Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-05-11
1ST DISTRICT
JUDGE DEAD

Funeral services for District Court
Judge Malcolm MacLear, whose death oc-
CURED yesterday afternoon. following an
operation from which his heart failed to
rally, will be held Monday morning in
the First Presbyterian Church. Rev. w.
w. Dawson. pastor of the church. will
oficiate at the services. The burial will
take place at Wilmington, Del, Mr.. Mac
Lear's birthplace.
Judge MacLear had been in ill-health
for a number of years, but many be
lieve that the indirect cause of his death
was overexertion, attending his work in
breaking up the. fire insurance combine,
which he began during his term as city
attorney and continued until 1t was fin
ished two years afterward. This work
earned for him a lasting reputation as a
faithful worker and brought him the
gratitude OF the public. He was formerly
associated with Franklin w. Fort in the
practise of law.
Franklin w. Fort. former law partner
of Judge MacLear stated last night that
he believed the indirect cause of death
was oyerexertion attending his work in
breaking up the fire insurance con. 5ine,
which he began during his term as city
attorney and continued until it was fin.
ished two years afterward. thereby rem
dering the public n great service both as
a public official and a private citizen.
ihis was the best work of his career,
Mr.. Fort said. and earned for him a
lasting reputation as a faithful worker
and the gratitude of the public.
,Judne Mail oor mn ia hts A7d ,,oa, aaa
had been a resident of this city since
he first began the practise of law. years
ago. lie was born in Wilmington, Del,
and was graduated from Yale Law Uni
versity in the class of 1881. He was
married to Miss Grimshaw. of Whining
ton, who with four children, reside at
D Centre street, South Orange: his par
ents. Mr.. and Mres. Henry MacLear, Of
Mount Vernon. N. Y. a brother Walter
McLear, of Ss2 South Seventeenth street.
his city, and two sisters. survive him.
The first public office held by Judge
MacLear was hat of city attorney under
the four years administration of Mayor
Doremus. He was appointed to the
judgeship of the First District Court
by Governor j. Franklin Fort and his
term would have expired mex April.
He also served as secretary OF the
Republican State Committee in 1907.
While his health had always been any
thing but robust, he was not seriously III
until after his strenuous efforts in the
case against the Firemen's Insurance
Association, an organization which he
discovered was ~conspiring to fix the
rates Of insurance, his attention having
been attracted to the matter by the APP
parently exorbitant rate charged the city.
He began working out of office hours on
the case until FAR into the night, and this
he continued to do long after his term Of
Office expired, not in an official capacity,
in the desire to be of service to the
public. The case dragged along In the
for three years and finally re-
In a complete victory. but it cost
him his health. for he was obliged to give
work entirely for nearly a year,
time he spent In a sanitarium.
Since then he had done little except to
fttend the court and has been almost
constantly under u physicians care, part
IF the time In a hospital.
The funeral will be held some time
Monday morning from the chapel of the
Smith undertaking parlors, Broad street.
though final arrangements have not been
completed. ST. Johns Lodge of Masons,
II which be was a member, will prob
ably participate in conducting the sery-
lces.