Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-02
DEATH OF JUDGE RILEY
FORMER CONSUL OF UNITED
STATES PASSES AWAY.
Noted Character Whose Career Ends in
Washington Asylum Hospital
Funeral This Afternoon.

Judge William Garrett Riley died yes
terday afternoon at an advanced age in
the Washington Asylum Hospital, where
he had been suffering from nervous pros
tration for a week. He was overcome by
the heat near the Ebbitt House a week
ago Yesterday and taken to the Emergency
HOSPITAL. when he was removed to the Asy-
lum Hospital where he died. Arrange
nents for a quiet funeral this afternoon
have been made by friends In this city.
Judge Riley was one of the most pic
turesque and familiar ngures of the city,
especially of the downtown district around
the newspaper offices. and when his H.
Moss was reported unsual interest was
manifested in his case. Stories of his
eyentful life have since appeared in many
of the newspapers of the country.
Probably the one that has been most
often related of him concerns his shooting
Of the Queen of Zanzibar while he was
American consul to her island The judge
was too good an Irishman to deny good
story. even when 1t was on himself, and
he always laughed heartily whenever this
alleged shooting was spoken OF by any ol
his friends in his presence
The Two Stories.
According to one account he became in
censed at the chief lady of the island be-
cause she persisted in bathing with her
followers in front of the American con-
sulate at Zanzibar regardless of the ideas
of the Americans with whom the pristine
earb did not pass in high society. 1t is
Safd no notified the queen of his dislike
of her custom and requested her to de-
sist She did not see 1t that way, now
ever, and the very next morning arrived
with her train at the FOUNTAIN III ArohI VI
the judges residence
Whether she and her devoted followers
believed that the royal person was sacred
and capable of doing no wrong Is not
stated, but into the water went the DIS
robed queen There was flash of tire
and a puff of smoke from the front porch
of the consulate Without more ado the
bathing party retired. some say IN dis-
order Just what the charge In the judge
shotgun consisted Of is matter of con-
troversy. Some say it was pepper and
salt and others hold firmly that it was
bird shot.
Stories Agree on One Point.
Tho other version has it that the dusky
oueen Objected to the judge flying the
American flag over the consulate and told
b;r, ca in no uncertain terms. The latter
was even more positive in his statement
tbat the flag should stay put" and, 1t Is
said shot two of the queens soldiers to
death for interfering. The lady then pc
came extremely angry ana determined u
haul down the stars ana STRIPES Win uel
roval hands She, therefore, charged the
consulate in person, receiving a charge
from the aforementioned shot gun IN re-
turn. Both stories agree, that she was dis
abled for several days. L
The story that the judge was recalled on
account of this deed is denied on the
Grounds that the State. Department records
say he resigned of his own free WILL and
further that the judge himself urged this
very action in his behalf when seeking an
other consular appointment
Judge Riley was born in 1897 In speaking
of his birth place he once saia
II came from old Accomac, the grandest
territory on Gods Almighty's footstool;
bounded on the one side by the sweeping
Atlantic and on the other by the Chesa-
peake bay--a great country. We raise moth
ing but handsome women, choice game
fighting chickens, acknowledges terrapln
and mortgages. Before the war l was
man of distinction down there, but have
nothing left now but my honoE"s
He was WING before the civil war, dur
ing which he espoused the cause of the
Union, and President GRAFT made him judge
of the southern ClaimsFdivision for Virginia
and later consul general at IL. Guayra.
Thence he was transferred TO ZANZIBAR.
During President Harr!Son's administration
he was again given a consulate, his post
this time being at Puerto Cabello, Vene-
zuela. Cleveland replaced him with demo-
crat, and when his party again came INTO
power he was too old for the consulate
service.
Since then he took life easy and spent
much time in Washington hotel lobbies.
Many have believed that he was through
out this time open to engagements In the
consular service. He recently expected
some money, amounting, he said, to about
$40, 600. which he said was being gotten for
him through the legal services of Senator
Daniel of Virginia.
His Looks Deceptive.
An interesting story about Riley used to
be related by the late Col. William Dickson
of this city. 1t was after President Harri-
son had appointed him consul at Puerto
Cabello, and he had prepared to go. A large
number of his newspaper friends and some
congressman invited him to farewell ban
quet, to be given in the Dutch style in a
beer garden up on Ith street northwest.
They planned to roast him in good old grid
iron fashion, and had songs and speeches
ready for the occasion. A tally-ho was pro-
cured to take the honored guest from his
hotel to the scene of the festivities.
The day arrived and the tally-ho stopped
for the judge, but, to the dismay of all,
there was no Riley. He had left town, the
party was told.
A few days later Col Dickson received a
letter from Judge Riley, postmarked New
York. The runaway guest said:
circumstances FASTENED my departure
from Washington, and 1 could not partake
of your Dutch dinner. 1t would have soured
on my stomach. But want to impress on
your idiotic brain that am not such -
fool as l look. Au revoir''
The authorities of the Washington Asy-
lum Hospital made repeated efforts to To-
| cate relatives of Judge Riley, who might
1t has been learned since his death that his
widow, Betty Leatherbury Riley, over
eighty years of age is living at her broth
ers home, near Eastville, Northampton