The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1913-08-14
NATIONAL Committeeman
Knoxville Attorney Had Been d
Prominent Figure in State Poi
tics, and Was Three Times
Elected National Committee
man-Was Law Partner for
Year of United States Senator
John X. Shields.

Knoxville, Aug. 9.-R. E. L.. Mount
castle, member of the law firm Of
Shields, Gates 4 Mountcastle, demo-
cratic national committeeman for Ten
nessee and one of the best known atl
torneys and men of affairs in politics
in The slate, died Friday night at II 80
o'clock al the Lincoln Memorial hos
pital, Knoxville.
News of Mr.. Mountcrstlc's grave
condition became quite generally
known over the city Friday, ana
frienus were besieged during the eaI,s
night with telephone inquiries as 70
his condition. He was almost as gen
orally known over the state as In
Knoxville, and was also well known
in political circles at Washing ton ami
not only Knoxville, but Tennessee and
national capital will be grieved this
Imorning at the announcement of his
passing away.
Mr.. Mountcastle was victim or
euremia, an acute form of Brightis
disease. He underwent an operation
for hemorrhoidS at The Lincoln Me
mortal hospital on Monday, July 2Stn.
The operation was apparently success
fuI, and Mr., Mountcastle was recovt.-
ing SO rapidly that physicians planned
for him to be removed to his home on
Laurel avenue last Tuesday. Bat
complications arose, euremia develor-
ed. and his CONDITION became serious.
Thursday it became grave, and Friday
it was realized that he was dying. NJ
MountcaStle himself realized hi.
about noon Friday and gave certain
directions that be desired to have io,-
lowed after he had answered deaths
summons. About nightfail he passed
into Inconsistencies and never was
again quite conscious. AT times tie
gave evidence of recognizing membe,s
of his sorrowing family gathered abo's
his bedside, but could not speak. ~
l1:30 O'Clock, be passed into the be.
yond, surrounded by all the membegs
of his family, some of his closest
| friends, among them his associaie,
General Chas. t. Gates, Jr., and The
physicians who had attended him.
+! No arrangements have been madt
as to the funeral, except the burial
will be in Knoxville. The funeral viii
probably be conducted Sunday.
Robert Edward Lee Mountcastle
was born in Jefferson City, Tenn. ,Fe.,.
2l, 1865, being at the time OF his death
in his torty-ninth year. He was the
son of the late A. j. and Cornelia +.
| Williams Mountcastle. In 1880, Mr.
Mountcastle took his degree of A. q,
at Carson and Newman college, Jeftes-
son City, after which he ATTENDED
Washington ami Lee University 1T
Lexington, Va. graduating from tbafe
with The A. b. degree in 1882. He then
read law. and in 1885 was admitted 10
the state bar, and begin practicing IL
Lynchburg, in Moore county. In 1859
, he moved 10 Morristown and formed q
partnership with James r. ShielGs
and the present United States senator,
John X. Shields. He remained IN
Morristown until 1908, when he cane
to Knoxville and became member Of
the law firm OF Shields, Gates q Mount
castle. Since Mr. Mountcastle bad
| been actively engaged in the practice
of law and had been associated in some
OF the most important litigation in The
state. He has also on several occasions
served as special judge.
In 1904, Mr.. Mountcaste was elect
ed democratic national committeeman
fiom Tennessee, and held that position
at the time of his death, having beeE
twice reelected. From 1900 to 1904 l3s
was member OF the Tennessee staie
democratic executive committee, ana
was also district delegate TO the DEM
ocratic national convention at Chicago
in 1892. He was appointed 10 tho
staff of Governor James Il. Frazier IN
January, 1908.
The deceased was one Of the mcst
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