Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-07-08
CHIEF JUSTICE DEAD
MELVILLE FULLER, HEAD OF u
S. SUPREME COURT SUD.
DENLY EXPIRES.
HOLDS OFFICE FOR % YEARS
Death Comes From Heart Failure and
Was Wholly Unexpected and Re-
moves One Of Most Distinguished
Members Of American Bench.

Washington, July 5.-Chief Justice
Melville Weston Fuller, for nearly
twenty-five years the presiding officer
of the United States supreme court,
died suddenly July 4 at his summe
home in Sorrento, Me- His death,
which was wholly unexpected, was
caused by heart failure. He had been,
apparently. in excellent health for the
last few days.
The death of Chief Justice Fuller
removes one of the most distin-
guished members of the American
bench and a iurist whose abilities
were recognized and admired through
out the world.
1t also places in the hands of Presi-
dent Taft the privilege of naming his
successor, and the opportunity to ap-
point chief justice of the United
States supreme court comes to but
few presidents.
Chief Justice Fuller was citizen
of Chicago and a member Of the bas
of that city when he was appointed to
the supreme bench by President Cleve-
land, in 1888, and it is regarded in
political circles at the capital as high
ly probable that Chicago man
Lloyd w. Bowers, now solicitor gen.
eral of the United States-may be
placed on the supreme bench as a re-
suit of the death of the chief justice.
A Great American.
To Chief Justice Fuller fell the
honor of third rank for lentgh of serv-
ice as presiding rank for leng dluu
ice as presiding justice in the high
est tribunal of the American govern
ment
For % years he was chief justice
of the supreme court of the United
States. Chief Justice Marshall pre-
sided over the court for "a years and
Chief Justice fancy for 2S years.
With the future rests the determine
ton of his rank among the eight
chief justices of history for ability and
accomplishments.
Before Grover Cleveland sent his
name to the senate on April 80, 1888,
for confirmation as chief justice, he
was practically unknown except to
members of the legal profession. In
Maine. where he was born on Febru-
airy II. 1893, he had been known as
a well-behaved, rather scholarly lad.
He had gone to Rowdoin college, and,
incidentally, there won most Of the
prizes for elocution. He had gone
down to Harvard law school for one
year.
His Great Argument.
From 1856 to 1888 he lived in Chi
cago, but attracted little attention out
side his immediate circle of friends
and associates at the bar until he
undertook the defense of Bishop
Cheney on a charge of herecy. His
knowledge of ecclesiastical history
and procedure astonished those who
conducted the case, and his argument
of the cause of the bishop before the
supreme court of Illinois Is referred to
still as forensic effort seldom if ever
surpassed in that court.
He was delegate to the national
conventions of the Democratic party
III 1864, 1872, 1876 and 1880.
The nomination of Mr.. Fuller, then
fifty-five years of age, was followed by
a memorable contest in the senate.
The judiciary committee. with its
Republican majority, to which the
nomination was sent April 80, held
up the appointment until July 20.
Then the committee reported it to the
senate without recommendation.
For three hours that body debated
in executive session whether to con
firm or reject the nomination. The
attack on Mr. Fuller was led by Sena-
tors Edmunds, Evarts and Stewart,
Senators Cullom and Farwell defended
him.
The reports that he had been a
"ccpperhead" during the Civil war
and that he did not possess the re-
quisite ability as lawyer were gone
over.
His Great Victory.
Finally. by vote of Al to 20. hi