Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-03
r. ]. ME|GS DIES;
COURT ADJOURNS
Had Served the District tor
More Than Fifty
Years.
TO BE BURIED TOMORROW
IN OAK HILL CEMETERY
Supreme Justices Meet in General
Term and Pay Tribute to
Character.

Return Jonathan Meigs, assistant clerk
| of the Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia for more than fifty years, died
last night at his home, in the Hoyt apart
ments, 1880 Belmont road northwest He
was elghty-three years old, and suffered
from kidney trouble for more than a
| month. Funeral services will be held at
O'Clock tomorrow afternoon at Gunton-
Temple Memorial Presbyterian Church,
14th and r streets northwest. Rev. C. E.
Granger will officiate. Interment will be
| in Oak Hill cemetery.
Mr.. Meigs leaves wife, Mrs. Elizabeth
Martin Meigs, and four children. Miss
Elizabeth Meigs and Mrs. Henry Naylor
of this city, Miss Jane Meigs OF San Fran
cisco and Mrs Henry Olds Of Woodside,
Md.
Mr.. Meigs had personally known every
justice of the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict of Columbia. the Court of Appeals
and other District of Columbia tribunals
and the members of the bar during the
past half century.
Unusual Tribute Paid.
An unusual tribute to his character
and services was paid today by the
justices of the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia, who met in gen.
eral term to receive the notice Of his
death. Only ten days ago the court
celebrated the semi-centennial of it's Or
gan1Zatlon, and 1t was then noted that
Mr.. Meigs was the sole survivor Of the
clerical force Of the original court.
The death of members of the bar and
other officers Of the court is ordinarily
noticed by an adjournment noted on the
record of each court, but because of the
fact that Mr.. Meigs had completed half
q century in the service Of the court
the justices decided on meeting in gen.
eral term to express the deep sorrow Of
the court at his passing.
Chief Justice Clabaugh Presides.
pure peplseId usneqsIo eoIlsnr 1sluo
with him were Associate Justices Bar
nard, Anderson. Gould, Wright and Stat
ford. On the motion Of Attorney r. Ross
Perry, the court adjourned all sessions
for the entire day.
In announcing the death of Mr.. Meigs,
Mr.. Perry paid a high tribute to his
character and services.
Justice Barnard was selected by his
associates on the bench to speak for the
court. He recalled his acquaintance with
Return ]. Mefgs, the first clerk of the
court, and with the son, which dated
from 1855 Justice Barnard said the pres
ent occasion was an extraordinary one,
and should be so honored by the court
through an adjournment for the entire
day
Born in Tennessee.
Mr.. Meigs was born in Tennessee and
was the lineal descendant of Col. Return
Jonathan Meigs. who served on the staff
Of Gen. George Washington during the
revolutionary war. His father was Re-
turn Jonathan Meigs, Sd. who was ap-
pointed by President Lincoln in 1863 to
reorganize the District Supreme Court,
which task was completed March % of
the same year. R. J. Meigs. Sd, served as
clerk of the court for twenty-eight years,
resigning in 1891, when he was succeeded
by John r. Young, the present incumbent.
The deceased during the past twenty
years gathered togetherSa valuable fol-s
lection Of historical papers and documents
relating to his family. He presented a
number of manuscripts to the Library of
Congress and to the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, swords and other relics or revolu-
tionary days. which originally belonged
to his DISTINGUISHED ancestors.