Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-15
JAMES Il. ECKELS IS DEAD
Former Comptroller of OArency Expires
Suddenly Of Hsart Trouble,
PROMINENT IN BUSINESS LIFE
He Was Director I'm Number of
Large Corporations - Funeral
VIII BE Held Tuesday
Evening.

Evening.
CHICAGO. April 14-James II. Eckels,
president OF the Commercial National bank
Of this city, and formerly comptroller Of
the currency, died here today Of heart
disease. Mr.. Eckels died while asleep in
his bed
The fact that he was dead was discovered
by the butler, who entered Mr.. Eckels
room after hearing a telephone within
ring continuously without receiving an an
swer. Other members of the family were
summoned. Dr. Frank s. Churchill gave
II as his opinion that Mr.. Eckels had been
dead for some hours.
Mrs. Eckels and her daughter, Phoebe.
Is years old are in Paris where the latter
is attending a finishing school for girls.
They have been abroad since last fall and
planned to return to Chicago within few
weeks. They were at once communicated
with by cable. It is understood they will
sail from France for New York tomorrow.
The death Of Mr.. Eckels came on the eve
Of breakfast party which he had planned
for number Of his friends and relatives.
Judge X. NJ. lands Of the federal district
court, Mrs Lands, Judge and Mrs. z. II.
Gary Of New York Mr.. and Mrs. George
Nj. Eckels, brother and sister-in-law Of
the deceased, and others were to have been
his guests.
Father Died Two Weeks Ago.
James z. Eckels Of Princeton. father Of
James H. Eckels died two weeks ago, on
the morning Of the death Of the elder,
the son was host Of former Presi-
dent Cleveland. The former president and
Mr.. Eckels we're at breakfast when news
OF the fathers death was received at the
EQkala' raqfdanra wa in
ignorance Of the fact for several hours,
until Mr.. Cleveland had left the city.
II developed during the day that the
person who was trying to communicate
with Mr.. Eckels over the telephone, the
ringing OF which led to discovery Of the
death, was George NJ. Bckels a brother.
Half an hour later he was called to his
own telephone and notified Of his brothers
death
A post-mortem examination was held and
q statement issued giving the cause Of
death as organic heart disease formal
ooroner's inquest will be held tomorrow
morning The funeral will be held Tuesday
evening from the Fourth Presbyterian
church. Rev. W. r. Nautman will con-
duct the services. Interment will not take
place at once, II having been decided to
place the body in a vault until the return
Of Mrs. Eckels and daughter, when pri-
vate funeral will be held.
Prominent in Business Life.
Mr. Eckles was a stockholder and promi-
nent in the management Of several con-
Germs, among them the Hewitt Manu-
featuring company and the Union Traction
company, of which he was vice president
the Featherston Foundry and Machine
company, the Chicago Real Estate Trus--
tees association, the Allis-Chalmefs com
pany, the American and British Securities
company, the Bankers Trust company OF
New York, the Oakland National bank OF
Detroit and the First National bank Of
Baltimore. He was a member Of the Union
League, the Merchants and the Commercial
clubs Of Chicago and of various clubs in
the eant Mr. Eckles was one Of the re-
ceivers Of the Chicago Union Traction
company appointed several years ago.
Mr. Fcxles was born at Princeton, Ill,
November D 1856, and most OF his life has
been spent in Illinois. He received an early
education in the schools of his native city,
later taking up the study Of law at Albany,
N Y, graduating from the Albany Law
school in 1880. He practiced law at Ottawa
Ill, until appointed by President Cleveland
to the post Of comptroller OF the currency
in 1898. Mr.. Eckles, during the agitation
OF the currency question. became prominent
as
ways a democrat, he became affiliated In
1896 with the gold standard democrats He
retained the office OF comptroller of the
currency until the end of President Cleve-
lands term in 1887, when he became presi-
dent Of the Commercial National bank OF
this city. Mr.. EclSles leaves only four near
relatives. They are his wife and daughter,
his brother, George NJ. Bckles, and sister,
Mrs. Jane e. Palmer Of Princeton, III.
George NJ. EclLes Is an attorney OF this
city.
Tribute from MIR. Cleveland.
PRINCETON, N. j., April l4.-Former
President Grover Cleveland was deeply
touched when he learned Of the death of
NJ Eckels He said; "I was closely re-
,a+ad 10 Mr.. Eckels and his death comes
"a me with a peculiar shock. In impor-
tsnt work I learned to know him intelu-
gently and learned to know and apprec'-
are his rare qualities. Mr.. Eckels Illus
trated the traits that make the best Amer
team citizenship Deeply interested in
.yarv question connected with the public
welfare. he studied them with soberness'
20 the end that he might increase his use
Sn,ness He was a public spirited man
wbo saw, duty all about him and whose IN
apence was impressed on all his sur
roundinRs for good. There was nothing
frivoIous about Mr.. Eckels. In every rela-
+,on Of life, as a citizen, as business
man and as a friend he was earnest ana
whole hearted Neither the immediate
community in which he dwelt nor the
.,,.,, - large can well AFFORD to lose