The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-07-04
DOMINANT FIGURE
REMOVED BY DEATH
Born of Old Line of New England Stock Dear Jurst
Early Began to Exhibit Attributes Which Later
in Life Made Him Famous

The sudden death Of Chief Justice Mel
Vile Weston Fuller, aged seveuty-seyen
years. removes from the stage Of earth
" action one or the most interesting,
dominant, hOnCred, ana revered figures
connected with American affairs.
Born in Augusta, Ne, February II,
1S&, Chief Justice Fuller began 10 ex-
hlhit in early manhood the attributes
that later were destined to exalt him
10 The highest position IN CONCESSION
with the administra lion Of the laws az
his country That he became Chief JUS
tice OF the United States Is largely due
TO the fact that he did not seek the
honor q modest trait that claimed the
attention Of Grover Cleveland. then
President, who was acquainted with F,ll-
Ter ability To the surprise of many
the appointment was prUncued TO Fuller.
then a Chicago lawyer. and with some
treuidau0I. the latter accepted the post
which he has hOuored with signal ability
since
Chief Justice Fuller came Of an old
line Of New Englanders. BY rearina-
ne was no stranger TO the law. His
SrandfatHer, Henry Weld Fuller. was
"a probate judge in Keuuebec county.
Me bis father was a lawyer. and
his mother was the daughter of
Nathan Weston, at one time fudee of
the supreme court OF Massachusetts.
and for many years chief justice of
the state Of Maine. Chief Justice
FuIler's first law partner was his
brother, D. A. G. Fuller.
Becomes Reporter.
Before he reached his majority. rbe
newspaper profession appealed to
young Fuller and he became q re-
porter On an Augusta t1IeJ paper.
In which he held some stock James
G. Blaine also destined 10 become IA
nous IN later years was a reoorter
on the rival paper and Blaine and
-ller 'scOOped' each other with
great relish They were the best Of
friends. however. all the while and
there began here in the Maine town
a friendship that lasted when both
men were high in the affairs of the
nation
In 1885. when Chief Justice Fuller
was twenty years old he for
sock Journalism for the law. hang
l9S out ms shlnEle in the city Of his
or IN Three years later he removed
70 chicago, where he was uracrT-fr.-
u" WneD called TO the Sur-arul
semen by President Cleveland in ISIS
IN the meanwhile he had ind an in
teTeStng and varied career an I Ha- H.
come identified with the stirring events
ana political battles that followed rrt.
Cyl. 81 ~ war and extended through the era
Always a stanch Democrat II was ne
riip mace Jlle speech dominating u. A
Hendricks for Vice President On H.
l2emoCTaIlc ticket in ISL He served ia
the Illinois Legislature from -sag 10 1850
and was a delegate 10 the Democratic
national convention in 1853. 1872 1876 and
Friend of Douglas.
In his early days NJ Fuller was a
warm friend Of Stephen A Douglas. -hs
opponent Of Lincoln one Of his mos
notable speeches was that welcoming
Douglas TO Chicago at a great racau-fs7 .
rendered the latter there in 1sSI-
Although he became a fuII-fe5Ced
Chic2Eoan IN many ways, AR FuIler-s
removal 90 the Western METROPOLIS did
not mean that he was 70 f1rSaEe his
New England ways and mauner-srls-
nor honor one whit less its traditions
To his death, the Chief Justice rather
leaned toward the belief that nature
smiles the leuderest upon those who
live upon the New England shores II
was fitting that he should die within
the confines Of the state he loved best
chief Justice Fuller was q man I'm
Wlpu the human side was pred0uin-
ant He has been the subject Of many
an anecdOte. and no one liked a story
concerned the ever recurreut ruuor. in
later years that he was 10 resign from
the bench.
Like more than one aged 5urist who
had passed the retirement age and vet
who held on to the active life Of his
post Justice Fuller had 90 deny every
few months some new report that his
retirement was imminent
When he recently visited Chicago,
Justice Fuller was met with the usual
query as 10 his retirement Somewhat
eNaSDerated. he referred the Qucsti0ner
10 @ higher power than exists on earth.
a cail from the beyond which he re-
CeIveL TODAY womb Ike necessary the
appointment Of hzs successor
New England Traits.
a story is told Of ~oue Ct the peculiar
New England traits that Chief Justice
Fuller possessed until his death He
was a small eater al aU times He
took but little exercise. balancing his
physical Incidence with q moderate diet .
II has been told that the regular Satur- .
dav night meal Al the Fuller home IS
baked beans with porIz-IotEiu-- else
The story goes that the Chief Justice
once asked q distinguished English fur-
iSt 70 take dinner with him PROBABLY
forgetting that the dav was SATURDAY.
When the beans came on the visiting
igrISt declined them Chi. Justice
Fuller sccr.cd embarrassed
Never mind III make 1t up on the
next course raid the guest
But. good Lord" exclaimed the Chief
Justice there isn't any other course
And there WASH T.
During his DAYS as q CHICAGO LAWYER.
Chief Justice fuller was "Couuuter.'
riding back and forth each dav or the
HYDE Park car He always occUnied- by
common consent. the same seat UpOn the
car and he was known TO every fellow
cow1-uter. InasUuch as the HYDE Park
contingent was uainiv Eepub l-caD and
Nr- Fuller was q Democrat. the voun~
LAWYER 1Er- I'm considerable TllSS-0ll5sT-E
work in those early days.
Nobody in Chicago was surprised when
President Cleveland made him Chief
Justice IN 1SSS although some surprise
was EXPRESSED in other sections Of the
country
Of Unconventional Type
Chief Justice Fuller has been OF the
unconventional type. Blessed with an
abundant stock Of hair, turned snowy
white in latter years. he wore II long,
Just as might a Maine school teacher or
singing master IN addition 90 this, the
Chief Justice also boosted, with some
l-o-r- NJ ~-TTa q LONG T-co-f~rr sfTL-y-