New-York tribune., 1909-11-20
". NJ. LAFFAN DEAD
THE SUN" PUBLISHER
Failed to Rally after Opera
ton for Appendicitis.

"hiam NJ Laffan, publisher OF THE
sun. died early yesterday morning at his
nome Lauan House, in Lawrence, Long
Island. He was taken III last Sunday with
appendicitis. An operation was performed
on Monday. from which ne did not rally
The funeral will be held at the house I'm
Lawrence on Monday on the arrival OF a
special train leaving Long Island City az
lo;lS O'Clock I'm the morning
MI. Laffan had been in the care OF Dr.
j. Douglas Nisbet a specialist In intestinal
diseases. Last Sunday symptoms OF ap-
pehdieitis were discovered, and DR. John
A Nyeth, who for years was a personal
friend Of Mr.. IAffan. as we'll as his medical
1oNlser. was called in consultation with
Dr- Nisbet. The doctors agreed In the
diagnosis OF the symptoms. and decided
'i'at an operation for appendicitis would be
o-''ed Tor unless there was improve
ment within four OF fve hours
The symptoms did not abate. ard Mr.
Lafian and his wife were informed that
an operation was necessary Because OF
ms intimate acquaintance with Mr. Laffan
Ut Nyeth was averse TO performing the
operation. so Dr- Joseph A. Blake. chief
surgeon or the Presbyterian Hospital and
professor or surgery OF the College OF
Physicians and Surgeons, was called In.
Dr. Blake arrived at Mr.. Larfan's home in
Lawrence early Monday morning and at
once performed the operation.
IL was also found that peritonits was
already established on account OF his
long illness from gout Mr.. LarTan was so
enfeebled that he did not rally from the
operation DIR. Russell and another ply
sician on Dr. Blake's stan were with Mr..
Lafran ali the time. while DR. Wyeth and
Or Nisbet were frequently called into
consultation. Death occurred early yester-
day morning from septic absorption.
William NJ. Laffan. journalist and art
connoisseur, a native Irishman. born
in Dublin in 1S4s, son of Michael and Ellen
Sarah FitzGibbOn Laffan. After a prep
aration under tutors and IN H. T Hum
phrey's school, at Black Rock, he entered
French college. at Bodenstown. From
there he went 10 Dublin University. where
he completed his course. Later he studied
Tor time at 81. Cec.lia's School of Medi-
cine An interest in art manifested itself
early IN life and he began his active career
as artlst TO the Pathological Society OF
Duolln- After short time, however, he
decided 10 come 70 this country and go
INTO the newspaper business He spent
several years as reporter. then became
managing editor OF The San Francisco
bulletin In 1870. 4 little later he went
10 baltimore and purchased a half interest
IN The Baltimore Daily Bulletin" OF
which he became the editor. he soon
acquired entire ownership of both the
daily and Sunday Bulletin"
While in Baltimore Nj Lafran married,
in, 1872. GeOrgianna Tompkins Ratclifre.
daughter Of Judge Daniel RatcIiffe. of
Washington During those years preced-
ing his connection with The New York
sun his interests were varied. He was Cor
time general passenger agent OF the
Long Island Railroad and was actively in
terested In the development OF that road
In 1871 he began his work with the paper
10 which he gave nearly ali the rest OF
his life. he was at that time a general
writer. but considerable portion Of his
time was given to art criticisms Early
In lsa he was made art editor for Har-
per & Bros. and London agent OF that
firm. He went back 10 The sun In 1854
as its publisher. while Charles A Dana
was still the owner and editor. and three
years later was elected trustee OF the
sun Printing and Publishing Association.
In that year also he founded The Even
ing sun" and in 1850 purchased the in
terests OF the Dana estate in the associa-
ton. OF which he became president
In addition 10 Mr.. Laffan's newspaper
articles on art subjects ne wrote a vol
ume entitled American Wood Engravers,"
published by the Harpers in lsS3. and edited
many monographs and catalogues 'Au,,ng
these was Oriental Porcelain" published
by the Appletons In 1896. During the year
before ne directed the work Of cataIoguing
the Morgan collection In the Metropolitan
Museum Of Art, OF which he was
trustee. He also edited in 1906. with :
W. Bushnell, c. NJ. G., Chinese Porcelain
IN the Metropolitan Museum Of Art" Mr..
Laean's clubs included the Union, the
New York Yacht. the Racquet and Tennis
and the Rockaway Hunting OF this city:
the Arts Club. Of London, and the Chicago
Club, OF Chicago. Eis city home was at
No S35 Lexington avenue and his country
place was Iaf1an's House. Lawrence. Long
Island.