Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-10-04

Philadelphia, Oct. 4.-Justice John
Elkin, of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania, died at 1910 o'clock last
night in the Medico- Chirurgical Hos
pital. Death was caused by a disease
of the liver, the exact nature of which
has not been disclosed by the physi-
clans in attendance.
Justice Elkin had been in the hospi-
tai for more than two weeks, having
been taken there on September IS,
when an operation was performed
without giving him relief. Up to a
few minutes before his death the JUS
tice was conscious.
The medical men declared a condi-
tion of the liver had arisen which they
were absolutely powerless to help.
From the time of the exploratory oper-
alton no new developments had taken
place to aid them in saving the life of
Justice Elkin. Drs. Ernest LaPlace,
James NJ. Anders and Lewis Brinton,
the latter the personal physician of the
Elkin family, held the final consulta-
tion and decided upon the hopeless
Plowboy of Indiana
The announcement of the death of
Justice Elkin, or The Plowboy of In
diana County" by which title he was
best known throughout the State, came
as shock to his many friends and ac-
quaintances, who had been given to
understand that his condition was Sc
rious, but not critical. In fact. only a
few days ago it had been said that
he would leave the hospital shortly.
Accompanied by his wife, Justice
Elkin came to Philadelphia about a
month ago. He stopped at the Ritten-
house Hotel, where reports became
current that he was seriously i'll. This
was denied and the jurist appeared in
the lobby several times to prove that
he was well. But Dr. Brinton was at
the hotel frequently and finally he held
a conference with other medical ex-
perts that resulted in the judge being
taken to the hospital. On September
IS an operation was performed. 1t
was in the nature of an exploratory
one and did not result in any satisfac-
tory action. Justice Elkin was sup
posed to be improving
Wife at Bedside
Throughout the days following Mrs.
Elkin remained at the bedside of her
husband although herself unwell from
the strain. She was Joined in a few
days by her son and later by a mar
ried daughter. When the attending
physicians realized on Saturday Just
how serious was the condition of the
pdllGhls dilOlIGl IlltI WHO was at
the Elkin home in Indiana, Pa. was
informed by telephone. Immediately
she started her journey to this city,
finally arriving in Broad Street Station
shortly after her father died.
Ill For Year
Until few days before he came to
Philadelphia, Justice Elkin insisted on
carrying out his official duties al
though he had been unwell for almost
year and had been steadily losing
weight. He refused to surrender to
the inroads of the ailment which slow
ly sapped away his vitality. Few of
his friends realized that for some time
he had kept up simply by sheer nerve.
Justice Elkin is best known for the
fight he made for the nomination for
Governor of the State against former
Governor Pennypacker. Despite the
opposition of Senator Quay and other
leaders of the Republican party, the
"Plowboy from Indiana county" came
close to landing the nomination he
sought. In fact it was thought at first
that he had won. 1t was shortly after
wards, in 1904. that he was appointed
to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Justice Elkin was about % years
old, having been born in Indiana coun-
ty, where he has always resided. Af-
ter having been graduated from the
law department of the University of
Michigan, in 1884. he was admitted to
the bar of Indiana county. Previous
to his law course young ElSin had
taught in the country schools of the
county. Almost as soon as he began
the practice of law, at "a years of age
he was nominated and elected to the
State House of Representatives. He
served two terms. and from that time
was prominent in State affairs in the
party. For four years,