The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-06-18
Death of Judge John @. Motter.

|
evening of election day, 1919 and be
ing practically at deaths door for the
past three weeks, Judge John G. Mot.
ter, Of this city, well known politician,
lawyer and jurist, passed away peace
fully at his home in this city on Satur-
gay morning at an early hour surround
ed by members of his grief stricken fam.
n.y. For many days prior to his death
ne was In a state of coma, and hardly
recognized any of those about him. He
passed away into the sleep of death
practically without pain. His death
was practically conceded to be only a
matter OF hours, and his physician could
do nothing but ease the troubled spirit
and make the end less painful to this
man who had been a symbol of energy
and effort and construction in his various
occupations in this community. Judge
Motter was in his seventy. first year. and
but Tor the attack he received about a
year and half ago, was still most VIC
orous In mind and body, and was lust
building up big law practice after re
tirement from the bench upon the cleo
ton OF Judge Worthington. 1t is pos
sloie that ne worked too hard, and the
consummation came on election day af.
ter a very trying experience all through
that exciting time. Prior to the last
attack he appeared upon the street reg
u'arly with an attendant, and seemed to
be gaining back some of his strength.
put the ravages Of the dis ease it was
plainly to be seen were deeper than sur
face indications suggested, and the end
might have been FASTENED by irritation
on his part at his enfeebled condition af.
ter having spent so many years of activ-
lty in everything he undertook.
The Frederick Bar association mot
in the Frederick court house on Sat
urday afternoon at o'clock. when
| committees on resolutions and flowers
were appointed 1t was well attended
session. Col. J. E. R. Wood, was made
chairman of the meeting, and Milton
u. Urner, Jr., was named secretary.
The committees:
Committee on resolutions: Milton
g. Urner, Sr., chairman; f. Marion
Fauble. Jacob Rohrback, F. C. Nor
wood, F. L. Stoner.
Committee on flowers: Reno S.
Harp, chairman; Leo Weinberg. H. K.
Delauter, William M. Storm and Ed
gar II. Mcbride. The committee on re-
solutions will report at the Septem-
Der term of Court.
| Judge Motter was one of the most
prominent Republican politicians in
| western Maryland and welded a vast
influence at the time of his active
participation in the political strug-
giles in this section of the state.
Judge Motter was born at Emmits-
burg, on December 4, 1874. He was
the second son of Jacob and Jemima
Troxell Motter. He received his ele-
! mentary education at Emmitsburg, in
| the private schools of that place, and
later attended Dickerson Seminary, at
| Williamsport, Pa. After completing
an academic course he came to Fred
erick and studied law.
Early in his career his attention
was turned to politics. For nearly
third of century he was Repub-
lican chief of the county. He built an
organization, which although weak
ened a few times, weathered all po-
litical storms and reappeared strong
\ h cfi in {hn
role of leader and dictator His or
ganization here was the marvel of the
state and probably no political lead
err of the state ever exercised the same
control over his in this county.
Four years after he was admitted
to the bar Judge Motter accepted his
first political appointment. This was
attorney to the board of county COM
missioners. In 1875 he was nominal
ed for states attorney of Frederick
county and four years later was re-
nominated and elected. Before the
expiration of this term he was NOM
mated for associate judge. This was
| in 1882, when he was but Sc years
| old. Judge Motter always insisted
| that he did not desire this nomination
and that the party blundered when he
was named. He made a stirring cam
paigh, however, and was defeated by
| only a few hundred votes.
In 1897, 10 years after he received
his first nomination for associate
Judge, Judge Motter desired the nom
ination for the seat for which he had
been defeated and secured it. He was
elected and for Is years he served
upon the bench in Frederick and
Montgomery counties, comprising the
Sixth Judicial Circuit. He retained
his hold upon the Republican organi-
cation while serving on the bench.
Upon his retirement from the bench
although nearing the three score and
ten mark, Judge Motter launched into
practice as large as any member. OF
the bar, being engaged in many OF
the important cases.
He also again launched openly in
TO politics and for the first time In
more than Is years he appeared In
the meetings of the county central
committee during the past campaign
and hecame a member of the advisory