The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-24
Had Only Been Pardoned From Federal Prison a
 Few Days
HIS RELATIVES ARE
 VERY INDIGNANT
Claim That His Death Was Directly Due to His Continued Confine- ment --Criticise Taft and
 Wickersham Bitterly

Chicago. October 2s-John R. Walsh,
 former head of the Chicago National
 bank, died at his home here today. He lived only nine days to enjoy the hb7@ erty of his rarole from the federal pen | tentia1y at Leayenworth, Kan, gaineN
 by the continuous efforts of friends sinc4
 his incarceration of one year, eighe
 months and 2G days. Death was eauseda l by myocarditis. an inflammation of the
 muscles of the heart. The banker was | T years old Members of his family at tributed the immediate cause of his death
 to his imprisonment, and charged Presi-
 dent Taft and Attorney General Wicker-
 sham with the responsibility in failing to
 arrange the parole earlier.
 '@rhey wanted the last ounce of blood,''
 said orville l.. Babcock, son-in-law of 1 Mir Walsh.
 Who dc you mean by they" 1 "President Taft and Attorney General l Wickersham." he replied. we presented
 them with statements by Dr, Frank Bill | tugs and pr. Joseph A. Capp, stating that MT. Walsh was dangerously i'll, and that further confinement meant his death. l They ignored these medical statements and his death resulted from the iong de- | lay in obtaining his release' MT. Walsh entered the Leavenworth l penteniary in January, 1910, to begin u
 five year sentence. His health began to | fail. After his release he was probably i further weakened by 26 mile automobile 1 ride In the cold from the prison to kan-
 sas City.
 1 MT Walsh was convicted of misappro- priating funds from his banks for use | in hts other properties. All depositors
 were paid i full.
 He is survived by his widow, Mrs.
 Mary l.. Walsh; three daughters, Mrs. l.. | Blake Baldwin, Mrs. Orville l.. Babcock.
 Miss Mary Walsh, and two sons, John W. and Richard W.
 Born in Ireland l MT Walsh was born in County Cork. Ireland and came here more than 60 years ago. From a newspaper peddler he i developed into larger newspaper dealings, | Isradlflny acquiring funds until he gained 1 q place in a bank Thence he fought his way upward. Finally, when his other l properties demanded more cash than 'ne 1 had Walsh was charged with drawing
 money from his banks for their use. In 1e07 the Chicago National, the Equitable 1 Trust company and the Home Savings bank, all controlled by Walsh, closed their
 doors and he was indicted. He was found guilty, and December ;, 1909. was placed in custody of d United States marshal. He remained at home, however until the last legal step to pre- vent Imprisonment was taken and he en- tered the penitentiary over a month later. Nr. Walsh had been in bed most of tho tii.e since his arrival here from Leaven- worth, october 15, He had been attended constantly by physicians.
 Intermittent reports of Mir Nalsh's fall- ing health during his incarceration had 0een denied at the penitentiary. On his release Il was plain he had aged, and hs gave up plans for resumption of his posi- ton as a financial leader and took to his bed.
 MT. Walsh was n years old. Death came just nine days after his release on parole from the federal penitentiary. where he had been sent on charges Of
 misrepresentation of the funds of the bank to the use of other enterprises.
 MT. Walshs health failed soon after his entrance to the penitentiary. An ilnme- diate movement to obtain his release on parole was begun by members of his fam fly. Mrs. Mary l.. Walsh and his two sons. Richard W. Walsh and John W. Walsh. At that time the examining physician at the penitentiary said Mir. Walsh suf- fering with hardening of the arteries
 III Some Time
 After his erelease MT. Walsh was thought to have been still further weak ened by a long, cold automobile ride from the prison to Kansas City. When he ar rived home on October 15, Mir. Walsh was so ill and weak that he went to bed at once and remained there until his death. Members of the family announced thal after the former banker reached home he had given up all hopes of regaining his lost position among the leaders among fnaneiers and said he would spend his time at home. Mir Richardson. to whom ho was paroled, became his nominal em- piover according to the government pro- viso that the first friend" of a paroled man must guarantee employment. The former banker surrounded by all the members of his family when he ditd. He was stricken with sinking spell about noon yesterday. Physicians remained with him all night. but he never regained consciousness. When day broka today it was announced by the physi- clans that he could not recover.
 "Death was caused by nyocarditie. an inflammation of the heart muscle.' said Dr. Joseph Fl. Lowe who attended him. When Mir. Walsh returned from the penitentiory his muscles wero swollen badly from the disease" Leavenworth, Kas.. October 2S-- When news of the sudden death of John R. Walsh was conveyed to sl R. ". McClaugnrey. warden ot the fed- eral penitentiary. he said T am not surprised I was afraid during his stay here that he would never leave the prison alive Particularly on the day of his parole I was alarmed for him His condition had become weak ened and the excitement incident to hts release overwhelmed him."
 When Walsh was released he Insisted on making the 26 mile trip to Kansas City in an automobile. EiAs son t.....ard who had come from Chicago to attend his father, protested but the aged man insisted that he was able to stand the tourney.
 When he arrived In Kansas City to board q train for Chicago Walsh plain ly showed the effects of the trip. He remained cheerful, however, and in- sisted he was all right.
 Father is feeling fne,' said the younger man, when reporters ap- preached. Even the long motor ridc did not tire him. l expect him to be back at work in few days"
 The former tanker smilingly nodded assent to what his son had said Ho declined to make statement.
 Walsh had served one year, eight months and 26 days of his five years sentence. appeared personally be- fore the parole board on September 70 ia st to present his petition for releaaa