The Washington times., 1903-12-13
Civil Service CommiS-
sioner Stricken While
Reading.
SHOCK TO THE PRESIDENT
Hurries to Death Chamber
With Mrs. Roosevelt When
News Reaches Him.

John r. Proctor. president OF the
Civil Service Commission. died yester-
day afternoon at 2;30 o'clock at the
Cosmos Club The death OF Mr.. Proc
ter was complete surprise. as he was
not known to be in bad health. and was
considered in the prime OF nfe. Acute
! Indigestion was the cause of de2th.
Commissioner Proctor visited Balti-
more Friday evening. and returned to
| Washington early yesterday morning
AS was his custom. he went TO the
Cosmos Cldb, Madison Place and II
Street northwest, and after p-0curing q
morning paper, went into the front par
lor OF the club and sat down to read.
/ Shortly after he entered the room he
was stricken
Surgeon General Walter lyman, OF
the Public Health and Marine Hospital
Ser-ice, who was in the club at the
time. hurried to Mr. Proeter's side. The
physician informed the club officials
that Mr.. Procter's condition was Sc
rious. and his family physicians would
better be summoned
Physicians Efforts in Vain
Drs. ]. NJ. Heller and c. l. Magruder
were hastily called. and arrived about
1O:45 O'Clock. less than half an hour az
ter Mr.. Proctor was stricken The thres
physicians had him placed upon lounge
| In the front parlor. because they be-
lieved him to De too i'll to be moved.
They remained by his side throughout
the morning. and he showed signs OF
| Improvement. but shortly after o'clock
there was another attack, aud he died,
despite the heroic efforts OF the physI-
clans
Mrs. Proctor had been summoned, and
was with her husband at the end
President Informed.
President Roosevelt was at luncheon
I with guests from New York and the
members OK the National League OF Re
Publican Clubs when ne was apprised OF
the death Of MT. Proctor. AS soon as he
could get away he and Mrs Roosevelt
We're hurriedIy driven to the Cosmos
Club. Both went within and remained
ab11t fifteen minutes. When they
emerged from the doors of the club
Mrs. Roosevelt was IN tears and the
President was plainly much affected
At the White House later Secretary
Loeb. speaking for the President, said
the President was greatly shocked at
the news Of the death Of Mr. Proctor
He felt his loss deeply. both rom the
fact that Mr.. Proctor was an oid friend
of the family and because of the close
official relations long existing between
them
Awaiting Sons Arrival
The body was removed at : O'Clock IN
the afternoon TO the apartments Of Mr.
Proctor in the Marlborough. Eighteenth
Street. between and K No funeral ar
rangements have been made. and none
] Irr~f1f h. IL.
from Norfolk OF Mr.. Procter's son. Capt.
John R. Proctor. jr.. of the artillery.
John R. Proctor, geologist, was born
in Mason county, KY, March Is. 1874.
being descended on the side of both
father and mother from soldiers Of vir-
ginia in the Revolution. He received
his primary education in the county in
whsca he was born. took the scientific
course in the University Of PennsyI-
vania. and left TO join the Confederate
army in 1863. serving IN the artillery un-
til the close OF The war
Mr. Proctor married Julia Leslie
Dobyns, and had thrs= sons. one OF
whom. Andre Morton. is lieutenant in
the United States Navy. Another son.
John r.. jr-. is lieutenant in the artil-
lery. Both of these sons served in the
Splnish-American war
After the civil war Mr. Proctor re-
turned to lis home farm in Kentucky,
where he remained until 1873. when he
received the appointment OF assistant
; on the geological survey OF the State.
In 1880 Prof Shaler. of Harvard Uni
versity, who until then was State
geologis., resigned. Upon Prof. Shalers
recommendation Mr.. Proctor was ap-
pointed 10 I'LL the vacancy. and he con-
tinued to serve at the head Of TIE sur
vey until its close, In 1898. In the course
of his service as State geologist he re-
fused 10 make appointments as rewards
for political services. maintaining that
merit. and not partisan activity. should
constitute the necessary qualifications
! for the public service He refused
even at the dictation of members OF
the State Legislature, TO remove COM
petent assistants who happened to be
of opposite political party. In this
: course Mr.. Proctor was sustained by
: the several governors OF the State un-
der whom he served until 1898. when the
= governor wished him to make appoint
;, ments for personal and political rea-
!, sons.
Closed the Survey.
q Mr.. Proctor resisted this. and advised
n that the survey be closed rather than
= 10 be used as a machine for advancing
the political interests Of anyone by max
ing the offices spoils TO be let out =
partisan favorites. He was appointed
to serve on the jury of awards on mines
and mining at the Worlds Exposition
at Chicago. and acted in that capacity
until his appointment. on Decemoer ?
2 1898. as Civil Service COmmissicrer in
e which position he remained unInterrupt-
O edly until his death. acting as president
OF the commission. Mr. PrOcter's ap-
~ rnirtrnent On the commission Vas l,rcad