The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-12-13
CLARENCE P. NILES
DIES SUDDENLY
IN PITTSF|ELD
Native of this County Was Mass
aChusetts District Attorney
STUDIED LAW IN BENNINGTON
Practicea for Some Time in This vh
Iage Before Seeking Broader
Field in Bay State.


| Clarence Pollard Niles, ~, district
attorney Of the western district of
Massachusetts, was found dead in
bed at his home, Pittsfield. about 3
| O'Clock yesterday morning by his
wife. Acute indigestion, which
| brought about dilation OF the heart,
| caused death.
Clarence Pollard Niles was born
in Salisbury, June 20, 1873, the son
of Burr and Clorinda (Pollard) Niles
| His father, who is now 80 years of
! age, was farmer. The later district
| attorney was the only child. He re-
| ceived his education in the public
| schools of his native village and at
Bennington high school. leaving the
latter institution in his senior year TO
enter the law Office OF Charles H.
| Darling, then a practitioner in Ben
nington, later secretary of the navy,
to study law Mr.. Niles was clerk OF
the legislative committee appointed
in 1893 to revise the laws OF Yer
mont, and during the latter part of
that year took the bar examinations
and was admitted to practice. In-
mediately he started in business for
himself and remained in Bennington
for four years, going to North Adams
in 1897 where he began practice by
himself
Later, in North Adams, he formed
a partnership with his cousin, Ben.
jamin Niles, but this was soon dis
solved. Afterward he was mem
Der Of the firm OF Niles & Magenis,
John Magenis being the other mem
ber When this firm was dissolved.
MI Niles practiced short time
alone and in 1910 the firm of Niles.
Lewis & Drysdale was formed, Mr.,
Niles being the senior member JOS
eph Ward Lewis OF Pittsfield and
Hugh p. Drysdale of North Adams
were the other members This firm
was dissolved three years ago. each
partner entering business for himself
again. Mr. Niles continued practice
in North Adams until June l, 1913.
when he moved to Pittstield and on
September 3, 1912, took as his part
ner Frederick NJ. Myers. who has
been an assistant 10 the district-at-
torney since he was elected. The
attorneys have had Offices in the Ag-
ricultural national bank building on
North street.
Attorney Niles was admitted to the
Berkshire bar on July 2, 1897. He
was for four years a member and
chairman OF the North Adams board
of health, was city solicitor in North
Adams under Mayors John H. Water
house and Dr. w. T. Brown. He re-
signed when he moved to Pittsfeld.
and was always active in municipal
affairs in that city. For 10 years he
was attorney for the town OF Clarks-
burg.
District Attorney Niles had mem
bership in various fraternal organiZa-
tions and clubs. He was n member
of the Berkshire bar association and
of the American bar association of
the Boston press club, of the Berk
shire club of North Adams, of the
Park club of Pittsfeld and of the
Masonic fraternity He first joined
Mount Anthony lodge of Masons in
bennington. He also held member
ships in Taft commandery. knights
Templars of Bennington, Mystic
lodge of Masons and Collina chapter,
Order OF the Eastern Star. in Pitts
field, He was also prime mover in
the organization of the Berkshire
Vermont society and its first presi-
dent He held membership in the
Berkshire law library association.
He was first married at Piainield.
~ j., on January g. 1896, to Miss
Virginia IT. Scarborough Of thai place
whom he met while she was teaching
school in Bennington. His second
marriage was to Miss jeanette
Hatch, daughter of the late Sanford
Hatch of Bennington, in that town on
May 49, 1910. They abserved their
fifth wedding anniversary during the
criminal court sitting of Hampden
county at Springfield on May Is last,
when Mrs Niles went TO Springfield
to be with her husband on the ami
versary She survives, as do two
children by his frs wife, ElgiI Scar
borough and Mildred Tlorindl Niles,
all of Pittsneld, and his father, Burr
% Ctal.,,