Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-22
/ penna. Ave. &akH & Onntpany Seventh St.
JUDGE TOURGEE DEAD
AUTHOR WHOSE REPUTATION
WAS WORLDWIDE.

A cable from Bordeaux last night says:
Judge Albion Vinegar Tourgee of May
Vile, N. Y, American consul here, died
this morning of acute uraemia, which re-
suited from an old wound Judge Tourgee
was taken seriously Ill some months ago,
but his condition afterward improved and
1t was believed his recovery was probable.
Recently. however, the disease took an
other turn, and Judge Tourgee fingered
until this morning. He was born at Will
Mansfield, Ohio, May 2, 1888.
Albion w. Tourgee at different times
was a soldier, lawyer, judge. law profess
sor, lecturer author and magazine editor.
1t was as an author, however. that he
achieved national and international
reputation. Twenty-Five years ago no
American author was better known than
he and the books of none were more
widely read than his.
Judge Tourgee's first three novels were
afterward "A Royal Gentleman In
1876 he published the first edition and
annexation of The Code of Procedure Of
the State of North Carolina" in 1878,
Digest of Cited Cases of North Caro-
lima, very unique legal work. which is
to be found in every lawyers office in
that state In 1879 appeared Figs and
Bricks Without Straw" 1888. Hot Plow-
shares" 1884, John FAX" 1885. AN APP
peal to Caesar" Hot Plowshares' APP
peared as a serial in Our Continent. AN
Appeal to Caesar" was composed while on
a sickbed at Mayville. dictated by the
hundred lines or so daily. Among the
authors unpublished works are some which
may yet appear in print. The public knows
nothing of some of his most arduous Ia
bors. One novel, complete in manuscript.
was rejected by the author. who set out to
rewrite it. When $50 pages were again
written the whole was thrown into the
fire. II have burned more books than I've
printed" was Judge Tourgees comment.
Groundwork of His Novels.
His novels, taken together, reveal a
unity of plan and purpose which the care
less reader may overlook They met with
astonishing success: "A Fools Errand'
reaching the high-water mark OF 6OO.Ooo
copies sold in this country, and Of this
and others of the authors works the sale
Is still steady and remunerative. "A
Fools Errand was translated into Ger
man, French. italian, Swedish and Rus
sian. In the last language It was sup
pressed for 1t told the universal story
of liberty too boldly for Russian tolera-
ton Numerous pirated editions have ap-
peared In England and Canada From
the known sales in many languages, 1t Is
estimated to have been read by 2O.OO0.OOO
of people Several others of Judge Tour
gees works were also translated into Euro
pean languages.
In these novels the author disclaimed
any political advocacy. His purpose was
to illustrate the era following the war.
to note the commingling of elements and
to point out results Along with these
purpose he has found and used roman
tic material of a new kind What he ac-
compIished in an American field is In kind
not unlike the work of Victor Hugo In
illustrating the economic and political
questions of France just before the revo-
luton He often expressed in late years
the hope that the seed which he had
sown in his discussion of the race prob
lens In his books would bear fruit He
lived long enough to see partial realiza-
ton of his hopes.
His Later Life.
AS a lecturer Judge Tourgee had in one
or two brief tours won a popularity second
to none. Especially In the west Is he
prime favorite. Fond of young people and
the best of storytellers, he always managed
to spend an hour when in a college town
with the students.
In 1888 Judge Tourgee became q profess
sor in the Buffalo IN. " Law School. In
1897 he was appointed consul at Bordeaux,
France. by President Mckinley.
While discharging his duties as profess
sor in Buffalo he continued his work as an
author He abandoned the field of the
novelist and devoted his time to law
authorship.