The Dickinson press., 1913-03-08
WINCHESTER
IS TAKEN
One Of Earliest Residents Of State.
Early District Judge and Well
Know 10 Our
Readers.

W. H. Winchester, for nearly Is years
judge of the district court of the Sixth
Judicial district, veteran of the Civil
war. prominent in the political and
civil life Of the territory of Dakota and
the state of North Dakota. and one of
the oldest citizens of the state and the
city of Bismarck. died Tuesday night
at about 80 o'clock of cerebral
hemorrhage.
A large number of our readers are
personally acquainted with Judge Win
chester and will be interested in the
following account Of his life by the
Bismarck Tribune:
Judge Winchester had been in ill
health for several months and in fact
for number of years past he has been
worn by the strain. both mental and
physical. of his labors as judge of the
Sixth district. For many years the
district over which he presided was one
of the largest of the state. In the per-
Torrance of his duties he gave unspar-
inely of his energies, and nature in the
past year or so has exacted the penalty
that comes from over exertion. On his
retirement from the bench the first of
January. the effects of his long and Sc
we're labors made themselves manifest
and he developed trouble that made an
operation imperatively necessary This
was performed Tuesday.
He rallied nicely from the immediate
effects of the operation, but late in the
afternoon developed cerebral hemorr-
hage. He fell into condition of un-
consciousness and gradually grew weak
er until the end came.
Few citizens OF the western part of
the state were better known than Judge
Winchester. He came to the city in
the early eighties and has resided here
since that time. He served Burleieh
county as superintendent of schools and
on the admission Of the state was the
first judge of the district chosen for this
territory. At that time the Sixth dis
trict comprised the entire western part
OF the state-the counties of Burleieh,
Emmons. kidder and Mclean east Of
the river and all of the immense ter
rltory west of the river. At the present
time this territory. embraces three iu-
dicial Districts Jua&e.Winchester pre-
sided as judge over all of this vas, ter
ritofy. and for many years was the only
district judge in this immense district.
He had a serious illness several years
ago. as result Of the strain upon his
physical and nervous energies. but re-
covered from that. although he has
never fully recovered his strength AMI
health.
AS judge Of the district court he
was men who made many friends in
and out Of the court room. His unfail-
ing courtesy. friendliness and kindness
earned him the friendship and regard of
all with whom he came in contact.
His death will be sincerely mourned.
Few men have had the distinction to
preside at the trial of more important
cases than Judge Winchester. Few
have had more to do with the interpre-
tation of the Law in new state. In
the period of his service as judge, the
western part Of North dakota has tre-.
mendously developed. Upon his first
election the great territory west Of the
river was sparsely settled. Distances
We're great and travel difficult.
Judge Winchester leaves wife, who
is at the present time recovering from
serious surgical operation. He leaves
also two daughters, Mrs. F. L. Conklin
and Mrs. N. O. Ramstad. and son.
Harold Winchestef. "a student at Har
ward medical college.
For many years Judge Winchester
was superintendent Of the Sunday school
of the Presbyterian church in Bis
marck.