The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-04-08
JUDGE WILSON DEAD
WELL-KNOWN JURIST STRICKEN
SUDDENLY YESTERDAY.


Failure Was the Cause of Aged
Attorneys Demise; Long in the
Practice Of Profession
st. Paul. April 4-Iudec Thomas
Wilson, who for the past eighteen
years had been general counsel for
Ike Omaha railroad. was found dead in
the bathroom of his suite at the Aber-
deem hotel yesterday afternoon.
The well known iurisi and attorney
had been dead several hours when
found, and, according to The coroner
and DIR. Alexander j. Stone, life
long friend Of the deceased, death was
due to a ruptured blood vessel in the
brain on heart failure, both conditions
being discovered following an examina-
ton OF the body.
Evidently Judge Wilson had taken
his morning bath aud was about to
dress when he was stricken. The body
was entirely nude when found by the
clerk.
Immediately upon the discovery OF
the body J. T. Clark, vice president
of the Omaha road, was notified and
took charge OF The body, notifying
Judge Wilson'S brother, John Wilson,
II Presbyterian minister of piitsburg
and also Mr.. Wilson's son-in law
United States Solicitor General Boyd
w Bowers. at Washington. D. G. II,
the meantime the body was taken to
the undertaking establishment OF Will
lam Daapicr on Wabaslla street.
Had Just Returned From Befmudas
Judge Wilson had returned only last
Saturday from Nassau in the Bermu-
das, where he had spent several weeks
He WAS feeling in the best of spirits
Saturday evening when he appeared
in the billiard room of the hotel and
watched several guests playing bill
lizards.
lie retired 1t ten o'clock, and moth
ing was thought when he did not APP
pear early Sunday morning. AIpna
about two o'clock tho chambermaid
knocked 1T the door, and, receiving ne
response. called the housekcepcr, Miss
Mccarthy. Nicr repeated knocking the
clerk was called and it was decided
To use the pass key into the bathroom
There the body was found stretched
upoa the floor in trent of the bait!
tub. Dr.. Stone was called, but moth
ing could be done DR. Stone statet
trait the judge had evidently been dead
upwards CT four hours when the body
was found.
Was Native Ct Ireland
Judce Wilson was born in Count,
Tyrone, lreland. May 20. 1927. ane
was therefore nearly eighty tire,
States in 1898, and in 1852 he wa,
graduated from Allegheny college
pennsy lvania. Three years later h,
came TO Minnesota and located in vi
ronl where lie engaged in general law
practice.
lie was a ncn.aer Of the consti
tutionaI convention in 1871 and -,
triet iadse in Winona from ls5. t
1864. The latter year he became al
associate justice of the supreme eour
and from January, 1865, To 1859 HI
was chief justice of that tribunal. IL
1850 he WAS elected representative /,
the legislatus and served one tcrEl
following which lie held one term a
senator from Winona county. In ISIS,
he was elected representative to con
eress from the FIRST district, bat, be
ING 4 democrat. he served only on,
term. Ii. 1892 he was chosen genera
counsel for the Chicago, st. Paul, Min
ncapoIis q Omaha railroad and re
moved To st. Paul and since then h
has Continued his residence here. Fou
years ago he was appointed Il mem
Der of the beard OF regents Of TIN
state university.
! Judge Wilson was married in l,G
to Louisa Bennett. They had only on
child. a daughter, who married I.loy'
W. Bowers. Mrs. Wilson died abon
twelve years ago in st. Paul, an'
shortly afterward Mrs. Bowers died 4
I her home at Chicago c. w. BAN,
general counsel Of the Northern Pa
ciiic, recalled last night the time the,
were in Washington to argue epposit
sides OF a case. Tie day the cas-
came up Judge Wilson received a tcle
gram saying that his daughter ha'
pneumonia. he feared the worst, bli
nunn persuaded him to wait for tn
afteroon train and argue his ease. II
reached Chicago the next day, only
few hours before his daughter died.
The funeral services will be he'll
here Wednesday. Lloyd Bowers, hi
son law, will arrive here that morn
: inc from Washington. The in.ermen
Will be made Thursday at Winona.
City Engineer Wilson Preparing Plan
For New One.
City Engineer Wilson is prcparin
plans for cover for the city reservoir
to be constructed of reinforced con
crete The present wooden roof
getting in bad shape, and will hay
ta be replaced Wood is getting eS
pensivc, and has to be replaced ever