The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-01-25

twice prominent candidate for the
and in many other ways a distin-
guished member of his party promi-
nently mentioned in connection with
the forthcoming appointment of dis
trict judge in the Ninth judicial dis
trict, past exalted ruler in Norfolk
lodge NO. 653, Benevolent ana Protec
tive Order of Elks, and up to the time
of his death president of the Norfolk
Commercial club, w. M. Robertson
closed an active public career at the
age of fifty-eight years.
Federal Building His Monument.
The most striking monument to the
life and work of w. M. Robertson to
survive him in Norfolk is the size of
the United States postoffice and fed
eral court building here. A bill in
troduced to appropriate $4,000 for
this building was raised to 100000 by
| Congressman Dave Mercer to pay
personal obligation to Mr.. Robertson.
Whether or not the appropriation
would have passed when it did is
question: but the fact that Mr.. Mercer
was chairman of the public building
committee and under personal obliga-
ton to Mr.. Robertson assured the pass
age of the appropriation at that time.
Victim of Old AiIment.
For the past couple of weeks Mr..
Robertson had been i'll with an attack
of sclerosis of the liver, an ailment
from which he has been a sufferer for
years. Not until a few days ago, how
ever, did his condition become so Sc
rlouS as to alarm his family and
friends. Late Saturday night DR.. Som
ers of Omaha was called in consulta-
ton over the case and he confirmed
the statement of DR.. Salter that there
was practically no hope for recovery.
At that time Mr.. Robertson's daughter,
Mrs. Williams of Syracuse, N. Y, was
notified and arrived today, too late to
see her father alive. One brother is
here from Madison and another arrived
at noon from Omaha. Word was re-
ceived day or two ago that Mr.. Rob
ertson's mother is seriously i'll in
Omaha.
Mr.. Robertson is survived by wife,
one son, S. ID. Robertson, and a daugh-
ter, Mrs Williams of New York.
Mr., Robertson enjoyed the respect
and esteem of the legal profession of
the state and he was a man with MANY
friends, not only in Norfolk but in all
parts of Nebraska.
His Last Public Utterance.
He was often called upon to speak !
for various occasions. A year ago he |
delivered an address at Albion at the |
Commercial club banquet. Three
years ago last fall he delivered an adj |
dress at the Neigh carnival. He de-
livered the funeral Grafton over the
remains of the late Otto Tappert and
on the second day of last month he
delivered the address on the occasion
of the annual memorial services of the
Elks in this city. His closing para
graph in that address is significant at
this time. He closed the speech-and
it was his last public utterance-with
these words:
We little know what the future has
in store for us. We can not lift the
Ndll ana get glimpse OF the future
but let us press on doing the best we
can, so far as lifes duties are con
cerned, with the hope that the world
viii be better and not worse on ac-
count OF our having lived in it.
Native of New York.
William NJ. Robertson was born in
Andes, Delaware county, New York,
January %, lS4S. His parents were
born and married in Scotland, coming
TO America in 1871 and settling in Del.
aware county, N. Y. His father, Col. I
I'm Robertson, was a soldier during ,
me civil war enlisting as private {
and rising to the ranks of second lien. 7
which rank he held when mus. c
-ered out He served three years un- |