The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1905-10-03
WHE.ELE II.
PECKHAM DEAD
Eminent JuriSt Succurnbs to
Apoplexy While IN His
New York Office.
ALWAYS STOOD FOR REFORM.

from stroke of apoplexy. Mr.. Peck
ham was one of the foremost jurists
of New York City, a leading member
of the City Club, of which he had been
president of the Bar Association, of
which he also had been the head of |
the Citizens Union and other political
reform organizations. He was a
brother of Justice Rufus Peckham, of |
the United States Supreme Court.
Mr.. Peckham had several times in
the last few months suffered attacks
similar to that which caused his death.
Wednesday, however, he felt so much |
improved that he went to New York |
from his country home at Morristown |
early in the day and went to the law
offices of Peckhan, Miller & King, of
which firm he was the senior member.
When he reached the Office building
he felt too faint to ascend in the ele-
Yator Two Of the hall men noting
Mr.. Peckhanl's condition assisted him
to chair. When he felt stronger he
went upstairs. DR.. DAILY, of the
Equitable Life Assurance Society,
was summoned, and under his atten-
tion Mr.. Peckham rallied somewhat.
At 2.30 he again collapsed, and it was
seen that his condition was critical.
DR.. Hubbard, the Peckham family
physician, was called, and arrived
shortly before Mr.. Peckham's death,
which occurred at 30 O'Clock.
Mr. Peckhan, belonged to family
long prominent in legal circles His
father, Rufus w. Peckham, was dis
trict attorney of Albany County,
served on the Supreme Court Bench
and was elected judge Of the Court
of Appeals.
Born in Albany on January /, 1888,
Wheeler H. Peckham received his
early education in the schools of that
city. He became a student at Union
College, but poor health compelled
him to give up his course there. He
travelled in Europe for few years,
and after he had recovered his health |
returned to this country and entered |
the Columbia Law School, from which I
he was graduated in 1854. The same
year he was admitted to the bar in
New York State, but he went to st.
Paul, Mimi, TO begin the practice of /
law, remaining there until 1868, when |
he came to New York and became a
!, a. tno In Df
St0utenbuTgh 81 Peckham. In 1880
the firm became Miller, Peckham 4 I
Dixon, and kept the name for a quar-
ter of century, George Maccuiloch
Miller being its head. For years the
Offices of the firm have been in the /
Union Trust Company's building, at /
No. so Broadway, New York.
Mr.. Peckham first came into public |
prominence in the prosecution of the
Tweed ring, although some years be-
fore that he had gained the confidence
OF the New York bar.
He was a lifelong Democrat, and for
a time he was member of Tammany I
Hall after the organization had been /
purged of the Tweed ring. He did not |
seek Office, but was active in reform
politics. In 1875 he was active in a
commission favOring the restriction of I
the franchise to property owners, and
he signed a report calling for an I
amendment to the State Constitution
to the effect.
In 1888 Mr. Peckham was appointed
by Governor Cleveland to fill the I'M
expired term OF John McKeOn as Dis
trict Attorney of New York County. /
but after a short time in the office he
resigned it on the plea that his health
would not permit him to continue in
it. He was elected president of the
Bar Association IN 1891.
On January ~, 1894, President Cleve-
land nominated Mr.. Peckham for JUS
tice of the United States Supreme
Court, to succeed Justice Blatchford.
The nomination was generally regard
ed as an act OF retaliation against Sem
ator Hill, who. had brought about the
rejection by the Senate Of the n0mina-
tiOn of William B. Hornblower, of I
New York, for the Office. From the
outset Mr.. Peekham'S friends did not |
have much hope that his nomination
would be confirmed by the Senate in /
the face OF Senator Hills bitter oppo-
sition, although prominent Democrats
of the city and country were united in +
favorable comment on MIR. Peckham'S /
high character and ability. AS was
expected, Senator Hill was able to
prevent Mr. Peckham's confirmation. /
AS president Of the City Club for T
several years, Mr.. Peckham was active /
in urging municipal reforms. While |
he was a member of the Metropolitan, I
Manhattan, Century, Reform, Com I
monwealthi and Democratic clubs, he /
found his chief field for work with re- /
formers at the City Club, and 1T was /
partly through his influence in that |
club that the Citizens Union had its
beginning
Wheeler HI. Peckham's Funeral.
There was notable gathering at
the funeral Of Wheeler Fl. Peckhan,
lawyer and reformer, Monday at st.
Bartholonew's Church, Madison ave-
nue. and Forty-fourth street, New
York. The services were conducted
by the Rev. DIR, leighton Parks, rec
tor Of st. Bartholomew, assisted by
the Rev. Dr. William HI. Vibbert,
vicar Of Trinity Chapel.
The body, incased in a black cloth
coffin, was carried into the church I'M
der the escort Of the pallbearers, Elihu
Root, Secretary Of State; Edward
King, Charles Raymond, Justice Ed
,rard pattnrson William r Horn