New-York tribune., 1907-04-15

asleep. The butler called to him. and. getting
no response. sought to arouse the banker, only
to find that the ex- Controller was dead.
Members of the household were summoned
and DR.. Frank S Churchill was called. DIR.
Churchill arrived in a short time and said that
Afr. Ec<els had been dead for several hours.
Mrs Eckels and her daughter, Phoebe, eigh-
teen years old. in Paris, where the latter Is
attending school. They have been abroad since
last fall. and planned to return to Chicago with
in a few weeks. It is understood that they will
sail for New York tomorrow.
The death of Mr.. Eckels came the eve of
| a breakfast party which he had planned for a
number of friends and relativesN Judge X. NJ.
lands. of the Federal District Court, and Mrs.
Lands; Mr. and Mrs E, NJ. Gary. of New York;
George NJ. EckeIs. brother. and his wife and
others were 10 have been guests
James 4 Eckels Of Princeton, H., father Of
James II. EckeIs. died recently. on the day Of
the death of the elder Eckels the son was host
/ 10 ex-President Grover Cleveland The ex-
President and Mr. Eckels were at breakfast
when the news Of the fathers death re-
ceved at the Eckes home Mr.. Eckels was kept
in ignorance OF the fact for several hours. until
Mr.. Cleveland had left the city.
II developed that the person who was trying
10 communicate with Mr.. Eckels over the tele-
| pHoHe as n result OF winch II WAS discovered
that he was dead. was George NJ. Eckels a
brother. Half hour later the brother was
called TO his own telephone and informed of the
death.
A pOst-mortem examination held and n
statement was issued. giving the cause OF death
organic heart disease. The funeral will be
held Tuesday afternoon at the Fourth Pres
I byterian Church. The Rev. William r. hoffman
will officiate The body will be placed in a
vault until the return OF Mrs. Eckels and her
daughter. when private funeral will be held
James Heron Eckels was born in Princeton. III
on November q ls5S. and educated in the public
schools, He studied law at the Albany Law School
where he was graduated in 1850. He was admitted
20 tho Illinois bar in 1881 and began tho practice of
/ law at ottawa ILL.,
While studying law IN Albany a friendship had
sprung up between young Mr.. EckeIs and Grover
Cleveland. on April 3. 1893. President Cleveland
surprised the financial world by appointing Mr.
Eckels Controller Of the Currency. which position
he held until the end OF 1897. He made many
speeches on the currency question and became
prominent as a gold standard advocate In 1896 he
afiliated himself with the gold standard Demo-
Gratis.
As Controller Mr.. Eckels justified the confidence
which President Cleveland had placed in him He
handled delicate financial problems with great tact
and ability. He also introduced several important
reforms. One OF these was for a double examina-
ton or national banks yearly. and another pro-
vided that. in of failure creditors and depos
itors he paid at once, II said that President
Cleveland was very proud OF Controller Eckels
on January l. 1858. ex-C'ontroer EckeIs became
president of the Commercial National Bank OF
chicago which position he held the time of his
death Mr.. Eckels's name was mentioned early
this year as a possible successor to Alexander r
orr rs president OF ;he New York Life Insurance
Company. In appearance Mr. EcleIs was very
nent cheekbOnes. ~ P'''i'
n MI; liz EGkels was stockholder in and prominent
IN tne manage ment Of the Hewitt Manufacturing
COMPANY. the Union Traction COMPANY the
EeatheFst9he Foundry and Machine Company Inc
Chlcaso Real Estate Trust Association the iIlfs-
CngtmeTS Cr1t Company the American and British Sc
and the First National Bank of E{aItimore lie VS.
a member of the leading clubs OF Chicago and 81
various clubs in the East ~ G