New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-24
Prediction of Victory in
Higher Court Almost
His Last Words.
81; HIS ACTIVITIES
WERE WIDESPREAD
Civic Worker, Public Official,
Merchant and BOtanist-
Ran for Mayor.

labors in conducting the case for the
plaintiff in the recent Barnes Roose-
welt libel trial.
Mr. Wins was taken i'll Thursday
while at work in his library. He be-
came unconscious and several physi-
clans failed to aid him. His wife.
who was Emma Yard, of Freehold, n.
j.; his two sons, William NJ, 'jr., and
James s., and his daughters. Margaret
AID Catharine, we're with him when
re died.
Mr.. Ivins's dominant characteristic
was his energy. Through the sixty
four years Of his life his cagerness
for work urged him from one field of
activity to another, and he gained dis
tinction as a scholar lawyer, linguist,
legislator, merchant and student of
civic. problems.
This quality was his undoing. As
chief counsel for his friend William
Barnes, he worked since last January
preparing his case. When the jury
found for Colonel Roosevelt Mr.. WINS
vas bitterly disappointed. "The Court
Of Appeals will reverse the verdict;
the trial Judge was wrong" These
were almost the last words he spoke
before his death.
Strain of Trial Too Great.
The strain from this trial brought
about his physical collapse on June
-, when ne was unable 10 appear as
Q witness in d case.
Nh. WINS was born in Monmouth
County, y. j.. April %. 1851. His fam
lily brought him to New York when he
was three months old. His father was
of Quaker stock and his mother came
from an EpiScopalian family Of Eng
lish- Hugueno, origin. His boyhood was
spent in Brooklyn. He received his
preliminary education at Adelphi Acad-
envy, and later, while working for d.
Appleton < Co., pursued the higher
studies at home, becoming proficient
n languages and history
He entered Columbia Law School. and
was graduated in 1873. He was ad-
mitttd 70 the bar the same wear.
While at the law school Mr. Wins
showed his taste for politics. taking
active part in the election of 1872.
That year Mr.. Ivinss father and he
we're opposed politically in the old
Sd Assembly District. Mr. Wins
fought for Horace Greeley and his
father for Charles O'Conor. The fol-
lowing year he refused a nomination
FOR the Assembly on the Democratic
ticket, being only twenty-five years
old.
Held Judicial Offices.
He refused a nomination for Surro-
gate, but became Judge Advocate Of
the Fifth Brigade, then of the Second
Division, and later Judge Advocate
General Of the State of New York.
When the State Bar Association was
formed. Mr. WINS became a member OF
the first executive committee. In 1879
Mr.. Wins married and moved TO Flat
bush.
In 1880 W. R. Grace was elected
Mayor, and his attention was called
to Mr.. Wins, who had for more than
six years been writing on municipal
problems and making comparative
study of municipal systems. Mr. WINS
was offered the post OF Mayors secre-
tary. which was accepted. Later ne
became school commissioner, advocat-
ing manual training. He became CITY
Chamberlain for the Mayors second
term at a salary OF $4,000.
From 1881 TO 1890 his life was de-
voted largely to public matters. He
was one of the original iucOrpOratorS
of the Reform Club. and one OF the
organizers Of the Commonwealth CiUo,
both Of which advocated the Australian
ballot, one of Mr.. Ivinss early hobbies,
which he promoted in book Machine
Politics and Money in Elections"
As counsel 20 the Fassett committee
OF the LEGISLATURE he unearthed so
much corrurtion that the investlga-
ton was called of. Mr.. WINS used
the material for report which ranks
as a textbook on municipal reform.
His work in framing the so-called
WINS charter placed him in the fore
front Of charter makers.
During these years he was part
ner m ". Z. Grace e. Co., handling
the export business. He visited Bra
I'll and took an extensive trip up the
Amazon.
Defended Cuban Rebel.
On his return n resigned from the
firm to take up the law and served
the BRAZILIAN government. and in 1898,
went 10 Russia and secured $1,000
600 worth Of war contracts for a client.
lie defended the Cuban rebel Garcia,
who after a trial Of fourteen days was
acquitted ~ i've minutes.
In 1905 Mr. WINS was the Rcpubl-
can mayoralty candidate. running
against Mcclellan and Hearst.
Mr.. WINS had charming PERSONAL
Is. Ills fayor.;e outdoor sports were
colfng and yachting, and ms chief
/ summer occupation was that OF botan-
ist. At his summer home At NarrAEan-
set Pier he had a well equipped bio
logical laboratory. He was well vcrsed
in French history. and mis- Napoleonlc
library Is considered one of the best.
Mr.. Wins vas a member OF the
Union League, Republican, Manhattan,
LAWYERS Downtown, City and New
York Yacht clubs, and OF -. Stephens
Club o. London.
The funeral will be held Monday.
w. S. JOHNSTON DIES