New Britain herald., 1917-05-15
Vas Former U. s. Ambassador to England and Lawyer of
 International Fame
MRS. CHOATE COLLAPSES;;
 CONDITION IS CRITICAL

ss z es i+ T t-
 m-Decaara&5on of State of War
 Renewed His spirits-Born as ssIlem
 in 1os9.
 New York, May 15.-Joseph Hodges Choate. former ambassador to Great Britain and lawyer of international fame, died suddenly of heart disease < at his home in this city late last night. MT. Choate complained yesterday morning of feeling depressed and his physician was called. MT. Choate was ordered to remain in bed but later in the day he left his room several times to transact pressing business af- fairs. About 10:3O o'clock last night f1e called his wife and daughter, Miss Mabel Choate,. to his bedside. Ac- cording to Miss Choate. he said:
 T am feeling very i'll. think this ts the end" He died few moments
 Notwithstanding his advanced years. Mr. Choate took an active part in the entertainment last week of the French : and British war commissions in New York. He wAs chairman of the reoep- ton committee that met M. Rene viviani, Narahal Jo6re and other dis tinguished members of the French mission last Tuesday and acted In . similar capacity when the British mis- sion, headed by Arthur !. BalEour, arrived in New York on Friday At the reception in city hall for MT. Balfour and the British miasion, Mayor Mitchel referred to Mr. Choata -as the foremost citizen ofaNew Fork. At the banquet on Friday night for the British and French commiasion- CTS, Mr. ChOats was one u. the eiyeA k CTS and On Saturday evening hA en- tertaAned with . suaail ddnnersAt hf1s s homo r for GS.s Balfo Ax.9 ChQate was Q personal friend of the British x foreign secretary and they saw much ; of each other during the stay of the British commission here.
 Ills Active participation in the city's welcome to the two war commissions was far more than MT. Choate had attempted In many years Finally, on Friday evening, as one of the prin- cipal speakers at the great banquet to the allied commissioners he deliv-4 cred what proved to be his farewell ,lAlblic address. Mir. Choate spoke in s1lis customary happy style and vas as . eloquent as any time in his career. For the first time in two years and Ia half," he said, alluding to the day < when the president asked for a $ declaration of state of war with Germany. T was again able to hold up my head as high as the weight of eighty-flve years would allow"
 Born at salem, Mass, in 1882. F MT. Choate was born in Salem, Mass, January 24, 1882. He was graduated from Harvard in 1852 and two years later from the law school of that institution
 '-s Tn his long and distinguished career he received honorary degrees in law and letters from many seats of learn ling, notably his alma mater. Yale. oxford, Cambridge. Edinburgh. St. Andrews and McGill.
 He came into public prominence in New York as one of the leading s members of the committee of citizens which overthrow Tweed. He was prominent in scores of celebrated legal trials and was known as ono of the wittiest, most polished and suc- (2essful member of the New York bar before he had attained middle age. He was a kinsman of the famous Rufus Choate
 He served as president of the New York constitutional convention of 1894, was candidate for United States senator in 1897 and was am- bassador to Great Britain from 1899 to 1905.
 In 1907 he was ambassador and first delegate to the International peace \ conference at The Hague. He was a member of many prominent clubs and historical societies.
 MT. Choate married on October 16, z ss1, the daughter of Frederick Ster- ling of Columbus. Ohio. There are three sons ana two daughters. The sons are R.. Sterling. George and ! Joseph H.. IT.
 Mrs Choate, who was with her hus hand when he died. collapsed and was carried from his room. Physicians and nurses were called to attend her. Early today a bulletin issued by the physicians stated that her condition .s was critical. vx <s.s Record Income As Lawyer.
 His professional income during the height of his career was believed to be the largest of any practitioner in The American courts. though 1t may Occasionally have been surpassed by some of the huge fees paid for. special services by some of the great corpor- | ations. He won his way through a