The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-01

ITHACA. N. Y. July si.-Francis Miles
Finch. formerly dean Of the Cornell College
Of Law and for fifteen years an Associate
Justice OF the New York Court Of Appeals.
died at his home in this city at q late hour
last night. He was 30 years old and had
been slowly declining for some time. al
though he was still strong enough last year
to give his course in the history and evolu-
ton Of the law In the Cornell Law School
At his bedside last night we're his two daugh-
ters, Mary Sibley and Helen Elizabeth.
Although Judge Finch was a very old
man his death was not expected and IL
came a. a shock 10 the city and TO Cornell
University.
Judge Finch was the counsel for Cornell
University In all Of its early years and was
instrumental in securing many favors
from the State In It's behalf. az well as being
one OF the foremost OF It's champions at Al
He was a trustee from 1885 to 1882, when
he resigned to 60 on the bench. In 1891
he was elected TO succeed Judge Douglas
Boardman as dean Of the law school. and
when his term as Judge expired in 1895
he assumed the active duties OF that po-
sition. In 1908 he retired from the dean
ship and was succeeded by the late Ernest
W. Huffcutt. Since that time Judge Finch
has served as professor emeritus and
lecturer on the history and evolution OF
the law. He was a great friend OF Andrew
ID. White and had been intimately asso.
ciated with tho growth and progress Of
Cornell University.
Judge Finch was a member Of the Court
Of Appeals for fifteen years. During that
time he heard about 5000 cases and wrote
were decided upon his advice without opin-
ion. Some OF his opinions are classics OF
the New York law. II was he who wrote
the opinion in the first great trust case TO
come before the Law courts. that OF the
People against the North River Sugar Re
ining Company. IL was there held that
corporations entering into a trust. even
though by the indirect method OF the trans
fer Of stock by the stockholders in exchange
for trust certificates, had violated the law.
This opinion. according 10 Dean Huhcutt.
must always remain a classic statement
Of the true nature of a corporation and the
limits OF the fiction Of artificial entity.
Five years 9 the university celebrated
the seventy-ffth anniversary Of Judge
Finch's birth. and at that time all OF the
wrote special letters declaring that he was
one Of the most brilliant lawyers and schol-
ars that ever adorned the Appeals bench.
Finch was associated with Chief Judge
Charles Andrews. Robert Earl. Benjamin
+. Tracy. John Clinton Gray. Rufus A.
O'Brien and Albert Haight.
Judge Finch is survived by two daugh-
ters. Helen Elizabeth and Mary Sibley
Finch Of Ithaca son, Robert Brooke Finch
Of Michigan. and two brothers. Dudley and
William Finch OF Ithaca.
Judge Finch was celebrated alike for
his legal learning and for his poetical
writings. OF his poems Nathan Hale"
and The Blue and the Gray" are best known.
His songs Of Psi Epsilon, however, were
the best appreciated Of his writings. For
Il has been the custom at Psi Upsilon
meetings to sing the title page Of his sopg
book, line by line, zach line winding ,p
with the praises Of Psi U Finch. His
Smoking Song of Psi L is a classic OF its
kind.
Judge Finch received the title OF Ill. u.
from Hamilton College in 1880 and the
same degree from Yale in 1880. He was
president Of the New York State
Bar Association in 1909, and was an non
orary member Of the Army of the Potomac.