Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-09-06
FAMOUS CITIZEN II
Of STATE DIES
Major Holmes Conrad, War
rior and Advocate, Dead
in Winchester.
WAS ILL MANY WEEKS
ror Years Deceased Had Been No
table Figure in Old Dominion and
Country at Large.

| lOuHlIS AZ La So
| Winchester. Va. Sept. o. Major
Holmes Conrad, the noted constitutions
al LAWYER of Virginia, who was one
Of the few remaining old-tlme Wy
! pinia counselors, both in manner OF
! practice and general demeanor, died
| Saturday afternoon, at his residence
! in Winchester, in the seventy-slXth
year of his age.
Major Conrad had been before the
public eye of the nation for many
wears, first as solicitor-general OF the
United States during the second ad-
ministration of President Grover Gle
veland, from 1891 to 1897, and from
that time until early last spring, It
is said, no practitioner in Washing
ton was a more familiar figure in thu
room Of the United States Supreme
Court, as the representative of clients
Of national repute, than the hraInF
lawyer from Virginia.
Major Conrad's health haG been fall-
mo for months. AT one time, under
Cleveland administration. he was
assistant AttC,ncy-Gcncral of the
United States. In that and also in the
capacity of solicitor-general he sue
ccssfulIy handled Il large numhcr OF
mportant cases for the government
one of the most noted and intricate
being the Potomac fats case After
retiring from the government service.
which was brought about by change
of administration, Major Conrad 20"
tinucd to practice his profession IL
| Washington. President Mckinley had
a very high regard for Najor Con-
RAIDS legal attainmcnts and they were
also warm, personal friends. When
the frauds in the post-OllicG Depart
mcnt came to light, President Mckin-
lev selected Major Conrad aS special
counsel for the government.
| Major Conrads last appearance nc
fore the United State Supreme Court
bar was during the latter part or
/! April of this year. when, III the iina!
argument of the old State debt case; (;
he scored what he declared To hc the
tardv action of West Virginia coming
into court and laying claim 10 Il share
Of Virginia'S old assets as a credit on
its part of the Old Domiuion'S State
! debt. lie went over the entire case III
= concise and comprehensive manner.
Major Conrad addressed the court
with great force and vigor for more
than half all hour after rising from
his seat. and quoted a wide variety OF
statistics and figures. showing but lit
tlc fatigue at the close Of his arEi-
ment. He also listened to the arGu-
mcnts of other counsel for the bond
holders, counsel for the State of Viz
rinia ard those representing West
vi,rinia. He came to his homc he:e
shortly thereafter, and hcHcrct again
appcarcd in any court. He lived: nov
ever. long enough to rccciv" mcisag-
es from Washington. to the effect.
that the Supreme Court had doclucd
the interest matter i'll favor nt the
Virginia bondholders and Immediately
thereafter d motion that had been
drawn hv Major Conrad at his home
bcrc was offered in the Supreme
Court to appoint . receiver to enforce
the courts Judgment.
Major Conrad came Of Il family
! that has always been promhncn: III
the political, governmental and So
, cial affairs of Virginia. His father
/ the late Robert Y. Conrad. wax >
LAWYER of distinction.
Major Conrad had been the nesto!
Of the Winchester bar for many years
Although always citizen and resi-
d dent of the city Of his birth. he ha'
Il spent much of his time during th'
e mast twenty-five or thirty years il
washington. practicing his profession
h and while there he tool; an actiTt
pars in rrac:,cai;:" all matt : rcrtaln
h ing 10 the Confederate veterans an
=. The United ;jauohtcrs of thc Cnnfeci
II eracy.
e Major Conrad was born in Win
V chester on January 81, 1910, and wa
X educated at the old Winchester Ac