his room, leaving orders TO DeI
called UP at s a.. IN. When the servant
knocked on the door Of his room yes
terday morning he could get Ito answer.
Mr.. Thompson then went up and after
Knocking hard on the GoOr ara rece1v-l
ing no answer, broke i'll the door,
He found Mr.. McRee dead on the floor
of his room. right under an open win
dow.
Mr.. McRee was undressei and his
clothing was neatly laid upon a chair.
1t appears that after undressing heI
went to the window where he probably
knelt down to get fresh air, or possibly
to pray. When discovered one arm was
resting on the low window Sl!i, his fore
head was on the floor and MS legs fold
ed under his body. The body was rigid
and his face purple from the rushing
of the blood to his head upon falling
forward. 4 physician who was called
pronounced pOple DIS the cause of
death. 1t was decided by the ~authori-i
ties that no inquest was necessary, ac-l
CUT liz pOdS was AS01NAAy ~
and forwarded to Wilmington to the
~deceased's family. They arrived here
on the 1905 D. m, train over the Seal
board Air Line, accompanies by Hon.
Gilbert B. Patterson, of MaAton, thel
democratic nominee for ngress in this
district stephen Mcintyre, Esq, Sheriff.
George B. Mcleod, and Mr. y. e. White,
the last three prominent citizens of
Lumberton.
Upon arrival of the remains in Will
mir gton they We're met by a number of
fric 1ds, those who acted as Eallbearersl
being DIR. w. D.. McMillan, Captain IL
s. Belden. and Messrs. NJ. F. III. Gouv-l
erneur, A. b. SHIELDING, j.. c. Munds, RI
III. Grant and S. T. Ashe.
NJ. McRee was born in Wilmington
September 16, 1S49, and in d few daysi
would have reached the 53rd year of hisl
age. He was the son OF the late Dr.
Joseph F.. McRee. and his mother wasl
Miss Sallie Sage Cowan. He was mar
ried October Is, 1875, to Miss Katel
Cameron Buxton, daughter OF the Rev.l
Jarvis Buxton, of this state. lie leavesl
a Borrowing widow and two devoted
daughters, Mrs. Herberc Lutterloh, of
Fayetteville, and Miss SaIlie McRee, of
this city. Mrs. LutterlCn is here, hay!
ing arrived n few days ago on a visit
to her parents. He is also survived byl
his aged mother Mrs. Joseph r. McRee,I
Of Asheville. who was eiegraphed thel
sad news and is expected here today.l
He leaves a sister, Mrs. Chisholm, of
Chicago, and Messrs. J. McRee Hatch
N LoGs NJ. Hatch, Of Wilmington,l
are his nephews. The family
has = large circle of relatives and
friends in Wilmington and e~lsewhereI
n the deepest sympathy 5 felt forl
them in their sore bereavement.
Nh. McRee attended Davidson collegeI
when a young man, and enc Of his firstl
nm rtnV an &c va z a < n YIGtCr nn rhnt
Carolina Central railroad. He adopted
civil engineering as 4 procession and
has made his home in Wilmington ALI
his life, only absenting himself at vari-
ous times in the discharge of the dutiesl
of his profession. He has been engaged
on various railroads in North Carolina,
was on the survey of the Carolina Cen-
trail railroad, the survey of the West
ern North Carolina railroad from Salis-l
bury to Asheville, and his last rail-
road work was to survey the line of
the Carolina Northern from Lumbertonl
to Marion. S. c. He surveyed the line
of the Wilmington Street railway and
was one of the engineers who assisted in
the construction of the present sewer
age system just completed by the Will
mington Sewerage Company. For many
years up to his death he has been city
surveyor Of Wilmington, and was about
a year 6 elected engineer to the State
Board of Education. having in charged
the survey of he states swamp lands.
The deceased was Il man of high
sense Of honor and was the soul of I'M
tegrity. He was genial ana courteous
in his intercourse and brave and gen.
erouS among men. He was speciality
fond Of children and always had kindly
greetings for all. He had the implicit
confidence OF all who knew Rim, was al
good and true citizen of Wilmington,
and his death is universally regretted
by our people.
Mr.. McRee was a communicate of St.
Johns Episcopal church.. The funeral
VIII ak place from there this afternoonI
at 1 o'clock and the interment will be-
mad in Oakdale cemetery.
RESOLUTIONS or REGRET.
Especial to The Msssenser.)
Raleigh, N. c., September 9.-Much
regret is expressed at the Office of the
state superintendent of public instruct
ton at the death Of Joseph H. McRee,l
engineer TO the state hoard of education.