Democratic messenger., 1910-07-09
CHIEF JUSTICE
FULLER DIES
Passes Away at His Sumner
Home In Maine.
HUGHES MAY SUCCEED HIM

Disease-serveo as Chief Justice o.
United States Supreme Court For
Twenty-Five Years.
Melville Weston Fuller. chief Jus
tice OF the supreme court Of the Unit.
ed States. died at his summer home.
Main Stay. at Sorrento. near Bar Har.
Dor. Me. His death was due to sud
den attack OF heart disease. His
daughter. Mrs. Nathaniel Francis. and
q guest, Rev. James f. Freeman. were
with him.
The death OF the chief justice was
entirely unexpected. as he had been
In apparently good health lately. and
there had been no premonitory symp
toms of trouble.
Though there have been reports
that III health would force Mr.. Full
ler's retirement from the bench dur
Ing the last seven years. he was be-
lieved to be In the best OF health when
he left Washington for his summer
vacation. On his seventy-seventh
birthday. Feb. IL last. he announced
that he had never felt stronger In his
life and that he had no intention OF
retiring.
1t Is believed by many that Governor
Charles +. Hughes. OF New York. will
become chief justice OF the United
States supreme court when that body
reconvenes this fall. Mr. Hughes was
appointed a member By President
Taft several months ago. but did not
take his seat.
Chief Justice Fuller was one OF the
picturesque members of the supreme
bench. He was born In Augusta. Me-.
In 1888. but had always been identi-
field with Illinois. because after his
graduation from Bowdoin college at
the age of twenty years. and admis-
sion to the bar In 1855. he took up his
residence in that state and for thirty.
two years was one OF the most promi.
nent lawyers of that state.
Before leaving his native city his
talents had been recognized and he
was made city attorney and president
OF the common council. and was also
one of the editors of the Age, the lead.
ing Democratic paper. These positions
he resigned TO take up life In the
west
In 1882 he was named as a member
of the Illinois constitutional conven-
tion. and the following year was elect
ed 10 the legislature. Prior to his ap.
pointment as chief justice he was seen
at all the state and national conven.
tions OF his party. and his counsel was
widely sought by Democratic leaders.
President Cleveland offered him at
different times the positions Of solic.
tor general. civil service commissioner
and member OF the commission on Pa.
cific railways: but all OF these he de.
clined.
At length. however. on the death OF
Chief Justice Waite. in 1887. the presi.
dent offered him the vacant position
and he accepted II. From financial
standpoint he made a great sacrifice.
At this time he was one OF the fore
most lawyers at the western bar. hav.
Ing argued during the two decades
previous more cases before the United
States supreme court than any other
lawyer In the west. His income was
something like $4,000 a year. His
salary as chief justice was only Sl0..
500.
Chief Justice Fuller held third rank
for length OF service as presiding jus.
tice In the highest American tribunal.
For twenty-five years he was chief
justice. Chief Justice Marshall pre-
sided for thir,y-four years and Chief
Justice Taney for twenty-eight years.
The chief justice was expected to
retire in 1906. but declined TO do 90.
and his action doubtless had much to
do with the election Of Tast to the
presidency Roosevelt desired TO make
Taft chief justice. Fuller stood in the
way. He held his job and Taft went to
the White House.
His first wife. Mrs. Mary f. Fuller.
died while seated on the porch OF the
Sorrento home, where the chief Jus.
| tice expired. in August. 1904.
An lnfamy.
Some years ago we remember meet
Ing at the door OF secondhand book
shop an excited Irishman. He had
just bought the Irish Melodies" for a
shilling when he turned round on the
bookseller and burst out. But could
kill ye for selling these immortal gems
80 cheapr'-London Athenaeum.
---
phs handwriting.