Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-07-07
CHIEF JUSTICE
FULLER is DEAD
HEAD OF THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT CLOSES
LIFE CAREER.
a Jmist of Broad knowledge and
Ripe Experience in Judicial Work
Was Appointed by Cleveland
Sketch of His Life.

BAR HARBOR, Maine, July A.
ChiefJustice of the United States SUI
preme court Melville Fuller died here
today of heart failure He was born
at Augusta. Maine, February IL,
1893, and had been Chief Justice
since 1883. He graduated from Bow
doin college in the class of 1888 and /
was admitted to the bar in 1856. Two
years later he went to Chicago, where /
he lived until he was appointed to the
supreme bench.
President Cleveland appointed Full
Ter. who was a democrat. Justice
Fuller spent much of his time at
work in Washington. devoting his
summers to study at his summer
home at Bar Harbor He had been
married twice and has eight daugh-
ters, all married
The death of Justice Fuller oc-
CURED at six O'Clock this morning
but was not made public until four
hours later.
SKETCH OF HIS CAREER.
Melville Weston Fuller was born
in Augusta. Maine. February H.,
1888. He was appointed Chief JUS
tice of the United States April 30,
1855. His appointment was confirm
ed July 90. 1883, and he took the
oath of office on October s Of the
same year.
Judge Fuller's father was Fred
erjck A. Fuller, and there is a coinci-
dence in the fact that his mother was
the daughter of Chief Justice Nathan
u sston. Young EULER attended
school at Augusta and was graduated
from Bowdoin college in the class
of 1853. He was a classmate of Ed
ward J. Phelps, who was subsequent
lv to become distinguished lawyer
and United States minister to Eng
land. 1t is a curious fact that 30
years later President Cleveland SER
iously debated the question whether
he should appoint Fuller or Phelps
to the chief justiceship.
After Mr.. Fuller's admission to the
bar in 1856 he remained in Augusta
only two or three years. While
there. however, he was a member OF
the city council and during a part OF
the time city attorney. Then he went
to Chicago and became within short
time leader at the local bar. He
was elected to the state constitutional
convention in 1861, and in the fol-
lowing year to the state Legislature
as a democrat from a strongly repub
lican district. This was regarded as
tribute to his great personal popu'
larity. Mr.. Fuller was chosen dele
gate to the democratic national con
ventions of 1864, 1872, 1876 and
1880
Although identified with the demo
cratic party during the war, Mr. Full
Ter was not in sympathy with tina
wing of the democracy which sup
ported the course taken by the South
He was an intimate personal frien'
of stephen A. Douglas, and one o
the most notable Of his speeches wa
made to welcome Mr.. Douglas at tn
great reception given in his homo
by Chicago citizens in 1850.
WAS A DEMOCRAT.
When Mr.. Fuller was appointed Z
the highest judicial position in tn
nation the subject of his partisan
shin was naturally talked about
democratic president was in ofie
and he was expected to appoint
democrat. The examination of MI
Funer's political record at the tim
of his appointment by Presider
cleveland disclosed nothing but the
which was creditable. The old-fasl
toned idea that judges ought not
bo too partisan" was practical
vindicated in his case, for althoue
always a PARTISAN. he had represen
ed the highest and best type of MOI
crate. conservative partisanship
One Of the most remarkable thinl
sbont Chief Justice Fuller was Il
vide extent Of his general knowledg
II has been said that no case W.
ever presented to him without caliir
ont the fact. at some stage Of II
proceedings. that he had a previou
lv-acouired knowledge of the gener
snbiect involved in the case in han